Becoming a Military Pilot
06-07-2014, 02:54 PM
#11
Line Holder
Joined APC: Aug 2008
Position: MD-11 CA
Posts: 65
It always makes me laugh when I here guys complaining about active duty.
In the early 90's I was complaining to my friend who had retired from the Air Force in the 60's. He had flown P-51's in Europe, F-86's in Korea, and Helicopters in Vietnam. He said "Do you like flying your airplane? Then shut up, your not complaining about anything we didn't complain about since the 40's"
In the early 90's I was complaining to my friend who had retired from the Air Force in the 60's. He had flown P-51's in Europe, F-86's in Korea, and Helicopters in Vietnam. He said "Do you like flying your airplane? Then shut up, your not complaining about anything we didn't complain about since the 40's"
06-07-2014, 03:11 PM
#12
Gettin paid to fly
Joined APC: Oct 2013
Position: BE-350
Posts: 172
Originally Posted by Barnstormer
It always makes me laugh when I here guys complaining about active duty.
In the early 90's I was complaining to my friend who had retired from the Air Force in the 60's. He had flown P-51's in Europe, F-86's in Korea, and Helicopters in Vietnam. He said "Do you like flying your airplane? Then shut up, your not complaining about anything we didn't complain about since the 40's"
In the early 90's I was complaining to my friend who had retired from the Air Force in the 60's. He had flown P-51's in Europe, F-86's in Korea, and Helicopters in Vietnam. He said "Do you like flying your airplane? Then shut up, your not complaining about anything we didn't complain about since the 40's"
But hey, if you don't complain how do you expect anything to change?
I vote more flight time, and less Powerpoint Time.....all in favor??
Hurrrrrrumpf!
Would I do it all over again?? Of course!!!
06-07-2014, 04:38 PM
#14
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Position: A-300 F/O
Posts: 281
Yes!! At least back in the day.
Finished UPT at CBM in Sept 93.
Guard Bum from 1994 to 1998=2,000 Pri/Sec TT in the C-130.
AGR in T-37s from 1999-2001, Reserve trougher 2002-2003 = 2,000 plus IP time in Tweets.
Trougher in the T-6 2003-2004, Airline dude commuting TR since 2005 = 2,300 IP T-6 hours.
21 years all flying. PME by correspondence only, never really been in charge of anything but a 6,000lb ish blue and white AETC airplane.
Sadly the days of doing that in the Reserves are probably gone, and the ANG door on that type of career is likely closing as well.
Flight records grand total butt in seat rated pilot time IP/Pri/Sec only no other time included north of 6,300. Divided by 24 hours in a day means I only have 262 days airborne or about 9 months of flying experience.
Finished UPT at CBM in Sept 93.
Guard Bum from 1994 to 1998=2,000 Pri/Sec TT in the C-130.
AGR in T-37s from 1999-2001, Reserve trougher 2002-2003 = 2,000 plus IP time in Tweets.
Trougher in the T-6 2003-2004, Airline dude commuting TR since 2005 = 2,300 IP T-6 hours.
21 years all flying. PME by correspondence only, never really been in charge of anything but a 6,000lb ish blue and white AETC airplane.
Sadly the days of doing that in the Reserves are probably gone, and the ANG door on that type of career is likely closing as well.
Flight records grand total butt in seat rated pilot time IP/Pri/Sec only no other time included north of 6,300. Divided by 24 hours in a day means I only have 262 days airborne or about 9 months of flying experience.
06-07-2014, 08:58 PM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2009
Posts: 396
Originally Posted by Riddler
Well, first you've gotta convince the USAF that you've got Chuck Yeager's blood running through your veins, combined with a little bit of Steven Hawking's brain power and nerves of steel like Chuck Norris.
Once you survive the brutal year of pilot training, then the real challenge begins, since you've gotta ensure that you can keep your wings and get promoted. You'll need to deftly process travel vouchers in DTS, pull a few non-flying deployments to Afghanistan even though we're downsizing (someone apparently forgot to tell the USAF, and our wing just got hammered with 365 day deployments). Brush up on your Pashtu and Arabic skills. Don't forget that masters degree, and do SOS in correspondence so that you can be competitive for SOS in residence, otherwise you'll never get the chance to do ACSC in correspondence to prep for ACSC in residence. If faced with the difficult challenge between upgrading to instructor pilot or planning the next wing change of command, be sure to take the latter and establish a network with fellow company grade officers. You'll need to attend CGOC meetings and tell those support folks how much you like processing OPRs, EPRs, awards, decorations, fitness testing, budgeting, and if you're lucky putting together teams of your Airmen to help the cops guard the gate and help trans drive crew busses. Showcase your leadership by canceling local flying so that you can be the first squadron in your wing to complete Wingman Day training, Suicide Prevention hands-on training, Bystander Intervention Training, which is now SAPR training and needs to be re-accomplished ASAP so that we can do our 4 hour SAPR "top-off" hands on training by October. Get that Ground Chem CBT done ASAP, but then do it again because your CGO buddies insist that your CBT must be done within 4 hours of the hands on class. Cancel some more flying so you can get your self aid buddy care training done. Maybe even go shoot the 9mm, but don't be shocked when your May 2014 9mm training doesn't help you in June when you get tasked to do another non-flying gig in Afghanistan - you'll certainly need another round of ground chem and 9mm training.
