Military Hotrod Club - Questions for all fixed wing pilots

So i am about to graduate college and get my degree. Ever since i was a little kid I have wanted to fly a plane for the military. I have been researching and asking the recruiters, but I know that they don't always paint the entire picture. So for all you pilots out there, what was the training like? What kind of things would automatically stop me from being a fighter pilot or bomber pilot? I just want to know the ins and outs of it all by those who actually made it ALL THE WAY THROUGH training, flight school, ocs, wilderness training, and everything. Thanks guys... Also which would be better to go into, USAF or NAVY?

don't count out the USMC for flying as well....

I'm not a pilot so I can't help you with the other stuff...

Chad

Actually, i meant the NAVY or the USMC. I have heard the USAF has some pretty stringent age requirements. I am already 23

you aren't too old for the AF, its just hard to get fighters right now in the AF.

you aren't too old for the AF, its just hard to get fighters right now in the AF.

Thats also what i heard. As far as the USMC or the NAVY would you say i would have a better chance at one of those? Not only fighter, but bomber is also an option for me.

For the USAF: To be honest with you Bomber and Fighters are the same track in the AF. After UPT, depending on where you finish in your class helps determine what track you go, fighters or heavies. If you finish higher in your class you get a choice, if you finish low in your class at UPT then you may get stuck with whatever slots are still open. If you go fighter track then after UPT you will to T-38 Training. Durring that school you will find out if you got bombers or fighters and what air frame you will be on. If you go heavies then after UPT you will go into T-6's and from there you will find out what air frame you will be on. All AF pilots go through Survival School, Water Survival, and RT. Total time in training for AF pilots is about 2 years. (If you wondering how i know all of this i was a Boom Operator on KC-135's and have a ass load of friends that are pilots, i almost crossed over to the O side of the house and fly but changed my mind, I like being an E.) Personally i like the Heavy community. All of the fighter guys are pricks(at least the ones i have refueled or met in person) The heavy community is a lot more tight nit, and things are alot more layed back.

From the recruiting aspect of things, you are not too old. You have to have a good GPA while in college(3.5 or better) and the degree must be a Tech degree. Non-Tech degrees will not get you a Flying slot. OTS is about 8 weeks long and really it aint that bad.

See, the USAF wasn't really an option for me because i hear they are the strictest when it comes to actual pilots. It was mostly USMC or NAVY for what i was looking for. I also heard that in the marines and navy that i can get a degree that would help me in the civilian world. I am on the track for getting a media arts degree, which really doesn't have much, if anything at all to do with tech. If i have a media arts degree am i just SOL when it comes down to being a pilot?

get a hold of stoleit

Don't forget to look into health and fitness requirements for the various services. For the USAF, to be a fighter/bomber pilot you have to pass the FACT test (name may have changed, but that's what it was called when I went through) the first time you take it. It's not hard at all, but it does go into your overall rating. You're not to old to start pilot training by any stretch. I was 23 when I went through. I think that 27 is the cut off age without a waiver. As for medical, there are a lot of requirements there too. Color vision and depth perception are two that get a lot of people. Good isn't good enough. You have to have near perfect on both. You'll run into people who have waivers, but they're the exception. And the way things are right now, you only get a waiver if you're already a pilot; wanting to be a pilot and getting a waiver isn't going to happen right now. USAF pilot slots are very competative right now too, not many are being handed out and fighters/bombers are few and far between. A lot of people who go that track are ending up in UAVs on top of that. Just food for thought.

What about the USMC and the NAVY? is it EXACTLY just as competitive as the USAF?

One other thing I ment to mention. If you're dead set on the fighter/bomber route (and do some research before deciding, the flying would be awesome, but the life style is very different than their heavy or rotary wing pilot counter-parts), look into the ANG or AFRC. When you apply to a unit, you know before you sign the dotted line if you'll be a pilot or not and what you'll be flying and where you'll be living. Mind you, you still have to make it through pilot training and qualify for the T-38 route, but it does give you a foot up on getting into a fighter/bomber... that is assuming they don't turn your unit into something else. ANG/AFRC units do change airframes, but not very often.

As far as USMC/Navy you'll have to ask someone else. I wouldn't rule out Army aviation either if you want to fly, those helo pilots do see a lot of action. And they do have some fixed wing, but no fighters/bombers.

I would love to pilot a fighter or a bomber, but i just want to make sure that i can be a pilot before i sign on the dotted line ya know?

Guard or Reserve is your best bet then. Personally, I like being a heavy pilot. With certain exceptions (A-10's for example, B-1's too) most heavy pilots see a lot more real world operations than the figher/bomber pilots. And they get to travel a lot more too. But even with Guard and Reserve, if you wash out of pilot training, and it does happen a LOT, there's no guarentee you'll get out of your service commitment; you've already signed the dotted line.

