Zach7177

Hello, my name is Zach. I have just moved up to Boston from Virginia Beach to go to college majoring in Aviation Science to chase my dream of having a career as a pilot. I have around 44TT in a C172sp. My main goal when I moved up here was to become a commercial airline pilot. But recently I have began thinking of maybe joining the Navy to fly or really any branch. Just wondering if my chances of becoming a pilot in the military with a aviation science degree increases my chances of becoming a military aviator? Any thoughts on my training or any tips would be great!

Thanks!

block30

Questions like yours are asked quite a bit on here. Search the threads "manually",and the search function works pretty well, too. Also, check out thetruthaboutthe profession.weebly.com. That will likely answer many of your questions. You can also PM me.

gr8vu

Pilot slots are competitive. To standout whether applying to ROTC or OTS...GPA is more important than degree...ace the officer qualifying tests...Have work experience/leadership/sports and/or volunteer service. The better/more you have of these the less you have to rely on luck/timing/who ya know. If you have more than 150 hrs you will be in top 20 percent of applicants I have worked with but flying hours is just one aspect. Apply to all services and see what happens. Finally desire to serve is key. Most of us can't be superstars in all all areas above so focus on your strengths and show effort.

JamesNoBrakes

Yes, having been in the military and having researched some of the opportunities within, there are far more important things, like promotion points, PT tests, being a "rounded" candidate as the others are mentioning. They looked at transcripts and test scores, not so much the degree. I'd assume it would matter the least if you were already "in" the military, maybe slightly more if you are looking at going directly into an OCS/officer program from the get-go, but you are essentially looking for a pilot slot, there is so much more that goes into this, can you pass the physical? What about later? What about later at the airline? What about when you get furloughed from your airline? What do you do then? If you like aviation, then get a degree that is related but not so dependent on everything else in your life going perfectly. An aviation science degree is basically putting all your cards on the table and hoping it works out in the end, and if it doesn't, you end up absolutely screwed. There is no "science" to it, it's the things you learn going through pilot training, on the line, etc. It doesn't help you do the job better. Do you ever want to be a test pilot for the military or an aircraft manufacturer? Chief pilot for a major airline? Get an aeronautical engineering degree, or get a degree in industrial safety, or human factors/ergonomics, or psychology, or accounting, or business management, or one of many other far more helpful areas that would still apply to things outside of piloting. There are many ways to be involved in aviation, way more than most people ever really include, there are less ways to be a pilot and involved in aviation, there are even less ways to be a commercial airline pilot, and there are only a few ways to be a pilot for a major commercial airline, and past that VERY few ways to be an international major airline commercial pilot. Look at it from the other way, if you look past just being a "commercial pilot for a major airline" you can maybe see the forest for the trees, and that's kind of what you need to plan for in this industry. If you bet all your chips on that one route, you might end up at 40 years old flying for a regional making $30k/yr for several years and might get "stuck" in a down cycle or furloughed. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to choose a different career, get on with boeing designing airplanes, manage a 135 operation or something else if things don't go perfectly? And if they do go perfectly, the degrees mentioned above will take you at least as far, if not further, than an "aviation science" degree.

If you still think you might "need it", then wait until you are in the military and do your master's in aviation-something. A HUGE percentage of military folks do this, it's one of the driving factors keeping schools like Embry-Riddle in business, through on-line and worldwide (at bases) campuses, because officers need Master's degrees eventually for serious consideration of advancement, so this is when most of those pilot-types get an "aviation" degree, although it's mostly to check the "master's degree" box, because truly advanced engineering and other "science" degrees are much more hard work, but that's hard work that pays off (test pilot stuff, design, engineering, etc).

My 2 cents.

T6 Pilot

^^ This

Also, for the most detailed information on the internet concerning USAF flying and how to get a slot, check out this site:

How to get an AFROTC Pilot Slot | PCSM and RSS Explained

Just do your research on that site, and there is a forum as well where you can ask your questions.

Zach7177

Wow I really appreciate all the information. So honestly is majoring in aviation science a good thing? I realize that im going all in on aviation science and that if I get laid off im screwed until I get another job flying for someone. At my college up here I found out they have Army ROTC and was considering that too. Any tips would be great!

PerfInit

Zach,

From someone who has spent 20 years in aviation via the civilian route (majored in Aero Tech), CFI, Part 135, Three Regionals, Major 121 Airline, then ultimately furloughed, I would highly recommend you "diversify" your education. Definitely recommend you consider a BS Degree in something other than Aviation (as the backup plan). Also highly recommend you pursue the Guard or Active Duty Military aviation if you are able to. The aviation industry is great for some, but most have experienced considerable "ups & downs" within the span of their careers. The return on investment is poor, and there is no guarantee of a great paying job right off the bat. Don't load yourself up with student loans and then "fester" at $20K /Yr trying to make ends meet!

Best of Luck to you!

Zach7177

I really appreciate all the info. I recently just found a program the Army has called "high school to flight school". I know really all there is a extra flight test about aviation etc and than your asvab. If anyone has more info about that would be great! But that is one thing I wont have to worry about is my aunt who is financing all my training is that I will have no debt or anything to pay off. But to me sounds like moving up here might had been a bad idea. Because the only reason I did move up was because the college here offers this degree. Guess I have some thinking to do. Any other tips or anything would be great!

JamesNoBrakes

Here's what you do Zack.

Ask the school to provide you a few examples of students that have "made it" to the major airlines. Ask them how long it took for them to get there. Ask them how much it cost, including interest. Ask them to put you in contact with those guys. Then ask those guys how long it took for them to get there and ask if they thought the degree was worth it. Make sure they provide you with the tome from graduation to major airline and what they did in between. Make sure they or the airline pilots tell you how much they earn. This is the whole purpose of going to college, so put them on the spot.

If they can't do that, they aren't worth the paper they print their diplomas on.

Above all else, don't get a degree in aviation science, it's not a real science, get it in engineering, math, or a host of other things that would allow you to be flexible later on and seek out other opportunities or even better piloting opportunities.

Zach7177

Hey thanks and good idea. I have looked at their alumni, they have pilots everywhere flying for fed ex, express jet, us air just about in every airline. They also have some that went and join the military and are now flying. So I know their program works. But even than I still have everyone telling me not to major in Aviation Science