17 Year Old Looking To Become A Pilot
04-09-2014, 05:41 PM
#11
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Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: Chris's Closet
Posts: 485
Enlist in the reserves. Air National Guard, Army National Guard, Marine Reserves. Try to go for a aircraft tech job. Have the military pay for a four year degree, I would suggest in something not aviation-centric. Do ROTC if you like during school, while drilling with a reserve unit. Once you're done with school, apply for a flight slot in one of the branches of service.
You'll have four years toward a reserve retirement, plus a degree mostly if not all paid for by the government. If you don't get a flight slot, your 6x2 reserve enlistment contract will be nearly up and you can separate knowing you got your college paid for. If you get a flight slot, you get flight training paid for and an automatic part time (or full time) job when you complete flight training.
EM
You'll have four years toward a reserve retirement, plus a degree mostly if not all paid for by the government. If you don't get a flight slot, your 6x2 reserve enlistment contract will be nearly up and you can separate knowing you got your college paid for. If you get a flight slot, you get flight training paid for and an automatic part time (or full time) job when you complete flight training.
EM
04-10-2014, 04:35 AM
#14
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Joined APC: Mar 2011
Posts: 122
I'm not sure of the breakdown in the USMC, but I know the Navy has a ton of helicopters.
The Air Force will probably be your highest Pk of setting yourself up for a major, especially if you end up going tanker / transport. Be very wary of the ten year post pilot training commitment, things are a bit ugly now on the Active Duty side with a lot of burned out guys, time away from home and draw-downs* etc... You can get a decent snapshot at Baseops.net Flight Planning, Aviation Weather & Military Discounts (browse the forums a bit). Go Guard if you can.
The flip side is that you will do some very cool stuff flying in the military, and at a relatively young age. No guarantees though, I've met guys who did decent in pilot training and were sent directly to MQ-1's. Do your research here definitely.
I can't talk to the civilian side, but I'm sure there will be a lot of good insight from the guys who have been there, done that.
Good luck to you!
The Air Force will probably be your highest Pk of setting yourself up for a major, especially if you end up going tanker / transport. Be very wary of the ten year post pilot training commitment, things are a bit ugly now on the Active Duty side with a lot of burned out guys, time away from home and draw-downs* etc... You can get a decent snapshot at Baseops.net Flight Planning, Aviation Weather & Military Discounts (browse the forums a bit). Go Guard if you can.
The flip side is that you will do some very cool stuff flying in the military, and at a relatively young age. No guarantees though, I've met guys who did decent in pilot training and were sent directly to MQ-1's. Do your research here definitely.
I can't talk to the civilian side, but I'm sure there will be a lot of good insight from the guys who have been there, done that.
Good luck to you!
04-10-2014, 05:36 AM
#15
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Joined APC: Mar 2009
Position: CRJ700 F/O
Posts: 354
Originally Posted by satpak77
Quote:
Originally Posted by jumpseat2024
Go to med school, make a fortune, get your private license, and buy your own plane.
Better yet, get the military to fund med school
Originally Posted by jumpseat2024
Go to med school, make a fortune, get your private license, and buy your own plane.
Better yet, get the military to fund med school
Bottom line is, flying is a lot more fun when it's not for a paycheck. Or, I'm assuming, in a fighter jet.
04-10-2014, 06:23 AM
#16
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Joined APC: Jan 2008
Posts: 194
Army Warrant Officer program. Flying and serving without being maintenance officer, etc... Great way to get into the cockpit, STAY in the cockpit, and get fantastic training and experience.
Or, go to college, get a degree in ANYTHING except aviation (anything that can get you a real job, that is) and do flight training on the side. Don't know if there are any universities that allow non-aviation degree students to do a minor or fly in their program, but that would be another option.
Arizona State and Chandler-Gilbert Community College have aviation programs. Start at CGCC, get ratings, finish degree at ASU. Oh, and go look at the ASU cheerleaders. Just saying.
Or, go to college, get a degree in ANYTHING except aviation (anything that can get you a real job, that is) and do flight training on the side. Don't know if there are any universities that allow non-aviation degree students to do a minor or fly in their program, but that would be another option.
Arizona State and Chandler-Gilbert Community College have aviation programs. Start at CGCC, get ratings, finish degree at ASU. Oh, and go look at the ASU cheerleaders. Just saying.
04-10-2014, 06:54 AM
#17
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Joined APC: Mar 2013
Posts: 215
Originally Posted by trafly
Army Warrant Officer program. Flying and serving without being maintenance officer, etc... Great way to get into the cockpit, STAY in the cockpit, and get fantastic training and experience.
