CenterSeatFE

Hello, I am new to the forum but have read many posts for months. I don't know if this was the appropriate spot to post my questions but I figured it couldn't hurt. Just a little back ground on myself, I am currently enlisted in the Navy and have about 1 1/2 years left on my original contract. I am an instructor flight engineer on the P-3. I came into the Navy (2003) with my Commercial, instrument, and multiengine ratings but have not flown more than once a month the entire time I have been in. I am currently in a bind concerning career decsions of either going to OCS and recieve a commision to fly or seperating at the end of my enlistment. The latter would involve me earning my CFI, CFII, and MEI and instructing as I only have about 300hr total time and about 15hr ME time. So the big question for any of those folks who may have been in my shoes at one time or another is which route would be the logical choice. I am 26yrs old and by the time I would be commisioned, I would only have 14 more years before that magical number "20" was attained. Overall, I enjoy the Navy minus a few things of course, but I'm sure I would like flying as a pilot in the military. My only concern is whether or not it would be worth staying in for the retirement which is ulitimately very important to me. Seperating and spending 1-2yrs instructing then maybe 2-3 more years at a less than desirable job building more flight time really concerns me especially in the financial department. I know that there is a hiring boom right now but will there be one in 3-4 yrs with the fuel prices going sky high? Well I'm rambling on. If anyone has some advise that would be great!!

SaltyDog

Welcome Aboard CenterSeatFE!,
Always happy to see a fellow Sailor onboard.
Are you looking at the WO program?
You know the fundamental lifestyle, except perhaps boat ops. If you think you would be comfortable with that, then I'd say that makes a big case that you would likely enjoy a continuing Navy career. Seems your content enough. I'd suggest you continue to Fly Navy and when able, fly on the side at your duty stations. You will have plenty of time following Navy retirement to fly commercially someplace for along time anyway.
Best luck!

SemperFly

I'm a newbie poster here too CSFE. I was an Orion EWO for 10 years (89-99)...man I sure do miss the old girl. Sometimes I see 'em flying around SoCal in wht/orng/blk firefighting livery. I haven't kept up with Patrol Aviation in quite awhile...are they still planning on replacing the mighty O with the BBJ? When I first heard about it, my first thoughts were that will sure burn a lot of fuel on those 200' AGL patrols, and no more loitering #1!

I have to agree with SaltyDog on this one! If you can get the comission and the wings, and this will give you the lifestyle you would like, stay in, fly and retire. You could always get your CFI/CFII/MEI at your own pace while you are AD, too.
Another option would be to get the comission, fly enough to get the civ flying job you want, leave AD and go ANG until retirement. Sounds like you've got a few different options (and that's usually a good thing!).

The airlines will always be there if you want to continue flying after the Navy. Good Luck!

SemperFly

roadwarrior

You're getting good advice from the above....the only thing I could add is, talk to an AF recruiter as well, and look into the ANG, which in my opinion, is the best option out there.

CenterSeatFE

Thanks for the advice. I actually had a WO package ready to submit but had to pull it because of a medical issue that occured right when I was going to send it in. I still have about 8 months before I am finished with my Bachelors so I still have time to ponder about things i guess!!

135TOAD

start applying to every guard unit out there. You get to go to UPT with the Air Force and while you are serving as a tarditional guardsman you can get on w/ a regional build the required PIC to be competitive for a major. Oh, by the time your pilot training commitment is up you'll have 20 years combined ( officer & enlisted) and can seperate if you want too. I took a very similar route. I had 9.5 years enlisted before going to flight school. Just got picked up by DAL and I am eligible for retirement in 9 months but I plan on staying around a little longer

