Flying the F-35?
#41
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Joined APC: Sep 2013
Position: Military
Posts: 54
#43
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Joined APC: May 2009
Position: weekend beyotch
Posts: 39
If you are in college and reading this, now you can't use that excuse. You're welcome.
#44
Wrong. Generally, helos are the preferred slot for Coast Guard students at P-Cola. I had many an advanced FW student in Corpus that was not there because that was their choice. They were voluntold to go fixed. Granted, with demise of the Falcon, it's now just Hercs, Casa, and from what I understand, now C-27, so it's gonna be a prop. But you're flying a ton, and doing the mission daily. I retired with over 5K hours. I can't tell you how many times I heard at our joint service squadron "I wish I'd known about the CG back in college". Inter service transfer paperwork was constantly being submitted.
If you are in college and reading this, now you can't use that excuse. You're welcome.
If you are in college and reading this, now you can't use that excuse. You're welcome.
Also - I'm not quite sure I follow the first part of your post.
What is 2loud "Wrong." about?
If a student is dead set on flying fixed wing - - and the USAF has the lowest selection rate for helos out of any other service - - then it would seem a safe bet that going to the USAF would give you the highest chance of being selected for a fixed wing assignment.
What does the rest of your post, with your experience of USCG students being forced into fixed wing slots instead of helo slots, have to do with a person who is dead set on flying fixed wing? They should go into the USCG because they are more likely to selected for (or forced into) fixed wing slots out of the USCG?
As far as inter-service transfers - I hear ya! I wish I had done the job I wanted to do earlier in my career and I would have been asking for one myself. USCG aviation rocks in my opinion
#45
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Joined APC: May 2009
Position: weekend beyotch
Posts: 39
No guarantee unfortunately. You roll the dice coming out of OCS or the Academy. You may find yourself steering a ship in the Bering sea. You can always keep applying though.
By wrong, I think he is incorrect. He stated his opinion on what he thought the heirarchy was on the chances of getting a FW slot, and I disagree. From my observation as a former flight student, I saw lots of Navy and Marine studs end up at S. Whiting who had no desire to fly helos. I saw 0 Coasties in that situation. If you wanted FW, you were sunny S. Texas bound! The fact USCG didn't even make his list is another thread all together .
If the CG needs to force students to go FW to put enough butts in FW seats, to me, that seems a good indicator that you got a pretty darn good chance of getting a FW slot if your dead set on going FW, and not getting stuck in a helo. It has everything to do with it.
You could make the same argument to 2loud then based on his list. Should someone join the AF just to get a FW slot? Why someone chooses to join a particular branch is their business, but from an empirical standpoint, and expanding on 2louds list, I think the CG offers an almost sure fire way to FW.
Without getting to bromantic here, I appreciate the nod to CG aviation. At times, I'd wished I had gone another branch, so I'm not saying it's the end all be all. I saw plusses and minuses to every branch. I even ended up flying with the Army post CG as a contractor, so I have literally worked with every one. Any option will be rewarding, and my hat is off to someone no matter what branch they fly for.
By wrong, I think he is incorrect. He stated his opinion on what he thought the heirarchy was on the chances of getting a FW slot, and I disagree. From my observation as a former flight student, I saw lots of Navy and Marine studs end up at S. Whiting who had no desire to fly helos. I saw 0 Coasties in that situation. If you wanted FW, you were sunny S. Texas bound! The fact USCG didn't even make his list is another thread all together .
If the CG needs to force students to go FW to put enough butts in FW seats, to me, that seems a good indicator that you got a pretty darn good chance of getting a FW slot if your dead set on going FW, and not getting stuck in a helo. It has everything to do with it.
You could make the same argument to 2loud then based on his list. Should someone join the AF just to get a FW slot? Why someone chooses to join a particular branch is their business, but from an empirical standpoint, and expanding on 2louds list, I think the CG offers an almost sure fire way to FW.
Without getting to bromantic here, I appreciate the nod to CG aviation. At times, I'd wished I had gone another branch, so I'm not saying it's the end all be all. I saw plusses and minuses to every branch. I even ended up flying with the Army post CG as a contractor, so I have literally worked with every one. Any option will be rewarding, and my hat is off to someone no matter what branch they fly for.
#46
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Joined APC: May 2009
Position: weekend beyotch
Posts: 39
Just to clarify, I have no idea or opinion on the chances of even getting into any of the flight programs. My above posts is with the assumption that a person has made it to flight training.
I can say for the CG, if you are medically qualified, and a good performer in OCS, you have a strong chance of getting selected, and if you don't initially, you will likely get it eventually if you remain a solid officer and stay medically qualified. The Academy used to not allow grads to go straight to flight school, then did, and now, I don't know. That rule changes with the whims of the current leadership.
I can say for the CG, if you are medically qualified, and a good performer in OCS, you have a strong chance of getting selected, and if you don't initially, you will likely get it eventually if you remain a solid officer and stay medically qualified. The Academy used to not allow grads to go straight to flight school, then did, and now, I don't know. That rule changes with the whims of the current leadership.
#47
By wrong, I think he is incorrect. He stated his opinion on what he thought the heirarchy was on the chances of getting a FW slot, and I disagree. From my observation as a former flight student, I saw lots of Navy and Marine studs end up at S. Whiting who had no desire to fly helos. I saw 0 Coasties in that situation. If you wanted FW, you were sunny S. Texas bound! The fact USCG didn't even make his list is another thread all together .
If the CG needs to force students to go FW to put enough butts in FW seats, to me, that seems a good indicator that you got a pretty darn good chance of getting a FW slot if your dead set on going FW, and not getting stuck in a helo. It has everything to do with it.
#48
Greetings,
I'm a current college student considering a commission as a pilot in the Marines/Navy in a strike platform. I understand that that at least 60% of the Marines fly helos. With the new F-35 program in the works, what are the chances of getting a slot to fly this platform if I commission in 2015-2016? Also, how competitive is it to get into a fix-wing pipeline during primary flight training? Do most students want to fly helos (I guess that depends), but generally speaking, what else can be done to ensure fix wing during training?
Also, what IF someone were to end of with helos... How difficult would it be to take a tour as a t-34 IP? Is a transfer into a fix wing airframe common? (as you can see I don't want to fly helos.) Please pardon my ignorance.
I'm a current college student considering a commission as a pilot in the Marines/Navy in a strike platform. I understand that that at least 60% of the Marines fly helos. With the new F-35 program in the works, what are the chances of getting a slot to fly this platform if I commission in 2015-2016? Also, how competitive is it to get into a fix-wing pipeline during primary flight training? Do most students want to fly helos (I guess that depends), but generally speaking, what else can be done to ensure fix wing during training?
Also, what IF someone were to end of with helos... How difficult would it be to take a tour as a t-34 IP? Is a transfer into a fix wing airframe common? (as you can see I don't want to fly helos.) Please pardon my ignorance.
#49
VT-28 in Corpus still fly's 34's.
Pretty much all questions have been answered in this thread. The primary factor in the Navy as to where you go is the needs of the Navy....and there is always the E2/C2 draft. Ask me how I know about that one
Pretty much all questions have been answered in this thread. The primary factor in the Navy as to where you go is the needs of the Navy....and there is always the E2/C2 draft. Ask me how I know about that one
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