Lakotas are mainly guard right now and used for medevac mostly. The Little Birds, a Badass helo, are apart of the Nightstalkers.
Fly Kiowas and you will be trained to fire your M4 out the side. Also, Jet Rangers can be found all over the world. No issue getting a job.
If you want to make serious money after you serve, choose the Chinook. There are so many very specialized uses for them in the world that the Pilots can just about write their own checks.
There is much money to be made in the Helo world.
Just remember if you choose an Apache or Kiowa, you may be limited in your flight time. They become heavily in use when at war. Hawks and Chinooks tend to stay consistent with their time.
Good Luck with your choice! High School to Flight School I wished was mine!
04-10-2014, 08:43 AM
#19
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Joined APC: Dec 2012
Posts: 26
Originally Posted by USMCFLYR
You can apply for PLC while a freshman in college if you want too. The OSO will prepare you for the training throughout college and you'll go those two different summers for 6 week each. You will compete for a Pilot slot. They are extremely competitive as they are in any service. IF you maintain your physical qualifications, grades and graduate training you'll be commissioned a 2ndLt after graduation. You will then go to The Basic School (TBS) where you will learn about every MOS (job) in the USMC and become a basic infantry platoon commander. This school is where everyone without an aviation guarantee competes for their MOS.
Then some of the real work begins for you if you have made it this far.
Everything you do from this point forward has relevance to your possible future. Every test, every physical fitness event, every inspection, every role you pay, etc.... figures into the path afforded you throughout flight school. the better you do the better chance that you'll have that YOUR choices have an influence - and that still isn't always true. The needs of the Corps come first.
What you have heard about the selection rate is true except the fewest go Multi-engine (KC-130s) and there are the Tilt-Rotor guys now too (MV-22s). Any path can lead you to the ariline after your initial commitment is up - it just depends on how you play it.
You'll hear this from plenty of other guys - chose the military route first and foremost because you want to serve your country. If you don't - you will find that your time in military service will most likely not be what you thought and the Marines will certainly draw it out of you. That route is the most cumbersome to get to those eventual wings - but we do it because we wanted to be Marines first. Once you've decided that route is for you - I doubt that you'll ever be disappointed no matter what you fly. The friends for life that you will make and the experiences that you will have will be second to none. You can take those experiences and that training into any aspects of life after the Corps - flying or not.
As for other aspects of the airline life - I can't help you there - but Google 'The Truth About the Profession' and read it a few times over for a good and honest overview. Then spend time reading this forum. Most questions you can think of have been asked and answered many times over. For more info about the USN/USMC/USCG sideof aviation, visit airwarriors.com; BUT READ BEfORE ASKING.
Then some of the real work begins for you if you have made it this far.
Everything you do from this point forward has relevance to your possible future. Every test, every physical fitness event, every inspection, every role you pay, etc.... figures into the path afforded you throughout flight school. the better you do the better chance that you'll have that YOUR choices have an influence - and that still isn't always true. The needs of the Corps come first.
What you have heard about the selection rate is true except the fewest go Multi-engine (KC-130s) and there are the Tilt-Rotor guys now too (MV-22s). Any path can lead you to the ariline after your initial commitment is up - it just depends on how you play it.
You'll hear this from plenty of other guys - chose the military route first and foremost because you want to serve your country. If you don't - you will find that your time in military service will most likely not be what you thought and the Marines will certainly draw it out of you. That route is the most cumbersome to get to those eventual wings - but we do it because we wanted to be Marines first. Once you've decided that route is for you - I doubt that you'll ever be disappointed no matter what you fly. The friends for life that you will make and the experiences that you will have will be second to none. You can take those experiences and that training into any aspects of life after the Corps - flying or not.
As for other aspects of the airline life - I can't help you there - but Google 'The Truth About the Profession' and read it a few times over for a good and honest overview. Then spend time reading this forum. Most questions you can think of have been asked and answered many times over. For more info about the USN/USMC/USCG sideof aviation, visit airwarriors.com; BUT READ BEfORE ASKING.
04-10-2014, 08:44 AM
#20
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Joined APC: Dec 2012
Posts: 26
Originally Posted by flight81
Go to college, whatever you do. Make that a staple in any plan you make. Military is a good career, however there seems to be less hours available to fly now than there used to be. If I could do it again I would go through college and try to hook up with a guard unit. I spent 4 years as an Air Force Officer and even though I didn't fly, the military training set me up good for civilian life!
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