HSLD

This is probably old (well, it IS old, might not be current). Check it out and let us know what you hear. In the meantime, watch oil prices and the economy while your waiting to get out - as you might guess they both have an impact on hiring. If you get serious about flying comercially, try to get current and aim for meeting the minimums (which are updated on APC).
http://airlinepilotcentral.com/resou...070412222.html
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AUZYUW RUENAAA0005 0191820-UUUU--RHMCSUU.
ZNR UUUUU ZUI RUEWMCS1734 0191824
R 191820Z JAN 06 ZYB MIN ZYW PSN 793597K40
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1NT//
TO NAVADMIN
RHMFIUU/CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1NT//
RHMFIUU/CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1NT//
BT
UNCLAS //N01500//
NAVADMIN 031/06
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1NT/JAN//
SUBJ/FY-06 ACTIVE DUTY FLYING CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER (CWO) PILOT
/PROGRAM APPLICATION//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE NAVY IS SEEKING APPLICATIONS FROM
HIGHLY-QUALIFIED AND HARD-CHARGING SAILORS (E-5 THROUGH E-7) FOR A
PILOT PROGRAM TO PLACE CHIEF WARRANT OFFICERS (CWO) IN COCKPITS AS
PILOTS AND NAVAL FLIGHT OFFICERS. AS PART OF CNO'S STRATEGY FOR OUR
PEOPLE, THIS PILOT PROGRAM WILL HARNESS THE STRENGTHS OF OUR SAILORS
TODAY AND SHAPE THE NAVY OF TOMORROW. AS A PILOT PROGRAM, 30
QUALIFIED PERSONNEL WILL BE SELECTED, COMMISSIONED AS CWO2 PRIOR TO
LDO/CWO INDOCTRINATION, AND SUBSEQUENTLY UNDERGO FLIGHT TRAINING.
2. THE NEWLY WINGED AVIATORS WILL RECEIVE FLEET REPLACEMENT



PAGE 02 RUENAAA0005 UNCLAS
SQUADRON (FRS) TRAINING AND THEN REPORT TO THE FLEET. TARGETED
COMMUNITIES ARE VP, VQ (P), VQ (T), HSC, AND HSL. THE INTENT IS TO
CREATE FLYING SPECIALISTS UNENCUMBERED BY THE TRADITIONAL CAREER
PATHS OF THE UNRESTRICTED LINE (URL) COMMUNITY. AS SUCH, FLYING
CWO'S WILL ROTATE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SEA/SHORE ROTATIONS
(OPERATIONAL SQUADRONS TO SHORE PRODUCTION SOURCES, E.G. TRACOM,
FRS, NSAWC, WEAPON SCHOOLS). APPLICATIONS ARE DUE TO COMNAVPERSCOM
(PERS-432M) NO LATER THAN 31MAR06.
3. SPECIFIC PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
A. MUST BE COMMISSIONED BY 27TH BIRTHDAY.
B. ENLISTED PERSONNEL FROM SEAL, SWCC, EOD, DIVER, NUCLEAR, AND
MA COMMUNITIES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
C. MUST POSSESS AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE OR HIGHER.
D. MUST BE PHYSICALLY QUALIFIED FOR AVIATION DUTY IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE NAVY MANUAL OF MEDICINE.
E. MUST MEET AVIATION STANDARD TEST BATTERY (ASTB) MINIMUMS.
F. MUST MEET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT FOR A SECRET SECURITY
CLEARANCE.
4. INDIVIDUAL CAREER CONSIDERATIONS:
A. UPON WINGING, SELECTEES WILL INCUR AN 8 YR MINIMUM SERVICE



