Marine pilot questions

[airludy]

I have talked about this before....I am thinking about going into the Marine Corps PLC aviation. I would love to be a Marine and I think the mission of the Marines sounds very exciting. I am just concerned about not having a chance of gettting a fixed wing aircraft. If I end up getting a helo thats fine, but I would at least like to be able to compete for a jet. Can some Marine pilots give me some advice?

 

[skiddriver]

Well, I replied to you before...but I'll take another stab at it.

Fixed-wing slots are given out at the end of Primary (T-34C) training, along with helo and prop assignments.

The only way for you to ensure you get a FW slot is to finish first in your assignment group (used to be made up of all the Primary students that finished in any given weekly or biweekly selection period).

The number of FW to RW to Prop slots is based on the Marine Corps' projection of how many pilots they'll need of each flavor at the end of the training pipeline (flight school and fleet replacement squadron training). That is normally a year to a year and a half in the future. To say that in a different way, the Marine Corps projects replacement requirements for a pipeline selection group based on what they think will be needed when the students have completed training and are assigned to their first fleet squadron. As such, this projection is smoke and mirrors, and it is greatly effected by training delays (say for example if all the Harriers go down for 6 months, then the FW pipeline backs up and they assign fewer FW slots back at primary to compensate).

So, I hope you can see that because of this system - it is impossible to say with any confidence what the breakout of slots will be for any given student. In general, the #1 guy gets his choice, after that, the Marine Corps makes assignments based on your choice versus needs of the Marine Corps. If you select FW/Prop/Helo in that order, and all they have are Helo slots, guess what you are going to get?

That is why the last time you asked this question, everyone told you that you needed to be focused on being a Marine first and a pilot second, because once you've signed on the line, you're in for the duration, whether you get your choice of platform or whether you finish flight school at all. Not everyone does - some folks wash out, some go NPQ (lose their medical), some don't like it and drop. When you sign up for a Marine flight program, you also need to be ready to be a Motor T officer and be happy about it. If you don't think you can pull that off, don't join the Marine Corps.

Semper fi,

 

[Buckatuna]

Concur

Skid was on the money.. as always. Another point to ponder:
IF you do get selected for jets, then (once you earn your wings) you may get assigned either FA-18s, EA-6Bs, or AV8s. All are good choices, but I seen too many newly winged aviators wank about what they got, because they had other plans. Selection for Jets/Props/Helos out of primary is up to the Marine Corps needs, and so is the selection for FA-18s/EA-Bs/AV-8s out of the jet pipeline (as aforementioned in the previous post).

How do you get what you want, be the first in the class at every phase. How do you stay sane during flight school- look forward to the fact that you will be flying something grey (vice orange and white), and regardless of community, you will love it.

Semper Fi

Bucka

 

[furloboy]

If you've got your heart set on a fixed-wing slot, the other services are a better bet. There's nothing wrong with that. All service is honorable. I'm a retired Marine who didn't know better and went in to fly fighters. I got lucky. Turned out that I liked the Marine Corps as well.

 

[sleepy]

Airlundy,

I entered the USMC through the OCC program without a flight contract. I wanted to fly, but wanted to be a Marine Officer more. I was not able to get a flight slot in Basic School (NFO was all they had) and ended up an Infantry Officer. That was the best job I have ever had, and I don't regret it one bit. I am now an airline pilot via the civilian route.

If you don't go into the interview with the OSO with the attitude that I want to be a Marine first, you are unlikely to be selected. If you get a flight slot you will most likely fly helos (based on the small number of fixed wing aircraft in the Corps). Don't worry, we have many former Marine and Army helo drivers at our airline.

Maybe you should go to the USAF.