Want to fly military. Advice please!

[Please Hire Me]

I would like to know the process of getting into military aviation for all branches. What is the selection process like?? What is the lifestyle like? I have a wife and son, so I would also like to know how often you must move.

Please include as much information as you can about your experiences both in pilot selection and lifestyle.

If it helps give you an idea of my situation, I have done 6 years USMC, am 24 yrs old, will have a Commercial Aviation Degree in May with MEI-I and 300+hrs.

Thanks in advance!

 

[morph]

Military Pilot

First I’ll tell you that I'm a college student and haven't flown in the military. Secondly I have some good advice for you about the military and what you can do in advance for preparation into that career. You're already in perfect position for becoming a military pilot. Degree 1st of all, experience, and most importantly IN MY OPINION ONLY of course, you've got prior service which looks good. What I will ask you is why haven't you contacted some officer recruiters before now? Their are alot of programs for college students (usually soph. and higher) that will guarantee a flight slot and pay you monthly while doing college. i.e. the marines have an officer program that gets you a slot and also pays you. Anyways I think it all depends on you now! Whatever you want you'll probably get it. You should really think about which service would fit what you want in life. Obviously you and everybody else are aware of the economy. I'll give you a quick run down of all the branches. Air Force- Don't know to much but here you'll find the biggest selection of aircraft and on the other hand probably the most competitive to get a slot... Navy- BAD ASS MOTHER@@@@ERS! That’s all I can say. Land on ships, fly good aircraft but.... the biggest factor for you is most naval aviators go on water trips eventually. That means time away from family and we aren't talking 1 month here either. But if I were in your position right now that would be my choice but don't have a family to think about either. Marines- You really don't hear from much marine pilots around on this forum but I think the marine aviation is interesting with harrier and all but differently not my favorite as a choice. There are better deals out there offered by other services. Don't go this route again unless you're really ok with the core. Finally the most dangerous (My opinion only). ARMY- considering your position with a family and all I wouldn't go this route. Potentially hazardous and not as much flight time can really be a turn off for the woft program. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually in the middle of the woft process but that's because of my current position. You on the other hand have what you need for other branches. I think the army route would be hella fun but very dangerous if you're in the right place at the wrong time! HeHe. Think about this all branches of aviation is hazardous but hovering at 200 ft with enemy fire and a mission to complete with the thought of your family on your mind constantly would be a big enough clue for why you shouldn't go that route. And the fact that I don’t need competition like you in the woft board lol. Seriously though let the crazy ass young guys do the woft and you go be an f-18 fighter pilot covering my ass. I hope I helped. Whatever happens GOOD LUCK AND GOD BE WITH YOU!

 

[MercuryPilot]

Which Service.

Read the thread called:

Any Navy pilots on here? Got some ?s

As you probably know, USMC pilots will go on a 6 month float sooner or later. You'll also have to spend time at USMC OCS (~10 to 12 weeks) followed by TBS(~a 6 months process) prior to flight school. If you didn't already know, the Marines, Coasties, Navy, and some Air Force student pilots all go thru the same Navy flight school program. If you go Navy you'll end up being forward deployed on a ship or landbased for ~180 days a year regardless of platform. I can't speak for the Air Force but they're gone plenty as well. With that said, don't choose a service just based on deployment cycle. Look into the a/c, bases, and missions to make your choice.

I highly encourage you to sign up. Your previous Military experience will be helpful.-Plus, all you need is 14 more years of Active duty and you'll be eligible for retirement. You'd only be 38-39 years old depending on when you get a Commission which is very young. Get your PILOT slot guaranteed in writing before starting any OCS/OTS program. Also, DO NOT fall into the trap of accepting a Navigator slot w/the pipe dream of becoming a pilot later on. It is a VERY difficult road.-So hold out for the Pilot spot!

Hope you get lot's of responses to help you make a good decision.

 

[CCDiscoB]

Oh Brother

Morph, you’ve got to be kidding me. The Navy, "bad asses" I laugh.

Ah, the magic Hollywood can create. Still an excellent recruiting tool obviously. The Navy is good at one thing and one thing only, and that is power projection.

Flying on to a boat is nothing special. All it takes is training. Heck, if they can qualify, any AF pilot can certainly do it. Hey Morph, all you have to do to land on a boat is fly final “on speed” (on AOA) and control your glide slope with power. Hit the deck, push power to mil and you stop great, if not try again. Guess what else, when the weather goes down they hit the auto land button. If being on a boat for 6-10 months is “bad ass” then you’ll love the Navy. We in the AF know, we see their act in SWA and when we train with them. Were not laughing out loud, but we’re laughing.

Morph you are right about the Army. One word, expendable. Army Aviation is an Oxymoron. It should be called Army Combat Support, which is what it is. They are good at Close Air Support, but they are simply a tool of the infantry. That’s why the AF left in 1947 and took everything but the Helicopters.

Please Hire Me, as a former Marine, you may want to go back, seeing as how you’re familiar. But then again, Wife and Son. You know how the Navy and Marines feel about family. It they weren’t “issued” it’s not their problem. As far a how often you’ll be moving, in the AF you’ll move every 3 years guaranteed.

The choice is simple, you want to fly airplanes, choose the service with the word AIR. You want to go sailing, Navy. You want to be an Infantry Officer whose secondary title is pilot then the Corp is for you. You want to be a number, go Army.