For the USAF: To be honest with you Bomber and Fighters are the same track in the AF. After UPT, depending on where you finish in your class helps determine what track you go, fighters or heavies. If you finish higher in your class you get a choice, if you finish low in your class at UPT then you may get stuck with whatever slots are still open. If you go fighter track then after UPT you will to T-38 Training. Durring that school you will find out if you got bombers or fighters and what air frame you will be on. If you go heavies then after UPT you will go into T-6's and from there you will find out what air frame you will be on. All AF pilots go through Survival School, Water Survival, and RT. Total time in training for AF pilots is about 2 years. (If you wondering how i know all of this i was a Boom Operator on KC-135's and have a ass load of friends that are pilots, i almost crossed over to the O side of the house and fly but changed my mind, I like being an E.) Personally i like the Heavy community. All of the fighter guys are pricks(at least the ones i have refueled or met in person) The heavy community is a lot more tight nit, and things are alot more layed back.

From the recruiting aspect of things, you are not too old. You have to have a good GPA while in college(3.5 or better) and the degree must be a Tech degree. Non-Tech degrees will not get you a Flying slot. OTS is about 8 weeks long and really it aint that bad.

Pretty close.

There are 4 tracks out of UPT:
Fighter/Bomber: T-38
Heavies: T-1
Hercs: T-44
Helos: UH-1

Everyone starts out in the T-6 and then has a "track select" to figure out where they are going next (see above).

You don't need a 3.5, but it helps. If you're shooting for OTS then GPA is a lot more important.

You don't need a technical degree (I don't have one), but if you're shooting for OTS then it would help.

Also if you have any friends with stars on their shoulders then that will REALLY help you for the OTS selection and subsequent rated boards.

I was 25, with no technical degree, a GPA of 3.3, and a vision waiver, and I got into OTS as a pilot select. I am now 1 month from graduating from UPT.

Pilot training is the hardest thing you'll ever do in your life, but at the same time, it'll be the most rewarding. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think to myself how lucky I am to be here, but getting here hasn't been easy.

If you want to be a pilot, then go for it, but don't half-ass it. Good luck.

BADFNZ who is your instructior, i know a few of the IP's out there.

Hehe..... THese threads pop up every few months.

Flying for the Air Force is freakin' AWSOME, but like everyone else said, it's really hard to get selected for pilot training right now, and it's really hard to get fighters in the USAF.

I am an AV-8 Harrier driver in the USMC. The Navy or USMC are great options for flight training. If you contact an OFFICER Recruiter, they can garauntee you pilot training slot before you ever sign the dotted line. You to have to pass all the physical requirements, btw...

Getting fighters is a different story however. When I went through primary flight training in 2007, 80% got helo's. Jets are a little more friendly these days, but you still have to have the grades. Total time to train for the Navy is about 2-2.5 years, while USMC training is longer since you have to go to TBS(6 month infantry school) before you start flight training. I, however, have fired multiple machine guns and thrown hand grenades, which most USAF/USN pilots have not done. It's fun.

go to www.marineofficer.com and just submit your info. Officer recruiters won't constantly hound you like enlisted recruiters do. THey will contact you and give you all the info you want, but they won't pressure you to join. You have to show the initiative to want to join.

If you go for it, it's ALOT of work, but it's all worth it the first time you drop 2 MK-83's off your jet and completely vaporize a small building. :devil:

Hehe..... THese threads pop up every few months.

Flying for the Air Force is freakin' AWSOME, but like everyone else said, it's really hard to get selected for pilot training right now, and it's really hard to get fighters in the USAF.

I am an AV-8 Harrier driver in the USMC. The Navy or USMC are great options for flight training. If you contact an OFFICER Recruiter, they can garauntee you pilot training slot before you ever sign the dotted line. You to have to pass all the physical requirements, btw...

Getting fighters is a different story however. When I went through primary flight training in 2007, 80% got helo's. Jets are a little more friendly these days, but you still have to have the grades. Total time to train for the Navy is about 2-2.5 years, while USMC training is longer since you have to go to TBS(6 month infantry school) before you start flight training. I, however, have fired multiple machine guns and thrown hand grenades, which most USAF/USN pilots have not done. It's fun.

go to www.marineofficer.com and just submit your info. Officer recruiters won't constantly hound you like enlisted recruiters do. THey will contact you and give you all the info you want, but they won't pressure you to join. You have to show the initiative to want to join.

If you go for it, it's ALOT of work, but it's all worth it the first time you drop 2 MK-83's off your jet and completely vaporize a small building. :devil:


I'll just take the quick route to the fun of controling the MK-83's hitting the ground...0861 FO here:D love you guys !

