Traditional Route or Airforce?
 

I have to make a decision about what university to attend this week comming up(football coaches are starting to get pushy). One of the schools has a aviation program, and from what Ive seen looks like a really good program. Would it be worth it to pursue a aviation major?
Or my other option would be to go play football for one of the other univerisities and get a space physics degree. After which I would likely enlist in the Air Force.

What option do you all think is the best path for a aviation career? Aviation degree and CFI/regional route or Space Physics than AirForce route?

Any advice/Opinions would be greatly appretiated.

Airforce route all the way! I have very few regrets in life, but not going into the armed services is on top of the short lists of things I would have done differently. Just my .02

Sorry a little off topic but Geronimo the picture in your aviator of the PC-12 is that 770G Steve Carolls now crashed Piltatus? Just curious looks like it and I know somebody that used to fly it.

DEFINITLEY go the Air Force route- if you can hack it. It´s tough!
But here are the facts- if you start off the civilian way, you´re going to put in 2-4 years as a CFI, then maybe move up to a regional for another 4-8 years, all the while making crappy pay and sharing a room with 6 other broke pilots. This is a best case scenario- actually, if you´re REALLY lucky, you MIGHT be able to cut the whole thing down to 6-8 years before you get a shot at SWA or AirTran or UAL.

Did I mention you´ll be broke most of the time?

Option B- the Air Farce. (Sorry, ex Marine talking) They pay you for all of your training, you get to fly some fun stuff (unless you go transport- then you get to fly mostly boring stuff, but to a lot of fun places all over the world!) and it´s STILL going to take you 8-10 years to finish your commitment, except now you´re not broke, have some money in the bank, maybe even marry one of those hot Chair Force girls... and if you flew the right stuff (namely, C-17´s, C-130´s (most friggin fun you can have in a uniform!) or C-5´s) you will have a MUCH easier time getting into the Majors, wether it be CAL or FedEX... (course, you could still end up at the regionals- I´ve seen it a few times)

But whatever you do, don´t waste your time on a stupid aviation degree. It´s worthless, and neither the Air Force nor any airline care one bit wether you have a degree in Aviation Science (whatever the hell that is) nor in Underwater Basket Weaving with a Minor in Nose Picking. Go study something that interests you, wether it be Art History (flew with one of those in the Marines) or Finance (again) or Astro-Physics, which, unless you happen to be an Astro-Physisist (did I spell that right?) is about as useless as an Aviation Degree, but much more mentally stimulating.

But don´t just settle for the Air Force- check out the Marines and Navy, as well. You fun shiner equipment in the Air Force, but the USMC and Navy make better pilots. In my own humble opinion, anyway. Oh, the Army also has a large flying wing (actually, the largest air wing of all the branches) but it´s mostly helicopters.

Go military, serve your country, have fun, make some money, and then lose it all when you go to the airlines!

I agree with gringo. Go Air Force! I tried to get in right after 9/11 and the only thing that kept me out was my astigmatism in my right eye that was way past their limits. The only thing to remember is that there is a 10 year commitment, not counting the 2 years of training (this is what I was told). But as gringo said you will, at least for now, put that in with CFIing and regionals. Plus the Astrophsyics degree can open a lot more doors later on if something would happen to your health. Now that I think of it, if your that smart then become a professional student, get your Masters and Phd and apply to NASA!

Yah I figure with a physics degree there is that slight chance at nasa someday. But yah flying for the airforce sounds like an experiance of a life time.
So for the airforce/navy/marines how is the aircraft selection determined? How do they decide wether to assign you to transport, fighters or helicopters?

So far It sounds like the military route is the best choice.

I say go navy!

Go Air Force (note it is two words not one)!

Whatever is needed at that point and time (changes day by day). Plus whatever you best fit into skill wise and physically.

My .02 is that if I were to go fly for the military and commit a good portion of my life to them I would fly a fighter for the Navy. Why? you may ask. Because those are the ONLY pilots that have any sort of bragging rights. Landing a fighter on a short deck in the middle of the ocean that is constantly moving up an down by 50ft and left to right by the same in 0/0 vis is just an incredible feat. If you can do that, you are the man!

Yeah, I guess landing on the boat would be challenging and a rush. While you guys are practicing your traps, we AF types are spending that gas honing our combat skills...much better use of my time in my opinion. Better facilities, QOL, and more airplanes than any other branch. If you want to fly fixed wing go AF!