Become a Fighter Pilot
 

NO! I know your thinking that I'm some Tom Cruise loving, Top Gun watching, Highway to the Danger Zone listening - little kid but I'm not! I've put in a lot of thought into this.

I am a High school Junior and I graduate in May of 2008
I have a low 3.1-3.5 GPA at the moment, I'm in my schools Orchestra - Should I drop it and get into something like weight lifting or personal fitness? I've also lettered in Lacrosse.

-Basically I know I have to get into OCS right?
-I want to fly any aircraft that starts with "F"
- Can anyone give me some steps from experience or something? :confused:

Get accepted at a college with an AFROTC or NROTC program.

They will tell you the rest of what you have to do.

You need good eyes. Have 20/20 close vision and 20/70 distant vision (correctable to 20/20). PRK is effective around 60% of the time, but the risk isn't really worth it.

Is your GPA out of 4 or 5? Usually, only the top of a flight class in the USAF, USMC, or USN will be granted their top choice of aircraft to fly, while all the others get dumped on helicopters and transports (which, frankly, wouldn't mind me! I'd like getting some time in the USAF flying heavies, if I could ;)).

Something else to consider at least for the Navy is to apply for Officer Candidates School your junior or senior year in college. Although they won't guarantee you a specific platform they will guarantee you an aviation (pilot) slot. I know the USMC does the same with their Platoon Leaders Course (PLC).

The ROTC is great gig because you can get a scholarship to pay for the majority, if not all of your education. The down side is you don't get anything guaranteed up front like OCS and PLC.

The academy is great too because all of your education is paid for, but they won't guarantee you anything either until your senior year.

As for extra curricular activities, diversify yourself as much as possible. That will only help you.

IMO it doesn't really matter where you go to get your education and for the Navy or USMC what your degree is in. I'm not sure about the Air Force. There are several ways to reach the end goal. Some just involve more risk than others. Good luck whatever you choose.

What state do you live in? Consider joining the ANG as an enlisted member while going to school. Some states will pay all of your tuition if you attend a state school. Join up with a fighter unit if you can. It would still help you get selected elsewhere even if you enlist in a non-fighter unit.

Find out if you medically qualify. Plan on getting a B.S. degree in something. Maintain a decent gpa 3.0/4.0 or better. Talk to the ROTC folks at the college you will be attending. After college, if you are selected after testing you will attend UPT. Your performance in UPT will determine whether you qualify for fighters. You will be competeing with your classmates for assignments. High School pe has nothing to do with flying fighters so I wouldn't be concerned about what you are lettering in.

I certainly enjoyed my time flying fighters and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Don't rule out other Tactical Aircraft like Herks. Getting to fly in a tactical enviroment all while logging good time i.e. big aircraft / multi / turbine time. I'm not saying that fighter time is any less marketable but having big aircraft time will open few more doors when you retire or seperate.

Don't sweat being in the band...

BTW I'm a non-scholarship ROTC grad in my 19th year in the AF flying both fast and heavy stuff. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Best of Luck to You,
JD

Don't limit yourself by just wanting to fly a fighter, ESPECIALLY when you don't have any experience to really back that desire up with -- I've seen many a student in SUPT show up on day 1 SWEARING they'll never go for anything less than a fighter...only to select T-1s 5 months later because the formation/low level/etc isn't their style.

MORE IMPORTANTLY: Deal with the "near rocks" before you even worry about the "far rocks": There are a LOT of very high hurdles to get over before you even start thinking about what kind of aircraft you want to fly.

Graduate with a GPA good enough to go to a University or Military Academy. Be a well-rounded student with both athletics and academics.

If you get to an Academy, then the path to pilot training will be well laid out for you. If you go to ROTC or OTS, then there will be a little more work to do.

Like everyone says, there are many ways to get your wings.

For me: Joined the Guard as a Crew Chief while I attended college, after I got my degree I applied for a Pilot slot. Being prior enlisted in the same unit I got hired to fly at deffinetly helped! Although I know numerous guys that have been hired off of the street as well.

By being enlisted first like others have mentioned, means most of your school can be paid for by the military. Once you graduate you can go out and apply at every Guard unit in the coutry if you wish. At least by being an enlisted member you will have some more knowledge as to what you might want to fly when you start applying and you have the tuition help while in school.

As far as the Guard goes, they care more about the person and personality than "credentials."

I ended up being enlisted right at six years before I went to officer school, now I fly the Herk and freakin' love it! I have been in for 8yrs this month.

20/20 Navy / MC throughout training. NAMI whami won't even let you get to the door step as a pilot.

do you enjoy flying? ever done it?

had a buddy who was all mouth in Aviation Indoc can't wait to fly jets, blah blah blah blah, got to primary and never made it to his initial check ride.

you just never know.

BTW, a degree in PE from BFE university is just as good as a degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT, and both will get you in the door to flight school (atleast in the Navy / MC).

once you get there it's all about performance. top guy gets what he wants (typically) everyone else gets the left overs.

good luck