PAGE 03 RUENAAA0005 UNCLAS
REQUIREMENT (MSR) FOR PILOTS, 6 YR MSR FOR NAVAL FLIGHT OFFICERS.
B. TOUR LENGTHS: SEA 36 MONTHS, SHORE 33 MONTHS.
C. ELIGIBLE ASSIGNMENTS: VP, VQ (P), VQ (T), HSC, HSL AND
ASSOCIATED FRS, TRACOM, NSAWC, AND WEAPON SCHOOLS.
D. SELECTEES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR DEPARTMENT HEAD (DH) TOURS
AND WILL FILL JUNIOR OFFICER (JO) BILLETS ONLY. THE INTENT IS FOR
FLYING CHIEF WARRANT OFFICERS NOT TO FILL JO BILLETS THAT ARE
NORMALLY CONSIDERED CAREER MILESTONES FOR URL OFFICERS.
E. ORDERS WILL BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE COGNIZANT PERS-43
ASSIGNMENTS OFFICER.
5. ATTRITION:
A. ATTRITES EITHER IN THE TRAINING COMMAND, FRS OR FLEET THAT
HAVE LESS THAN 3 YEARS OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE WILL REVERT
BACK TO THEIR PREVIOUS RANK AND RATE.
B. THOSE IN EXCESS OF 3 YEARS COMMISSIONED SERVICE WILL BE
DETAILED TO NON-FLYING BILLETS WITHIN THE AVIATION COMMUNITY.
6. REFER TO THE OPNAVINST 1420.1A FOR CWO ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA IN
ADDITION TO REQUIREMENTS CITED IN PARAGRAPH 3. INDIVIDUAL GRADE
AND TIME-IN-SERVICE WAIVERS FOR E-5/E-6 PERSONNEL ARE NOT REQUIRED.
A GROUP GRADE AND TIME-IN-SERVICE WAIVER FOR E-5/E-6 PERSONNEL IN



PAGE 04 RUENAAA0005 UNCLAS
THE PILOT PROGRAM WILL BE SUBMITTED BY PERS-4.
7. APPLICATIONS SHOULD INCLUDE FLIGHT PHYSICAL DOCUMENTATION, ASTB
RESULTS, AND SECURITY CLEARANCE ELIGIBILITY. SAMPLE APPLICATION
WITH ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT
WWW.NPC.NAVY.MIL/OFFICER/LDOCWOCOMMUNITY, CLICK ON THE NEWS TAB.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE FLYING CWO PROGRAM, CONTACT THE
HEAD AVIATION PLACEMENT OFFICER, CDR STEVEN KNOTT AT (901)
874-4944/DSN 882 OR ASSISTANT LDO/CWO ASSIGNMENTS OFFICER LCDR AL
WOOTEN AT (901) 874-3948/DSN 882. FOR APPLICATION QUESTIONS CONTACT
COMNAVPERSCOM (PERS-4801G) CWO2 MCGALLAGHER OR MR. DAWSON AT (901)
874-3172/DSN 882 OR EMAIL AT [email protected].
8. RELEASED BY VADM J. C. HARVEY, JR., N1/NT.//
BT
#0005

HSLD

FAQ page now at: http://www.npc.navy.mil/Officer/Aviation/LDOCWO/

dannolars

Completely agree, get with the AF guard or reserves and get them to send you through OCS/UPT. It is well worth it for the wings and the experience.

FLY6584

Hey centerseat if I were you I would look into flying P-3's for NOAA. Most people don't know about it, but it is one of the best kept secrets in the government flying world because...

1. Your time in service and grade transfers with you(obviously you would have to go through their commissioning source, but you would still be considered an O-1E)
2. You still receive the same benefits and are on the same pay grade as all other aviators that are in the Military(it's still considered a uniformed service).
3. After 14 years flying with them you would still be eligible for the same exact retirement you would receive from the military.
4. You are PERMANENTLY stationed at Macdill AFB in Tampa, FL.
5. Your deployements consist of flying down to the carribean to prepare to fly into hurricanes as a Hurricane Hunter
6. Flying into hurricanes sounds pretty damn cool!

I am actually from Tampa, FL and I am very familiar with the unit down there and have spoken to them about how one would go about flying for them. They said that most of their pilots are interservice transfer P-3 pilots from the Navy. Now I know you are not a pilot, but being that you have a lot of time in the P-3 as a FE and you have all of your civilian ratings I bet you would be VERY competitive in picking up a flight slot.

Anyways I hope that helps. The guys down there are really cool so just give them a ring and tell them your situation.

Best of luck to you!