Sadly, I could go on for about another day or so. The USAF ain't what it used to be.
Once you survive the brutal year of pilot training, then the real challenge begins, since you've gotta ensure that you can keep your wings and get promoted. You'll need to deftly process travel vouchers in DTS, pull a few non-flying deployments to Afghanistan even though we're downsizing (someone apparently forgot to tell the USAF, and our wing just got hammered with 365 day deployments). Brush up on your Pashtu and Arabic skills. Don't forget that masters degree, and do SOS in correspondence so that you can be competitive for SOS in residence, otherwise you'll never get the chance to do ACSC in correspondence to prep for ACSC in residence. If faced with the difficult challenge between upgrading to instructor pilot or planning the next wing change of command, be sure to take the latter and establish a network with fellow company grade officers. You'll need to attend CGOC meetings and tell those support folks how much you like processing OPRs, EPRs, awards, decorations, fitness testing, budgeting, and if you're lucky putting together teams of your Airmen to help the cops guard the gate and help trans drive crew busses. Showcase your leadership by canceling local flying so that you can be the first squadron in your wing to complete Wingman Day training, Suicide Prevention hands-on training, Bystander Intervention Training, which is now SAPR training and needs to be re-accomplished ASAP so that we can do our 4 hour SAPR "top-off" hands on training by October. Get that Ground Chem CBT done ASAP, but then do it again because your CGO buddies insist that your CBT must be done within 4 hours of the hands on class. Cancel some more flying so you can get your self aid buddy care training done. Maybe even go shoot the 9mm, but don't be shocked when your May 2014 9mm training doesn't help you in June when you get tasked to do another non-flying gig in Afghanistan - you'll certainly need another round of ground chem and 9mm training.
Sadly, I could go on for about another day or so. The USAF ain't what it used to be.
06-08-2014, 05:33 AM
#16
Line Holder
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Posts: 40
Originally Posted by Tweetdrvr
Yes!! At least back in the day.
Finished UPT at CBM in Sept 93.
Guard Bum from 1994 to 1998=2,000 Pri/Sec TT in the C-130.
AGR in T-37s from 1999-2001, Reserve trougher 2002-2003 = 2,000 plus IP time in Tweets.
Trougher in the T-6 2003-2004, Airline dude commuting TR since 2005 = 2,300 IP T-6 hours.
21 years all flying. PME by correspondence only, never really been in charge of anything but a 6,000lb ish blue and white AETC airplane.
Sadly the days of doing that in the Reserves are probably gone, and the ANG door on that type of career is likely closing as well.
Flight records grand total butt in seat rated pilot time IP/Pri/Sec only no other time included north of 6,300. Divided by 24 hours in a day means I only have 262 days airborne or about 9 months of flying experience.
Finished UPT at CBM in Sept 93.
Guard Bum from 1994 to 1998=2,000 Pri/Sec TT in the C-130.
AGR in T-37s from 1999-2001, Reserve trougher 2002-2003 = 2,000 plus IP time in Tweets.
Trougher in the T-6 2003-2004, Airline dude commuting TR since 2005 = 2,300 IP T-6 hours.
21 years all flying. PME by correspondence only, never really been in charge of anything but a 6,000lb ish blue and white AETC airplane.
Sadly the days of doing that in the Reserves are probably gone, and the ANG door on that type of career is likely closing as well.
Flight records grand total butt in seat rated pilot time IP/Pri/Sec only no other time included north of 6,300. Divided by 24 hours in a day means I only have 262 days airborne or about 9 months of flying experience.
06-08-2014, 06:05 AM
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2012
Position: Babysitter
Posts: 975
Originally Posted by Tweetdrvr
Yes!! At least back in the day.
Finished UPT at CBM in Sept 93.
Guard Bum from 1994 to 1998=2,000 Pri/Sec TT in the C-130.
AGR in T-37s from 1999-2001, Reserve trougher 2002-2003 = 2,000 plus IP time in Tweets.
Trougher in the T-6 2003-2004, Airline dude commuting TR since 2005 = 2,300 IP T-6 hours.
