Planephlyer

I enlisted in the Air National Guard and got most of my college paid for by the GI Bill. In my free time I worked at an airport and used the money for flight training. At age 25 I applied and got accepted for Active Duty pilot training. You can also apply to Air National Guard/Air Force Reserve units to have them send you to AF pilot training. You have to start pilot training (at least in the AF) by age 30, so you have plenty of time. The civilian route is certainly feasible, but is a longer, more expensive road. Either way, work hard, fly as much as you can in whatever you can and do good in school. Intelligence and work ethic and a little luck will take you far in this career. Best of luck!

WantingWings

Tweetdvr--I meant the Air Force doesn't have as many helicopters in comparison to the Army or other branches. It's simply a numbers game. I'm strictly speaking to statistics, not merit or desire. That's all. If Samuel were to, in theory, attend the Army's Aviation Training Program--and graduate--he WILL fly a helo. Here recently, at least at LAFB, we've been averaging maybe one Helo drop a class...maybe. Yes, you're correct. If he were to specifically request a Helo, he MAY get one. I wasn't trying to deter him from serving in the USAF at all. I'm here after all. I'm just saying that, in general, overall, the USAF tends to attract more people seeking to fly fixed wing. It think that's a fair generalization. He specifically stated he wants to fly rotary wing. I'm just trying to provide him guidance to best enable him to achieve his stated goals. That's all.

Tenacvols

When I was going through API back in 2001, we had 3 Coasties in my class. All three of them had to do 2 years in the Coast Guard in a non aviation capacity prior to attending flight school. I'm not sure if this is still a requirement for the Coast Guard, but it's something to keep in mind when you are laying out your time table...

F4E Mx

If you were to enlist in an aviation career field in the Navy or Coast Guard you very possibly could used that experience toward your airframe and powerplant liscense requirements. I did as a maintenance officer in the USAF and went on to get my Inspection Authorization. Later I taught at an FAA approved A & P school for a year.

Considering the civilian route only you only need to work (as a mechanics's helper) 18 months to be qualified to take the airframe test, and 18 months to take the powerplant test, or 33 months to take both, so going to school to get the licenses doesn't seem worth it. A good school is far from worthless but is it worth the money and unpaid time?

YorlikJr

Hey Samuel!
First time poster, got on this site to ask basically the exact same things your asking. I've also been looking into the WIFI program over the past year, but alas I've pretty much dropped the pursuit for a number of reasons. It's definitely a great program!... In theory. I also have never actually met anyone who has successfully completed the CSPI/WiFI program. So to everyone else: I've heard alot of negativity from experience pilots when the the thought comes up of self funding your way to helicopter licenses and ultimately a job. Why is this? Is it solely because of of the money? Yalls input would be greatly appreciated!
Hope things are looking up for ya Samuel!

sailingfun

Things have really changed since I went through Navy training. Back then you were split off to Helo's after sixty hours. If you had jet grades you were sent to jets. Students didn't get to refuse. Must be a kinder gentler Navy!

Fifty50

So the A-6 (referenced in the post you quoted) was retired in '93 for the USMC and '97 for the USN. Meaning the individual referenced in the tale is more than likely an O-6 or higher and the stories are from decades ago. I'm not a Squid, so I could really care less in the long run, but even in this decade Students do not get to refuse a platform out of Primary, FYI.

rickair7777

#1 guy traditionally got his choice (of available slots) back in the day...usually that meant an F-Teen, but there were guys who wanted to do their deployments in hotels on full per diem and chose P-3's. Plausible that someone might choose helos.

Nobody got to refuse an assignment, but some folks got to pick what they were assigned.

A hot-runner who chose helos might get his arm twisted to reconsider a jet slot, but if they offered him a choice in the first place they would honor that.

I heard in some classes all slots were for one platform, in which case nobody got to pick anything.

tomgoodman

The AF couldn’t decide how to do assignments back in the ‘70s. In our class, the #1 graduate chose from the drop, then #2, etc.
But then some General (SAC) beefed about always getting the bottom guys, so they reserved an assorted drop just for the bottom 10%. But then some students realized that it might be smart to deliberately fall into that briar patch. So then they partially randomized the system, which provoked howls from all directions.....

decrabbitz

And then in the eighties they fixed it and made everyone happy! They still gave the #1 and #2 their first choices, then they non-volled #3-#8 to FAIP assignments, and continued down the list giving out the assignments in order. But wait, didn't SAC still get the bottom pilots? Yes. But the answer was simple, we'll keep the FAIPs for 5 years and then non-vol them to a SAC assignment! So SAC gets a former top UPT grad with 1500 hrs of IP time. So everyone wins.....except....