Question for Navy or AF Pilots

[Joblu]

How long does it take from graduation from OCS to the flightline of an F-18 or F-22? Is there a difference to the extent of the training when it comes to type of aircraft?

Thanks.

 

[pilotyip]

If those airplanes are your only goals in military flt training, you are likely to be disappointed. 50% of Navy pilots are now helo pilots. Top of class no longer makes jets a sure thing, and even if you get jets, very few get the FA-18 pipe line.

 

[JimNtexas]

Unless things have changed a great deal it would be about 16 - 20 months between the first day of UPT and the first day of school in the new pilots end assignment airplane, perhaps a bit less if Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals isn't required.

Another good question to ask is 'How long between entering active duty and starting UPT?' In the past the wait to start UPT has been as much as three years. I have no idea of what it is these days.

 

[PUCKFA18]

USMC Officer/Aviator Pipeline
OCS 14 weeks
TBS 6 Months
AI 4 - 6 weeks
Flight Training:16 - 18 month on a regular jet pipeline USN/USMC.

USMC commitment 4.5 years after winging

 

[Bjammin]

Navy wings to F-18

OCS: 14 weeks

Aviation Preflight Indoc: 6 Weeks

Primary Flight T-34/T-6: 7 months

Jet Ttransition T-45: 1 year.

Then you start F-18 training

8 year after wings commitiment for Navy jets.



This time can all be increased waiting to start classes.

Nothing is a sure thing

 

[pilotyip]

chances

Navy wings to F-18

OCS: 14 weeks

Aviation Preflight Indoc: 6 Weeks

Primary Flight T-34/T-6: 7 months

Jet Ttransition T-45: 1 year.

Then you start F-18 training

8 year after wings commitiment for Navy jets.



This time can all be increased waiting to start classes.

Nothing is a sure thing

And what would be his chances of getting FA-1'8?

 

[Scrapdog]

How long does it take from graduation from OCS to the flightline of an F-18 or F-22? Is there a difference to the extent of the training when it comes to type of aircraft?

Thanks.

Air Force side of the house:

* Not sure about OCS - I went the AF Academy route...obviously as you probably know that's 4 years
*SUPT (Std. Undergrad Pilot training) - approx 13 months (6 months in the T-37...7 months in T-38 - fighter/bomber track)
* IFF (Intro to fighter fundamentals, essentially where you learn to fly BFM (i.e dogfighting) and the basics of going to the bombing range in a T-38 - approx 2 months
* Fighter FTU (fighter school) - approx 6 - 9 months depending on which jet you're going to fly...If I remember right, the F-22 basic course will be starting this coming spring for newbies. Right now it's only a transition course for current fighter qual'd guys.

Hope this helps. Good luck...best flying in the world.

 

[pilotyip]

Not to be a spoil sport, but

Remember you do not join the military service to fly, you join to serve your country to fulfill the needs of the President by flying. You serve at the pleasure of the President. No matter what you think of the President you will do his bidding. You will not fly that much in the Military unless you go to a conflict, Although Army WO's does stay in the cockpit more than any other service, and there is tons of office duties and family separation. In 11 years of Navy Active duty I got 2500 hours, 700 in 6 months during Vietnam, then averaged under 200 hrs a year. I was gone from home for nearly 4 years. Saw my son for about 11 months between his birth, which I almost missed, and his third birthday. If you go into fly, you will have a 10-11 year obligation, which as an officer will include at least 3-4 years of not flying and doing office duties, or standing phone watches at a command center evening and weekends. It is not a lot of flying.

 

[hindsight2020]

Concur. Flying in the AF is a distant second on your 'primary duties' on a day to day basis. Surprising to most outside, but true.

Around 200hrs a year non-deployed for fighters and bombers is about right. Best bet is to go guard or go strat heavies for flight time with QOL. Lots of ALFA tours to be given out on the ACC side. In the present environment a lot of overmanning for the pointy nose types, dont get me started on the bombers. The 08 election will probably bring a dramatic cut in budget, and this thing will shut down mark my words. I'm afraid in this day and age, if your sole incentive is to get to fly a fighter and the flying style that is involved in that mission (judging by your original post), you don't have a strong enough reason to offset the high likelihood of falling face first in a different airframe, or not surviving the first fighter/bomber assignment before getting voluntold away from the community, among the many issues highlighted above. You will most likely be dissapointed. Just food for thought.

 

[puck_11]

If those airplanes are your only goals in military flt training, you are likely to be disappointed. 50% of Navy pilots are now helo pilots. Top of class no longer makes jets a sure thing, and even if you get jets, very few get the FA-18 pipe line.

If you go jets on the Navy side you will be going Hornets. Prowler slots are few and far between, and they're transitioning to the Growler, which is a super hornet.

As far as getting that jet slot, its all about timing. Obviously you have to do well in Primary, but some weeks there are only one or two jet slots, other weeks there are quite a few.

As far as flying a desk, not so much in the jet world. If you're not an IP at the RAG, you're pretty much guaranteed orders to T-45 land, you really don't get much say in where you want to go (this according to one of my IPs)