GunshipGuy

Glad to hear he wasn't one who could never get past it.

CAFB 04-12

I thought I would have liked to fly fighters. Contact phase of Tweets taught me otherwise. Follow your talents. There was no way I was cut out to be a fast mover. Heavy and slow was the path for me!

I'd still love to take a low level in a -15 though. Just no more than 1.3 g's please!

texasflyer55

Take the pilot slot man, you'll probably regret it if you don't. I'm only in Phase 1 but already having a good time (yeah I know, it's about to get real tough).

Even though I haven't seen 'em drop too many fighters here at my base lately, there are still so many great planes to fly. I, for one, just want wings.

Have fun with ring dance coming up. Oh, and HUB.

USMCFLYR

geedy lee -

I'd say that a vast majority of the people I went through flight school wanted jets - USN, USMC and USCG (only one and she wanted Falcons ) Very few actually got them. After meeting these same people years later around the fleet, *nearly* every one of them was very happy in their assigned fleet aircraft. Each one presented its' own tactical challenges and each one had something to offer its' pilots. Some pilots even changed aircraft throughout a career, but never forgot the past good times. I'm glad your friend found his community enjoyable. I think that this is most often the case.

Dtanen - work your hardest, put forth 110% effort, and then excel in your assigned community - wherever that finds you.

USMCFLYR

CaptFuzz

At the risk of going against what everyone else here is saying, if you don't want to be jerked around, you may want to rethink the fighter pilot thing.

To begin with, comparing the worlds of a fighter pilot to a crew dog: You're going to spend more time in training, dealing with a whole lot more bull crap, and end up with significantly less time in the cockpit, more non-flying tours, deal with significantly more queep, and have no life outside your squadron (though since you've spend the last 4 years at the academy, you may not have much of an idea of what "life" is so you may not miss it).

And that ten year commitment (which starts after you have your wings, so it's really 11-12 years assuming nothing happens to delay your graduation) is no small thing either. A lot can happen in 10 years, including things that can make you no longer want to be flying for the Air Force.

So my advice (which is clearly in the minority here) is to not ignore those concerns you are having. They are legitimate.

Deuce130

Friendly, good, good. (1995).

Apply for UPT. When I was 20 , I wanted fighters as bad as you. I ended up flying hercs and I've loved every second of it for the past 13 years. My twin brother currently flies Raptors for the Virginia Air Guard. He's enjoyed the past 13 years also. We're both flying in the Guard/Reserve and for FDX, so we ended up at the same spot. In addition, I've got around 6 deployments under my belt and got to do some very cool stuff for AFSOC that I never thought I'd get to do. My point is that you may change your attitude about what you might want. Saying you may not want to go to UPT because you might not get fighters is kind of silly. If you TRULY believe that way, then perhaps UPT isn't for you. Though I think you'd regret not trying.

Now, if you choose not to go to UPT, think about what AFSC you pick. The economy is in the dumps. What are you planning on doing five years from now? Getting out and doing what, exactly? Security Police/OSI could probably get you hired by the FBI, Border Patrol, ATF, Blackwater or whatever. Good, solid, long term employment. Contracting or acquisitions? Not sure who's hiring these days. Of course, you could use that time to go to law school, prep for med school, MBAs, or whatever. But, don't think for one second that you are going to enjoy anything about acquisitions, contracting, or finance in the AF. Miserable 5 years, IMO. I'd rather fly heavies around the world for 10 years (you'd only be 33 when you could get out, that's still young) than do some crappy job for 5.

TonyC

If you have doubts, don't do it. 10 years is a long time to simmer in your regrets. Let somebody who really wants to fly have the pilot slot. Besides, you'd probably stumble into a UAV assignment and you'd be kicking yourself. Collect the paycheck for 5 years, thank the U.S. taxpayer, and go find employment elsewhere.


Guys who belong in the cockpit already know what to do.


I guess they don't have buffers there anymore.






.

C-17 Driver

Must be nice...My class didn't get our AFSCs until spring semester of Firstie year.

I seriously can't believe you are having an internal debate about this. I'm sorry that every other aircraft is "undesirable" to you. You might consider keeping those feelings to yourself and come up with another reason to state publicly about why you want to fly fighters.

10 years is a drop in the bucket. Cowboy up and put in for UPT. Otherwise, put in for cross-commissioning because if you decide not to go, you will always wonder "what if.."

C17D

Kolohe

A Fighter Pilot is an attitude not a job title. People with a Fighter Pilot attitude try to be the very best at everything they do. They exude confidence and enthusiasm while trying to be the best in their field. They work hard (and play harder), challenging themselves to perform to the best of their given ability. They take a tremendous amount of pride in their work--their profession--and themselves. It is the very drive behind this attitude that enables a Fighter Pilot to set high expectations and achieve them.

This attitude however can be found in any job title, any job position. When you combine this attitude with a certain aggressiveness, independence, integrity, courage, patriotism and a love of flying, you create a professional Aviator. Some of those Aviators fly fighter aircraft--others with the very same Fighter Pilot attitude fly helicopters, military transports or civilian airliners. Some Fighter Pilots do not even fly aircraft. Some lacking the Fighter Pilot attitude happen to fly in fighter aircraft--but are not Fighter Pilots at all. But the folks who do have this attitude--regardless of the aircraft or desk they may fly--are successful in whatever they set out to accomplish and are able to overcome any obstacle that impedes them from achieving their desired goals.

The fact that you have taken the time to locate this forum and ask for professional opinion is what a Fighter Pilot would do. Fighter Pilots think for themselves, but never fail to seek the advice of those would can provide a helpful answer. That said, Aviators typically have an insatiable desire to fly, and in my experience, those without this unique craving were not successful at UPT. Do not go to UPT if you do not have a fundamental yearning to fly. In my experience, these folks did not make it through UPT, or if they did they ended jumping out of perfectly good airplanes or morting themselves and/or others.

You will receive great words from those on this forum, but ultimately will have to answer some fundamental questions yourself. Time for a self-assessment—apply that stuff you learn during the M5 period after lunch at Mitchell Hall.

Are you a Fighter Pilot or not? Only you know the answer. Best of luck.

MusDg

If you are waffling this much a pilot slot isn't completely out of the question for you. You do have to ask yourself if I'm working this hard on the decision is a fighter slot for me? I can tell you AETC just dropped us with a new contract change. UAS drivers will be selected, come to IFS, and then go directly to where ever it is they go. Starting sometime this year.