Majors

[Leo R.]

Hey guys, I know what degree you get doesn't impact whether or not you get a pilot slot, but just curious to see what kind of degrees you all majored in. If I were to guess, I would imagine that a good majority of pilots are engineers, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks!

Very Respectfully,
Leo Romero

 

[STBY GAIN]

Yeah, you're wrong.
I majored in Finance. When I went through F-16 RTU we had a dozen or so guys and the only engineer was an agricultural engineer. May not be the norm, but that's how it panned out.

-STBY GAIN
[email protected]

 

[pilotyip]

back in the 60's

we had a lot of Phys Ed and Shop teacher majors going through flt training, the recruiters said they liked the phys ed majors because they were jocks and had a better leadership potential, but that was a longtime ago when the most advanced thing in our airplane was DME (TACAN)

 

[Goose17]

Economics

I was an economics major. In my ROTC class, we only had a few pilots. It seemed the guys that had the easier majors were able to get better grades and thus be more competitive for things like ENJEP (sp?) (Sheppard AFB). They also had more free time to "shine" around the detachment. Don't get me wrong, if a technical degree is for you, by all means go for it.

Goose17
(FedEx)

 

[dragon]

Aerospace Engineering

Just putting 2 cents in for the engineers. Having said that, I can tell you that the Navy's program is actually designed for the non-technical major. They even told us AE types that what we were about to be taught was wrong but learn it their way!

While I was teaching in the training command, I didn't see one major do better than another, it only seems to help in the ground school. The one thing that does help is drive/determination.

Good Luck.

D

 

[Purple Haze]

Industrial Technology

...easier majors were able to get better grades and thus be more competitive...

I agree. If you aspire to be a test pilot or astronaut when you grow up, you need to be an engineer. If you just want to be a pilot, any major will do.

 

[AlbieF15]

I agree with most posters, and I myself was the standard non-tech aviation management major (although it was administered at AU at the time by the school of engineering, it wasn't an engineering degree per se...). Partied, flew as much as I could, had a great time, and have pretty much lived happy ever after...except...

One or twice a year the thought crosses my mind how much fun AF Test Pilot School might have been. For a 1000 (maybe 750 now?) hour fighter guy not on the fast track for Weapons School, or an astronaut wannabe, or just a guy (like me) who eats up learning about ANY kind of flying and would enjoy flying props, gliders, biplanes, fighters, heavies. etc etc....I think TPS would have been a blast. Part of the syllabi is doing flight evals on a bunch of different planes, and my buddies who've gone say you get to fly 30-40 very different airplanes along the way...and of course you get trained to fly at a level of precision most guys only dream about. My 2.5 GPA in AM, however, meant I could never even apply. So...if you are 50/50 on a major and think you MIGHT one day want to try that route...well...its an option.

However....don't make yourself miserable now for something that MIGHT happen in 10 years. TPS is about the only thing I can think of flying related that might require a more technical degree.

Now...for you test pilots out there....I know the course is a lot of work, and sometimes your job has got to be more work than fun. However...how many people in life can say they were a "test pilot" in a bar and not be lying?

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

If you want to be an aviator in the Navy, get a technical degree.
If you want to be an aviator in the Air Force, get a law degree.

Seriously, there have been a lot of posts on this. Degree selection is pretty much a non-factor. Overall undergraduate performance is the major factor.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

However...how many people in life can say they were a "test pilot" in a bar and not be lying?

Isn't EVERY pilot in a bar a liar?

 

[BeechScrub]

Re: Economics

I was an economics major. In my ROTC class, we only had a few pilots. It seemed the guys that had the easier majors were able to get better grades and thus be more competitive for things like ENJEP (sp?) (Sheppard AFB).

What is ENJEP?