Questions for Marine Pilots

[MarineGrunt]

After you finish your initial flight school, how do they determine which aircraft you fly. Obviously, I'd prefer F-18s or other fixed wing, but I was wondering what my chances are of getting stuck with helos.

While we're at it, what is the lifesyle like? I have a wife and son and was concerned about how much time I will spend with them.

Thanks & Semper Fi.

 

[MarineGrunt]

I hear if you get put in helos you can later switch to fixed wing, but not the other way around. Any truth to that?

How often do you go on deployment?

 

[Hope53]

Stuck with helos

Your chances of getting "stuck" with helos are actually pretty high seeing as about 65+% of Marine pilots fly them. There are current moves in the strike world that might lead to a significant reduction in the number of strike aircraft in the Marine Corps. If that happens an even greater number of pilots will be "stuck" with helos. If you want to fly fixed wing take a hard look at the Air Force, it is what they do. Whatever you do, if you show up as a Marine in flight school with the "stuck" attitude you might end up getting "stuck". Best of luck. Hope

 

[MarineGrunt]

Re: Stuck with helos

Your chances of getting "stuck" with helos are actually pretty high seeing as about 65+% of Marine pilots fly them. There are current moves in the strike world that might lead to a significant reduction in the number of strike aircraft in the Marine Corps. If that happens an even greater number of pilots will be "stuck" with helos. If you want to fly fixed wing take a hard look at the Air Force, it is what they do. Whatever you do, if you show up as a Marine in flight school with the "stuck" attitude you might end up getting "stuck". Best of luck. Hope

"Stuck." Funny you make such a big deal about one word. Try serving seven years in the infantry and see if you wouldn't mind being "stuck" in helos. I've always been a Marine first in everything I do. I was raised to set my goals high and my goal is Marine fixed wing.

 

[46Driver]

Be very careful about the words you say around Whiting or Corpus. The vast majority of Marine primary flight instructors are helo bubbas doing a "B" billet - we don't take kindly to hearing students talk about being "stuck" in helos - you could get "stuck" with helos - or Motor T. If you want guaranteed fixed wing, join the Air National Guard.
Almost always, the #1 Marine student gets what he wants. After that, it is what slots are available (fixed wing, prop, helo) based upon the needs of the Corps, your grades, your preference, and finally the input from the Marine Student Control Officer and sometimes the senior Marine. Even if you are diehard jets (and there are quite a few) it is wise to keep quiet about it.

 

[Buckatuna]

I agree with all the above posts. When I was in primary, and was asked the question "What do you want to fly?" My standard answer was "Anything that isn't painted orange and white, but if I had my choice, I'd select jets." I don't think it's a bad idea to be truthful about what you want. Just be careful, you don't want to come across as being anti-X, with X being any helo or props.

You can PM me if you want.

Bucka

 

[VMA214]

Went through flight school 80' to 81'. There was a "jet draft" at the time and if you had "jet" grades you were going jets!!! **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** the luck...

I did have a buddy who had jet grades but wanted to fly Cobras bad enough that he was willing to DOR if he did'nt get 'em. Good news, bad news. They gave him what he wanted, but he ended up dying in one about 12 years later. Bummer.

Blacksheep & A-4s forever

 

[KTHornet]

If you're interested in flying Hornets, you'd better like the Navy as most of our squadrons will be integrating into Carrier Air Wings over the coming years. I did two cruises myself and there's nothing like flying off the ship and beating the Navy at their own game.

As for 46pilot, it's that kind of attitude among instructors that makes ALL pilots going through flight training hate the Marine IP's. Why wouldn't an instructor want their student to achieve their goals if it's within their ability? Any instructor who would purposely lower a students grades because he wanted jets ought to find another job!

 

[46Driver]

KTHornet,
You are mistaken. Flight instructors are not going to lower anybody's grades - the student gets what he deserves. And a lot of times, the IP is going to go 2.8, 2.9, 3.0 hours with the SNA and even then incomplete the hop to help him out if it need be so. The SNA is going to have a goal - otherwise he wouldn't be here - , but I don't want him bad mouthing an entire community. Its no different than being at TBS - its not wise to broadcast "I've got an aviation contract" to all of the infantry SPC's. Finally, although I have friends teaching in the VT's, I teach in the HT's so I do not have any input on the SNA's getting jets, props, or helos.

 

[ck130]

Buckatuna,

"Anything that isn't painted orange and white" ?!? God forbid you should ever go swimming, but if you do odds are your ride home would be painted orange and white(i.e USCG). Of course you could always decline the offer and continue to tread water while waiting for something in a more acceptable hue of gray or olive drab.

Fly Safe
ck130


"If I wanted to be carefull I would have joined the Coast Guard"

 

[Buckatuna]

OK, OK...Not thinking

Sorry to offend, but it wasn't intentional. I thought on the military side of this board we all had thicker skin about such innocent oversights.
Since you went through the same Navy flight school as me, and you know I'm a Marine, my comments should have not insulted anyone at all.
I have no regrets for my previous post...


Bucka

 

[ck130]

I knew what you meant .. but since you threw up such an easy softball I couldn't help myself..besides I 'm not clever enough to figure out how to put that little smiley face at the end of the sentence. Open to instruction.

ck130

 

[firstthird]

you click on the little smiley face to the left of the text entry box, I hope since this is my first smiley face attempt.

and a successful one at that.

 

[Guardflyr29]

My question is, what's a Coastie Herc driver doing in a string titled "question for Marine Pilots" in the first place?

 

[BobbyB]

Back when i was about to start primary flight training, a Harrier dude flying for the Blue Angels told me "go jets. Remember that there is a program for helo guys to transition to jets, but it doesn't go the other way." As far back as I can remember, there hasn't been a single hornet guy to go to helos. But I can think of at least 5 helo guys in jets right now.
If you are already a Marine, do what it takes to get to flight school and then work your butt off. If you have jet grades you can get anything. If you don't make the jet cut, you won't get jets. Period. Finish number one, you will probably get your choice of jets or helos. Finish number one in Kingsville or Meridian (jet training) and you will probably get Hornets AND your choice of coast. Lifestyle is about the same in the Navy or Marines, lots of deployed time. You may be unlucky and spend you time MOSTLY deployed. If that bugs you, don't do it. A carrier deployed hornet guy will spend 9 of 12 months deployed during a deployed year, and then home for 6 months or so before the cycle starts again with CQ's, and work-ups. That will be for 3 years, a break of some sort for a year or two then back to the squadron again before your contract is up. Hope this helps.

 

[46Driver]

I think there was one or two guys who actually went from tactical jets to helos but the only reason that happened was due to back problems (i.e. - they could not fly ejection seat aircraft anymore) - then again, I might be mistaken.

 

[pony251]

MarineGrunt, concur with what is being said here. The Corps has more helo's than fixed wing and they are all multi-crew. You can do the math and figure out where most guys are going. Be the #1 guy and hope for the best. As for your other question, most of my time in the fleet was spent either deployed, on det, or at school. Regardless, you are away from home, ALOT! The most family time I ever got was when I was attached to an infantry battalion on my Air Wing appreciation tour. The boat(carrier) is the place to go if you want to put warheads on foreheads. You are a Marine and you know the sacrifices it entails. Looking back on it all I wouldn't change a thing. Look into the blue side (air force guard or reserve) if you're interested. I know everything inside you says you'll never do it, but it is definitely worth a look. That being said, several of my friends are trying to do the guard thing and it is pretty slim pickings on the pointy nose side right now. PM me if you want more details.

PS- JB and ORGAN, good to see some Beaufort guys still around out there.