 

[Michael Knight]

Please Hire Me,

There are pros and cons to each service and this subject has been talked about many times in the past. You would do yourself some good to try a few searches on this site to find more information.

Mercury has given some good, objective advice... hopefully you will find more of that. One thread I saw that appears useful is: http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7444

Good luck!

 

[Skyrunner]

Some general advice for AF

Please Hire Me,

You've asked a pretty general question. There are many ways to get where you want. It all depends how you want ot do it.

As for AF, you can:

1. Go to OTS with a UPT slot

2. Go to OTS w/o a UPT slot and compete for it while on AD

3. Go guard/res with a UPT slot

4. Go guard/res w/o UPT slot and compete for it later.

I think the best strategy for you is to research each option and select the one that is right for you. Personally, I like all the guard/res options. PM me if you want more info.

Good luck,

SR

 

[CODs4ever]

Flying on to a boat is nothing special. All it takes is training. Heck, if they can qualify, any AF pilot can certainly do it. Hey Morph, all you have to do to land on a boat is fly final “on speed” (on AOA) and control your glide slope with power. Hit the deck, push power to mil and you stop great, if not try again. Guess what else, when the weather goes down they hit the auto land button. If being on a boat for 6-10 months is “bad ass” then you’ll love the Navy. We in the AF know, we see their act in SWA and when we train with them. Were not laughing out loud, but we’re laughing.

CCDiscoB:

1. Obviously, you've never landed on a ship. Sure, day-traps during good weather and calm sea-state can be pretty routine. However, until you have landed on the boat at night, no moon, with weather at mins, and the deck pitching up and down 10 feet (sometimes more), then you have no idea what you are talking about. Throw in the fact that while the F/A-18 can in-flight refuel and auto-land, many other carrier-based aircraft do not have auto-land capability (E-2, C-2, S-3, EA-6B). I have landed in poor weather at the boat and at the field. Let me be very clear: landing on a 10,000 foot runway in no way compares to landing on a ship.

2. "Heck, if they can qualify, any AF pilot can certainly do it." If this statement were true, then there wouldn't be guys who make it all the way through flight school with no problem, only to disqualify at the boat. There are also guys who get their wings, only later to have them pulled because of their lack of ability to land safely on the boat. So while the majority of AF pilots (given the proper training) probably could carrier qualify, the statement "any AF pilot" - I just don't think so.

3. You're right, there is nothing "bad ass" about being on a boat for 6 months or more. I'll agree with you there. However, at least when it comes to the "pain factor," Navy and Marine pilots who have done at-sea deployments hold the all the cards. I have seen the tents where you guys live in Oman and other places over there, and it's no picnic either. But I think the boat is worse.

Just a few words from a Navy pilot who's been there/done that.

 

[Skyrunner]

Put this baby back on track

Please Hire Me,

As you can see, many mil pers are very defensive of their branch of service and weapon system. If you decide to fly in the military, learn from this. This type of rivalry can only hurt in the long run.

As for me, I have enjoyed my time in the military flying C-130s. I am not the fighter pilot type even though I thought flying T-38s was probably a highlight in my career.

I spent 11 years on active duty and now am in the guard flying C-130s. Flying the Herk is really a good time. I get to enjoy flying a large aircraft that performs a lot like a small aircraft ie, C-152. I get to travel with great crewmembers and enjoy great places with them. And finally, I get to perform many different types of missions that can be challenging and sometimes hairraising ie, NVG assault landings to short dirt strips and low levels through mountainous terrain in an underpowered aircraft.

There are many air national guard units in the US that fly Herks and are looking for pilot candidates. I recommend going to baseops.net and look for ANG units that fly Herks. Give them a call a see what your chances are with them. With your prior service and certificates, I think you will have a great chance to go to UPT.

Take care, good luck and fly safe,

SR

 

[Steeler Fan]

Useful phone #

I already put some info out there (or "aht there", as we say in the 'Burgh)...1-800-423-USAF (prompts are a little painful to follow)...www.airforce.com is better

Follow the links to "find a recruiter", then you can call them.

I'm not going to slam Navy/Army, but I was Active AF, now AF Reserve, so I speak to what I know.

Both Active AF and Guard/Reserve are great options...if interested in Guard/Reserve, visibility/persistence/friend in the unit all help you get hired...things are busy most of the time, so they want pilots who will participate alot (especially when world events call for us to be more active).

Once again, you're smart about asking questions early, but this is YOUR DECISION. Good luck and happy hunting!

 

[Craven Morehead]

I would rather break out at minimums, at night, in the rain with a stiff crosswind above a runway than land on a boat on a clear, moonlit night in calm seas (and nice nights at the boat are pretty rare). Night traps are almost as fun as chewing on tin foil. Even inside a mile, at night a carrier looks like a poorly lit 7-eleven parking lot in an earthquake.

Watch the countless highlight videos of what happens when you're a couple of feet low or off centerline if you question the required skill and focus of carrier pilots. I recommend land-based flying, either Navy or Air Force. Air Force pilots have cool ascots, too.

Some CIA pilots got carrier-qualified in the U-2 in the sixties. Those guys, and I hope they're still around, win any o'club argument about who has the biggest 'nads.

Craven