Freight

[Mogus]

I'm applying to the U.S. Naval Academy and am still waiting to hear from them about my status. It's looking good, but I'm feeling out my options just in case I'm rejected. I'm looking for a school that offers accelerated Instrument and Commercial ME training at a reasonable price. I was thinking I could find a job flying freight or something similar for a year, while I applied to the USAFA, USNA and a few other schools. I'm looking for the type of school mentioned above, and advice on how to go about finding a job doing this kind of work. Thanks.

 

[labbats]

If I had it to do all over again, I'd go to AllATPs.

www.allatps.com

 

[mizzouguy]

You still will have to meet 135 requirements to haul freight

 

[Mogus]

What are 135 requirements?

 

[TonyC]

I'm applying to the U.S. Naval Academy and am still waiting to hear from them about my status. It's looking good, but I'm feeling out my options just in case I'm rejected. I'm looking for a school that offers accelerated Instrument and Commercial ME training at a reasonable price. I was thinking I could find a job flying freight or something similar for a year, while I applied to the USAFA, USNA and a few other schools. I'm looking for the type of school mentioned above, and advice on how to go about finding a job doing this kind of work. Thanks.

What exactly is your "waiting to hear" status? Have you received a nomination, or are you hoping to receive a nomination? Who are you waiting to hear from, and why do you think you might be rejected?

What is your primary goal? Is the USNA or USAFA a means to your goal, or is it THE goal?

The advice that's appropriate will depend on answers to these questions.

Perhaps I'm reading too much into the situation, but your suggestion that you might accelerate your flying career while you wait another year to get accepted indicates two things to me.

1) You might not realize what the service academies want in their candidates. Academic qualifications are critical, but other activities are important as well. Flying hours is NOT important. I'd venture that the vast majority of appointees have very few flying hours, and I doubt very highly that accelerating your flying experience will make you a more attractive candidate a year later. Greatly improved ACT's and SAT's will help, as will straight A's in freshman college-level courses should help.

2) You might have goals that don't necessarily include a service academy. The fact that you're highly interested in accelerating your flying indicates, to me, that you really want to fly. There are faster ways that do not involve a 10-year military commitment to achieve a goal of flying. Sure, you pay in different ways, but you get to make your own choices all along the way. You don’t have the luxury of having someone do your laundry for the next 4 years, but you DO have the luxury of saying, "No thanks, I don’t want to move there" or "thanks, let me think about that job offer and I'll get back to you."

If you're considering USNA and USAFA because of the paid education and the prestige of the institution, please think again. Those are certainly benefits, but they're not good enough to keep you there when the going gets tough.

 

[labbats]

Ouch.

Here's the point we can all remember in our pilot career when the rug got pulled out from under us. Learning that there's no easy route to 1200 hours, that you're gonna have to work a couple years for sub-minimum wage to reach the promised land. Finding out that 100 hours multi time isn't a suggestion, it's a requirement.

I feel for you bro. It hurts.

135 minimums are the hours required to fly anyone or anything by "holding out".
Holding out means flying anyone or anyone anytime, at their whims. Which is a necessary part of running a successful freight business.
135 minimums are 1200TT, 100 night, 500 XC.

 

[Jmmccutc]

don't you need 75hrs of simulated or actuall inst, of which at least 25 must be in an airplane?

 

[Mogus]

What exactly is your "waiting to hear" status? Have you received a nomination, or are you hoping to receive a nomination? Who are you waiting to hear from, and why do you think you might be rejected?

I recently completed a remedial medical examination. DodMERB subsequently reviewed it and designated me as "commision-qualified." I completed my application a few months ago, received two nominations, and have basically been trying to clear up the medical situation (I had high blood pressure when I took the initial exam down at Nellis AFB) ever since. So now I'm waiting to hear from the Naval Academy regarding my status.

What is your primary goal? Is the USNA or USAFA a means to your goal, or is it THE goal?

The USNA is both my primary goal and a means of achieving my goal(s). I went to USNA's Summer Seminar and came to greatly respect and admire the midshipmen and their way of life. I want the stellar, "free" engineering education; but, mostly, I want to come out of there well-rounded. There are many places I could go for a much better academic education, but I want the whole package. My goal is to serve honorably as an officer in the Navy. I also want to fly military aircraft a great deal. Serving as an officer comes first (just barely).

1) You might not realize what the service academies want in their candidates. Academic qualifications are critical, but other activities are important as well. Flying hours is NOT important. I'd venture that the vast majority of appointees have very few flying hours, and I doubt very highly that accelerating your flying experience will make you a more attractive candidate a year later. Greatly improved ACT's and SAT's will help, as will straight A's in freshman college-level courses should help.

I know exactly what the academies want in their candidates. My grades are good, and my test scores are stellar as far as USNA is concerned. I'm also well-rounded. The reason I want to accelerate my flight experience is in case I am unable to fly in the Navy, so at least I'll already be on my way to a flying career if or when I get out. If rejected, I don't plan on waving my flight time in front of the admissions officers. I know flying won't make me a better candidate.