|
New with ANG questions
Hello everyone, I've been lurking around the forum for a while and finally got an email acceptable to join the forum so at last I can ask questions myself!
I am 21 looking to pursue a career as an airline pilot as well as a military career flying F-16s for the ANG. I have about two years left towards my BS in Aviation and am just starting flight school. First off, I am aware of the much supported route of getting a job with a regional, then joining so the 2-3 years spent training are working for you back home as well. However because I am paying for my ratings on my own I thought of a possible different route, and wanted some feed back (Pros, cons, and comparisons). I thought to Start applying after achieving my PPL. So finally here come the questions.(THESE ALL PERTAIN TO THE ANG) 1- would my BS and PPL be even close to enough qualifications in order to be competitive. The Recruiters say yes, but I still don't see how. If no, what else to i need to work on (community service, networking ect)? 2- If we assume I DID get a slot, how much of my training in UPT advance me towards getting my instrument rating and commercial license? would i still need to pay for more training or certifications afterwards? 3- How do I find out when and where slots become available? also related, where can i find info as to which bases in Cali. have a Fighter Pilot unit? 4- Is there somewhere I can go to see the packets of those who were selected in the past few years? 5- When enlisting, is it a sure thing where you will be stationed and what job you will performing perfore hand? As in, its on paper before i commit? ( I am also thinking of joining now, and finishing schooling as soon as i come back from training, i.e. I would NEED to be stationed at the local base to do so) 6- Lastly, In the ANG do pilots ever get re assigned, like moved involentarily to a different base during their period of service. Thank you! And I apologize if any of these questions have already been answering. I surely looked for the answers first, and direction to any previous threads answering like questions would also be appreciated!! |
Originally Posted by ANG4Me
(Post 546133)
1- would my BS and PPL be even close to enough qualifications in order to be competitive. The Recruiters say yes, but I still don't see how. If no, what else to i need to work on (community service, networking ect)?
Yes, many have been selected with just those quals. The more well rounded you are the better but the most important thing is that the hiring board likes you. 2- If we assume I DID get a slot, how much of my training in UPT advance me towards getting my instrument rating and commercial license? would i still need to pay for more training or certifications afterwards? You will graduate UPT with Commericial Single, Commercial ME, and instrument. Possibly a Beechjet type if you track heavies. You just need to go to the FAA after you get your wings. 3- How do I find out when and where slots become available? also related, where can i find info as to which bases in Cali. have a Fighter Pilot unit? Baseops.net, wantscheck.com. Call every fighter unit you may want to fly for. F-16's in Cali are in Fresno. 4- Is there somewhere I can go to see the packets of those who were selected in the past few years? Don't know... 5- When enlisting, is it a sure thing where you will be stationed and what job you will performing perfore hand? As in, its on paper before i commit? ( I am also thinking of joining now, and finishing schooling as soon as i come back from training, i.e. I would NEED to be stationed at the local base to do so) Yes, it should all be in writing. 6- Lastly, In the ANG do pilots ever get re assigned, like moved involentarily to a different base during their period of service. You can transfer out voluntarily, but usually once in you're there as long as you want to be for the most part. |
My info is dated, as I joined the AF 28 years ago and retired from AFRES 5 years ago, but here goes:
Originally Posted by ANG4Me
(Post 546133)
Hello everyone, I've been lurking around the forum for a while and finally got an email acceptable to join the forum so at last I can ask questions myself!
I am 21 looking to pursue a career as an airline pilot as well as a military career flying F-16s for the ANG. I have about two years left towards my BS in Aviation and am just starting flight school. First off, I am aware of the much supported route of getting a job with a regional, then joining so the 2-3 years spent training are working for you back home as well. However because I am paying for my ratings on my own I thought of a possible different route, and wanted some feed back (Pros, cons, and comparisons). I thought to Start applying after achieving my PPL. So finally here come the questions.(THESE ALL PERTAIN TO THE ANG) 1- would my BS and PPL be even close to enough qualifications in order to be competitive. The Recruiters say yes, but I still don't see how. If no, what else to i need to work on (community service, networking ect)? 2- If we assume I DID get a slot, how much of my training in UPT advance me towards getting my instrument rating and commercial license? would i still need to pay for more training or certifications afterwards? After graduating UPT we took a short test (I think it was called military equivalency test) and got commercial/inst/multi-engine(centerline thrust) rating. The local airport had a quickie deal to add on single engine rating. 3- How do I find out when and where slots become available? also related, where can i find info as to which bases in Cali. have a Fighter Pilot unit? I think Guard and Reserve units do their own recruiting/interviewing etc. so you'll end up having to visit individual units. There may be a national website that could point you towards who's hiring.(baseops.net maybe?) I consider Guard/Reserve a better deal than active duty, but it's much harder to get a slot. May be easier to get hired by a unit in a less desirable location, or go active duty AF or Navy. 4- Is there somewhere I can go to see the packets of those who were selected in the past few years? 5- When enlisting, is it a sure thing where you will be stationed and what job you will performing perfore hand? As in, its on paper before i commit? ( I am also thinking of joining now, and finishing schooling as soon as i come back from training, i.e. I would NEED to be stationed at the local base to do so) If you enlist in a Guard/Res unit, generally yes. 6- Lastly, In the ANG do pilots ever get re assigned, like moved involentarily to a different base during their period of service. Possibly yes, if the unit closes, changes mission etc. then it depends on how much commitment you have left and needs of the AF. Thank you! And I apologize if any of these questions have already been answering. I surely looked for the answers first, and direction to any previous threads answering like questions would also be appreciated!! |
Would you guys say that joining up now and taking a different job before applying for pilot slots would help my chances? Don't get me wrong, I WOULD like to join right now, but I don't want to risk not being able to graduate or postponing graduation as a result of taking time off school for training if its not going to help my chances.