21 years all flying. PME by correspondence only, never really been in charge of anything but a 6,000lb ish blue and white AETC airplane.
Sadly the days of doing that in the Reserves are probably gone, and the ANG door on that type of career is likely closing as well.
Flight records grand total butt in seat rated pilot time IP/Pri/Sec only no other time included north of 6,300. Divided by 24 hours in a day means I only have 262 days airborne or about 9 months of flying experience.
Finished UPT at CBM in Sept 93.
Guard Bum from 1994 to 1998=2,000 Pri/Sec TT in the C-130.
AGR in T-37s from 1999-2001, Reserve trougher 2002-2003 = 2,000 plus IP time in Tweets.
Trougher in the T-6 2003-2004, Airline dude commuting TR since 2005 = 2,300 IP T-6 hours.
21 years all flying. PME by correspondence only, never really been in charge of anything but a 6,000lb ish blue and white AETC airplane.
Sadly the days of doing that in the Reserves are probably gone, and the ANG door on that type of career is likely closing as well.
Flight records grand total butt in seat rated pilot time IP/Pri/Sec only no other time included north of 6,300. Divided by 24 hours in a day means I only have 262 days airborne or about 9 months of flying experience.
I think you could still do this today as a TR.
06-20-2014, 12:11 PM
#19
New Hire
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Position: 1 seventy-deuce pattern altitude
Posts: 6
I just graduated with a 4 year degree in ATC. About half way through I realized I had gotten sucked into the program because of the guaranteed job and six figures blah blah blah but honestly I realized I wanted to fly. So I got my private SEL and even finished up with my dispatcher certificate in my last year. So this past winter I took a shot and applied with the Navy for a pilot slot. I met all the requirements and coming from a Navy family it was a no brainer. Well after a few months of waiting I got the call and sure enough I got it! Right around graduation the FAA axed the CTI (ATC) program to hire off the street, a knee jerk reaction to diversity issues, but because of this no one I was graduating with was getting jobs. I was extremely lucky to have a plan B and honestly I wish I would have been focused on this career all along because I could have done ROTC and be commissioned already instead of waiting in limbo for an OCS date.
But my advice to anyone like yourself considering this career is to just take a shot and apply. If you meet the requirements and do well on the testing you make yourself a competitive applicant. Sure having a PPL and dispatch certificate probably helped, but from what I understand the Navy in particular is looking for a lot of pilots this year and the few boards that have met this year have had 75%-90% acceptance rates so anything could happen. Good luck and Fly Navy!
But my advice to anyone like yourself considering this career is to just take a shot and apply. If you meet the requirements and do well on the testing you make yourself a competitive applicant. Sure having a PPL and dispatch certificate probably helped, but from what I understand the Navy in particular is looking for a lot of pilots this year and the few boards that have met this year have had 75%-90% acceptance rates so anything could happen. Good luck and Fly Navy!
06-20-2014, 12:37 PM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2013
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 2,297
If you apply to the Air Force for Officer Training School (OTS) and are accepted you will know your job before any commitment is made. If you don't get selected as a pilot, you can decline whatever job they offer you. If you wash out of pilot training (unlikely) you'd owe a total of 4 years including the time you'd already spent on active duty. It is competitive, yes your hours help to some extent as well as your aviation knowledge for the AFOQT test. Being an athlete also helps.
Someone already said it, go to an Officer Accession recruiter. Do not go to a normal recruiter. They can not get you a pilot slot or any job as an officer, but they might lie to you and say that enlisting is your best shot. This is not true.
I was a CFII when I joined and definitely think my hours helped in the T6, the T38 does not fly like any civilian plane out there so it was less help there, but just knowing the instrument regs and being familiar with the AIM still helped somewhat. I hear a lot that prior experience hurts you. As a former UPT instructor I'd disagree with that. On balance it helps. There is the occasional attitude problem or DB of course.
Baseops.net is where you need to be doing your research. Most of the military guys on here (myself included) have been in too long, we aren't as familiar with the hiring process anymore.
Feel free to PM me with questions.
Someone already said it, go to an Officer Accession recruiter. Do not go to a normal recruiter. They can not get you a pilot slot or any job as an officer, but they might lie to you and say that enlisting is your best shot. This is not true.
I was a CFII when I joined and definitely think my hours helped in the T6, the T38 does not fly like any civilian plane out there so it was less help there, but just knowing the instrument regs and being familiar with the AIM still helped somewhat. I hear a lot that prior experience hurts you. As a former UPT instructor I'd disagree with that. On balance it helps. There is the occasional attitude problem or DB of course.
Baseops.net is where you need to be doing your research. Most of the military guys on here (myself included) have been in too long, we aren't as familiar with the hiring process anymore.
Feel free to PM me with questions.
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