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?

 

[BeachBum]

What is ENJEP?

Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training

 

[stlpilot]

Mine was Aeronautics. A bunch of engineering type classes but not an engineering degree. It seemed like the most appealing to me at the time and I am glad I chose it.

 

[DHPope93]

I was PoliSci. The pilot with the "wierdest" major I've ever flown with was Forestry. Had full intention with being a forest ranger (Hiya Yogi!) halfway through college, then said "screw it' and joined ROTC instead.

Peace,
DP

 

[thebluto]

Aero Engineer here

I was an Aero major. Did it help me much as a pilot? Maybe not. Here was my reasoning: What was I (and am I still) interested in?: aiplanes. Would I have been happier studying anything else in college?: not really. Would it have been easier in another major?: Probably. What would be my fallback position if I didn't get to be a pilot?: McJob? What if I got a disease or got in an accident, or I sucked in pilot training? Wouldn't it be better to have a degree I could use?

{Harsh reality story: There was a guy in my NROTC unit who went for the English major because he didn't care about anything but flying, got through college in three years.

Here's what happened to him: No pilot slots available, he (and a lot of us) had to go through NFO training. He didn't do very well, washed out of F-14 RIO syllabus. (Also, he got his girlfriend pregnant, but that's another issue).

Since he was an English major, he had no fallback position. The Navy let him go since there were no other training spots (even Surface Warfare) to send him to. He ended up going back home to the Midwest to live with his parents and brand new family to find a McJob somewhere (who knows, maybe he's a millionaire by now, but I doubt it).}

 

[BeechScrub]

Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training

What is difference between going to ENJJPT and going to UPT? Why would you want to go to one over the other?

 

[Jafar]

Days of non-tech coming to an end...

Well I was told if I wanted to maintain my PoliSci major AFROTC wouldn't have me. At least not in the two year program I wanted. They are telling me the Air Force is pushing VERY hard for tech degrees right now. So I'm now a Mathematics major. I'm going to bust it out in the same amount of time I had planned to finish my Poli Sci. So no one will probably see me for quite a while.

They said they have NO slots available for non tech majors graduating from 2004-2005.

As far as pilot selection, from what I'm being told it can have an indirect effect on the process. We all know GPA is considered during the pilot selection. Well I'm hearing a 3.5 gpa in a "Frat boy party degree", i.e., communications, Polisci, P.E., whatever, won't hold the weight a 3.0 will in a tech degree with the board. I don't know, just passing along the scuttlebut.

Plus, scholarships are more forthcoming to a tech major, especially if its a "tier I" major like meteorology.

Like I said, I'm in the middle of this process right now. Maybe my Det is blowing smoke up my a$$ but I doubt it. I've heard it from other students around the nation as well. As a Freshman, you can probably still get your foot in the door with a non-tech degree. After that, start looking at the propeller head studies.

 

[BeachBum]

What is difference between going to ENJJPT and going to UPT? Why would you want to go to one over the other?

Most of the top students selected for UPT go to Sheppard for ENJJPT. After graduating from there they have a much better chance at a fighter slot than a normal UPT grad. One drawback is that the Europeans don't want to shell out the money for T-6's, so they'll probably still be flying T-37's for a while.

 

[JHook]

One drawback is that the Europeans don't want to shell out the money for T-6's, so they'll probably still be flying T-37's for a while.

I personally think that is an advantage. Let me think....twin engine turbo-jet...single engine turbo-prop...twin engine turbo-jet...single engine turbo-prop...hmmm, the choice seems simple to me.

 

[AlbieF15]

If you implying the T-6 is a worse choice because airlines value one type of fime over the other, a couple points..

First...student time doesn't count much anyway...
Second...both are turbine....

If you are worried about single verses multi PIC, then pick the F-15 C or E over the F-16, or go to an A-10. Realistically...military fighter PIC turbine time is interchangable when it comes to applying to the airlines. In any case--focus now on GETTING WINGS, not logging particular types of flight time.

Now...if you comparing one trainer to the other, I found the tweet uncomfortable, loud, but very exciting to fly. I've heard raves about T-6 performance, but I haven't flown it yet. Not having an IP so close to me on my right side, however, is appealing, and the tandem seat arrangement appeals to me personally.

So...go to Sheppard if you are 95%sure you want a fighter. However...I flew fighters my entire career, but I had a blast in "regular" UPT and still got lucky enough to get my dream job. If you aren't sure...well...if you think you might be happier in a C-130 or a C-17, you might consider the other bases. Where ever you go--just work hard, have fun, and good things are likely to follow....

 

[BeechScrub]

With the amount of flying you will do at UPT, it won't make a difference on your airline application when and if the time comes.

How does one make themselves more competitive for a slot in ENJJPT at Shephard and how do you make it known that you want to go there?