|
Originally Posted by ANG4Me
(Post 546506)
Would you guys say that joining up now and taking a different job before applying for pilot slots would help my chances? Don't get me wrong, I WOULD like to join right now, but I don't want to risk not being able to graduate or postponing graduation as a result of taking time off school for training if its not going to help my chances.
|
Originally Posted by Dirtdiver
(Post 546598)
Going in enlisted to the unit you want to fly for may help. Strangely though, going in as an officer may hurt you. There's a separate board to select O's wanting a flying slot, and it's usually been easier to get a UPT slot from off the street than a lateral transfer. That's why I advised DO NOT take a nav slot. I don't have anything against navs, I have several friends that are navs (wouldn't want my daughter to date one!)
|
Originally Posted by ANG4Me
(Post 546835)
I actually meant enlisting to a rescue wing base which is closer to where i live now and going is as a pararescuer or something of that nature. (non officer) and if/when getting a pilot slot transfering there? Is the board still different then?
As to the process, I spent 2.5 years actively pursuing a Guard slot and was unsuccessful, eventually I became aware of the Air Force Reserves and got in through them. The Guard fighter world is way more clickish than the Reserves, though the Reserves fighter world is virtually non-existent in numbers. In the Guard quals matter but social compatibility and connections matter more. This is true of the Reserves but to a lesser extent, and lateral mobility in the Reserves is way more common than in the Guard. There's also better money pots in the Reserves in my biased opinion. Good luck, I was you 7 years ago, which is why it took me longer to get in, as all I did was apply to F-16 units. Had I courted C-130/KC-135 units from the beginning I submit I would have probably gotten a head nod sooner. Not making adjudications, just stating the facts. As to F-16s or bust, I gave up that dream and in hindsight it worked out. Flying an F-16 would have been awesome for a while but the bro-check culture would have rubbed me the wrong way after a while and there's not as much opportunities to bum as a wingman in a Guard unit. Would love to fly A-10s that's for sure, -38s were a blast in UPT I won't lie, but I guess in this day and age with the fighter game drawing to a sunset I was statistically born a little too late to the party. As it stands the universe tends to unravel in mysterious ways, so I encourage you to apply away and see what happens. Good luck to you. |
Originally Posted by ANG4Me
(Post 546133)
1- would my BS and PPL be even close to enough qualifications in order to be competitive. The Recruiters say yes, but I still don't see how. If no, what else to i need to work on (community service, networking ect)?
2- If we assume I DID get a slot, how much of my training in UPT advance me towards getting my instrument rating and commercial license? would i still need to pay for more training or certifications afterwards? 3- How do I find out when and where slots become available? also related, where can i find info as to which bases in Cali. have a Fighter Pilot unit? 4- Is there somewhere I can go to see the packets of those who were selected in the past few years? 5- When enlisting, is it a sure thing where you will be stationed and what job you will performing perfore hand? As in, its on paper before i commit? ( I am also thinking of joining now, and finishing schooling as soon as i come back from training, i.e. I would NEED to be stationed at the local base to do so) |
I'm willing to bet he'd get a Comm SE these days with the T-6 and is why I said it. The exception would be Sheppard. I think the Tweet still flies there.
|
Originally Posted by Slice
(Post 547023)
I'm willing to bet he'd get a Comm SE these days with the T-6 and is why I said it. The exception would be Sheppard. I think the Tweet still flies there.
|
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 09:22 AM. |
User Alert System provided by
Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Lite) -
vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Website Copyright ©2000 - 2017 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands