Thread: Subject: How to be a Fighter Pilot
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Old 10-13-2012 | 08:52 AM
  #20  
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Adlerdriver
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Originally Posted by Ftrooppilot
Being a "fighter pilot" is a state of mind not which airplane you fly. The most rewarding flying for me was C-141 airevac missions. The most challenging was an RB-57F at 70,000 feet in a small airspeed coffin corner. The most dangerous was as a Ranch Hand pilot in Vietnam spraying at 100 feet, 60 degree bank turns while a bunch of bad guys tried to shoot your a** off. In all of them I considered myself to have a "fighter pilot attitude."
I’m not trying to start a big debate and I mean no disrespect. I think I get what you’re trying to say, but I’m not sure I completely agree with your first statement.

Being a fighter pilot does mean you actually fly something by yourself or maybe with a GIB that has forward firing ordnance and drops bombs. It is more than just a “state of mind”.

I agree that you need a specific skill set and attitude or “state of mind” to be successful as a fighter pilot – but you also need the actual position operating the aircraft too. Having the natural skills and the right attitude but choosing to become a car salesman doesn’t mean you’re a fighter pilot because of your state of mind. You’re probably a SH car salesman though.

All that said, I think it’s likely that someone with the skills and attitude required to fly high altitude recon or ranch hand missions would probably be a great fighter pilot. As you said, probably the same state of mind or attitude required to do the job well.
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