Chad

I'll just take the quick route to the fun of controling the MK-83's hitting the ground...0861 FO here:D love you guys !

Chad

Hell yeah. CAS is the best part of military aviation. "cleared HOT!":mad:

Hell yeah. CAS is the best part of military aviation. "cleared HOT!":mad:

tons of fun...although the first time I controlled live fire's BOTH bombs dropped were duds.... :ripped:

Chad

As far as age, you have no problem there. As of last summer the AF required you to start before 30, the Army is up to 33. I have a friend who just graduated on the Pavehawk last winter with the AF, another who started training with the Navy in June, and I'm currently at Ft Rucker in the early stages of training with the Army (I'm tracking UH-60's).

I always wanted to fly F-16s since I was a crew chief on them for years, but alas, I am too old to qualify for the AF, and I wasn't getting any love for the waivers. Down here we say that "the best part about being a fighter pilot is saying you're a fighter pilot." :poke: If you really want to fly, come fly rotary wing.

Really, if you truly want to fly, who cares what branch. Start the process with them all. You might get passed over by two of them and picked up by the next one. Contact officer recruiters for AF, Navy, and Marines. As far as Army goes, your best bet is to research the "street to seat" opportunities as a Warrant Officer. Warrants can be selected directly into aviation with a guarantee, and Warrants get to spend their whole career flying with little to no other responsibility.

It doesn't hurt to start getting some flight training while you're waiting.

I was an Air Force officer and went to Navy flight school in PenSUCKola. Flight school is no joke. I've never studied harder or partied more than when I was in flight school. I was #2 in my class and had my F15 spot secured when I was flying low level and practicing aerobatics one day. My legs fell asleep and I couldnt steer the plane. Turns out I herniated a disk in my back in water survival. Earned a set of desk wings as a finance officer after that. :(

As a marine you will go to OCS then head to Quantico, VA before going to Pensacola. All Marine officers are infantry officers first, then aviators. As a Naval officer you will go to OCS in Pensacola then stay there for flight school. The first school is API (aviation Preflight Indoctrination) 6 weeks of firehose training that weeds out about 80% of the people who can't hack it for the entire training program. Then Primary T-6 training where the next 15% of attritions happen. Most of those are people who either find out that they get airsick everytime they fly small planes or can't handle the task overload of military flying.

Air force flight school is 12 hour a day job. In Naval Aviator training you are on your own time. Go to class when you are scheduled, be at the sims on time, be ready to brief when your scheduled, and stay home when your free. There were days when I did nothing but study in my BOQ room for 3-4 days in a row.

I was an Air Force officer and went to Navy flight school in PenSUCKola. Flight school is no joke. I've never studied harder or partied more than when I was in flight school. I was #2 in my class and had my F15 spot secured when I was flying low level and practicing aerobatics one day. My legs fell asleep and I couldnt steer the plane. Turns out I herniated a disk in my back in water survival. Earned a set of desk wings as a finance officer after that. :(

As a marine you will go to OCS then head to Quantico, VA before going to Pensacola. All Marine officers are infantry officers first, then aviators. As a Naval officer you will go to OCS in Pensacola then stay there for flight school. The first school is API (aviation Preflight Indoctrination) 6 weeks of firehose training that weeds out about 80% of the people who can't hack it for the entire training program. Then Primary T-6 training where the next 15% of attritions happen. Most of those are people who either find out that they get airsick everytime they fly small planes or can't handle the task overload of military flying.

Air force flight school is 12 hour a day job. In Naval Aviator training you are on your own time. Go to class when you are scheduled, be at the sims on time, be ready to brief when your scheduled, and stay home when your free. There were days when I did nothing but study in my BOQ room for 3-4 days in a row.

Great summary of flight school. I just have a couple changes that you need to understand. Pensacola is, in fact, AWSOME, as long as you go to the right bars. Pensacola is especially cool, if you come from a crappy hometown like I did.

Secondly, flight school is extremely hard.....if you're in VT-3. If your a shooter or a D-bird, flight school is rock n' roll. :gruffy:

Sorry about your back injury. That really sucks. The first thing I learned in API was: NEVER TALK TO THE FLIGHT DOC UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR WINGS!

Sorry about your back injury. That really sucks. The first thing I learned in API was: NEVER TALK TO THE FLIGHT DOC UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR WINGS!

Agreed, but when you're on final approach and you think you're full right rudder, but still drifting left, you have to make consessions.

Agreed, but when you're on final approach and you think you're full right rudder, but still drifting left, you have to make consessions.

Oh, wow. That really sucks. That must have been scary.

If it makes you feel better, you were on track to fly my dream airplane. I freakin' love F-15C's. I'm gonna try to get an exchange tour to fly them later on, but I prolly won't have a chance. Eagles are alot more badass than Harriers.