switching from warrant officer to officer?
 

Is it possible to go from a warrant officer in army aviation (in a guard/reserve unit) to an officer in the air force aviation (guard/reserve unit)?

If it’s possible, what kind of training is involved and how is rank handled if one has been a warrant officer for a while?

Yes, it can definitely be done. I've seen it done at least three times. I'm reasonably certain your WO time would just be like enlisted time in service for pay purposes.

Generally the services will always release a member from his current obligation in order to obtain a commission, even in another service. To do otherwise would be very short-sighted. It's possible that a few ultra-high-demand critical specialities might not be allowed to go, but I'n not even sure they can do that.

The Guard, either National or Air, operates under different rules than the regular services. Even in the regular services you can go from Enlisted or Warrant to Officer. All you need are the qualifications and acceptance into a program. Needs of the service and all. The Regular services all require a four year degree. Not sure about the Guard, but I expect that part is the same.

It's done all the time. However, don't forget that the pay difference from a commissioned warrant officer to a commissioned officer (O-1) may be lower depending on how may years you have in service. There was a program called "save pay" if I remember that will at least guarantee you won't take a pay cut initially. There is also a separate pay scale for commissioned officers that have formally been enlisted or warrant officers. Just be sure you "know before you go."

anybody familiar with the requirements of a helicopter pilot on a police force

Usually you need to serve as a regular cop for at least 3 years first...they usually want the pilots to know what it's like in the ground.

But that's just the minimum...usually flight departments are small and jobs are filled via the good-old-boy network. I'd expect to spend 5-20 years on the ground trying to get into flight. You may also need to pay for helicopter training first. Often a PPL will be enough, and then they train you to commercial standards. The good news is that the flight hour requirements are usually low.

The few departments which might hire pilots off the street are probably going to take military helo pilots...there are a lot of those guys out there.

If you have some significant time, look into customs/border protection...they hire experienced pilots without any LE background. A couple years at a regional should meet their mins. You can eventually fly BOTH fixed-wing jets and blackhawk helos. Fun-factor is off the scale.

"If you have some significant time, look into customs/border protection...they hire experienced pilots without any LE background. A couple years at a regional should meet their mins. You can eventually fly BOTH fixed-wing jets and blackhawk helos. Fun-factor is off the scale."

There is a good on the CBP over in the military forum - check it out if interested. It is very competitive right now as are most positions and although they may have had a history of hiring certain types in the past - it seems to take some military or LE experience currently to score high enough to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions - but that is the current trend it seems.

Now.....back to WO/CWO to Commissioned Officer programs - pros and cons.

USMCFLYR

i dont have any time in rotorcraft. but since my backup to being a pilot will be to go through the police academy. i imagine doing part time work for 5 to 10 years could pay off knowing the right person at the right time to get a slot :) about how far in the hole will the training cost me with zero time to commercial

45k according to How Much Does it Cost to Learn to Fly Helicopters?, Helicopter Instruction, Darren Smith, Flight Instructor,. still trying to find the connection to warrant/commissioned officers that the OP was asking about.

As a counterpoint, I went through 60 AQC with the head of the Baltimore Police aviation unit. He prefers to hire pilots and then send them through the academy. They found that too much street experience led to pilots getting wrapped up in the tactical situation and not flying the helicopter.

Same as some EMS outfits aren't told the nature of a pxt's injuries, just that the docs think it's worth a launch. Too much mission focus can kill.

I went from an Air National Guard Navigator (Captain) to Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Two (Army National Guard) pilot then back to Army National Guard Captain (pilot). It can be done...:rolleyes:

You probably ought to start a separate thread for this. But, in a nutshell, the vast majority of State and local airborne law enforcement units require you to be a sworn officer and have some (varies from agency to agency) level of street experience before you are eligible to apply to the aviation unit. A smaller number will hire a pilot off the street and send them to an Academy, commission them as a sworn officer, then immediately (or very quickly) send them to the Aviation Unit. An even smaller number hire civilian (non-sworn) pilots; however many of these guys are either ex-military pilots or former (sometimes retired) law enforcement officers/pilots. A good source of info is the Airborne Law Enforcement Association, their website is Airborne Law Enforcement Association - ALEA - Home Page I will tell you, airborne law enforcement jobs - particularly with State or local law enforcement agencies - are very tough jobs to get........ but very fun. And you are home in your own bed almost every night, very few trips with RON's. But you'll be mostly flying helos, and sometimes light singles and twins, not many (if any) fancy fast jets in the fleets of State or local agency airborne law enforcement units. (CBP, FBI and DEA are another story alltogether) PM me if you'd like more info.

In regard to the original question, I sort of made the switch in reverse. Went from an Air National Guard Navigator (Captain) to Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Two (Army National Guard) pilot then back to Army National Guard Captain (pilot). It can be done...the National Guard Bureau can make it happen!:rolleyes:

[Is that the runway or a taxiway?]

You would have to go to OTS.