becoming a fighter pilot? help

[surfsupbud]

I don't wanna sound retarded or anything, but is there a way to be guaranteed pilot position in the military. I just finished my B.A. in Political Science and I have 400 TT with IRA and Commercial. I always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but I don't want to risk 4 years in the military and not fly. Nothing against other military, but I would rather serve Uncle Sam by flying. What do you suggest?

[PGT]

Airforce UPT

baseops.net has everything

[N826AW]

IDK dude, if you're not prepared to serve your country outside of a pilot you may want to think it over a bit. If you lose your medical or you wash out of training, it is my understanding that you are committed until the end of your contract.

[PGT]

One other thing everyone says is that you are in the Air Force first, a pilot second. Also, do not join unless you want to serve the military, otherwise you'll hate it.

[Hacker15e]

Originally Posted by surfsupbud

I don't wanna sound retarded or anything, but is there a way to be guaranteed pilot position in the military. I just finished my B.A. in Political Science and I have 400 TT with IRA and Commercial. I always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but I don't want to risk 4 years in the military and not fly. Nothing against other military, but I would rather serve Uncle Sam by flying. What do you suggest?

The argument you basically have here is like saying, "I want to get married because I like to have sex. I don't want to have to spend time with that person after I have sex, though. Can anyone help me get married?"

Just like you need to really like and be compatible with someone to marry them, you need to be prepared to be a military officer before you consider flying for the military.

I suggest you re-think things and do a little of your own research before you even decide this is something you want to do with your life.

Search/read the message boards here, at www.airforceots.com, and at www.baseops.net for posts by people in your same station in life -- there are plenty of 'em asking very similar questions about a future career in flying for Uncle Sam.

It's not an easy decision to make, an easy path to travel to get there, nor an easy life once you're there. If you're not really dedicated to making it happen, it won't happen...and you'll end up miserable because things did not work out the way you planned.

If, after reading up and really considering the big picture implications of taking on this career, then there are plenty of people who will bend over backward to help you, myself included.

[BCTAv8r]

What if weren't the best dude at UPT and they only had one T-38 slot (T-38s track to fighters and bombers). As a result, you track helicopters or T-1s (T-1s track to tankers/airlift). Would you be miserable if you were assigned anything but fighters? Think about that as well.

If you think you can get the extremely competitive qualification required, you could always apply directly to a fighter ANG/AFRES squadron and try to get hired that way. You are guaranteed a fighter slot provided that you make it thorough training and as far as I know, if anything goes wrong, you don't owe anybody anything.

[JT ATC]

HA...there is nothing guaranteed in the military.

[Low_Level_Hell]

Originally Posted by PGT

One other thing everyone says is that you are in the Air Force first, a pilot second. Also, do not join unless you want to serve the military, otherwise you'll hate it.

Don't mean to be cynical but unless you can still sleep soundly at night after dropping a 500lb bomb on some seemingly innocent house, car, people, e.c.t. that other people have determined to be bad you may not really enjoy being a fighter pilot.

[JT ATC]

Like they told me in basic training. Our job is to drop bombs and kill people. Whether you are a pilot or anyone else, in some form or another...that's your job.

[WMostellar]

Originally Posted by surfsupbud

I don't wanna sound retarded or anything, but is there a way to be guaranteed pilot position in the military. I just finished my B.A. in Political Science and I have 400 TT with IRA and Commercial. I always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but I don't want to risk 4 years in the military and not fly. Nothing against other military, but I would rather serve Uncle Sam by flying. What do you suggest?

Talk to an Officer Recruiter in the USAF or Navy.

Tell them that you only want to apply for a pilot slot (I did that). They WILL try to get you to accept anything, but stick to your guns.

If you get a flying slot, you will have to prove yourself in flight training - anyone can be a fighter pilot, but not everyone can do it quickly enough for the military.

You may also find that you want to do something different once you're in. There's nothing wrong with that either.

[aloft]

Originally Posted by BCTAv8r

What if weren't the best dude at UPT and they only had one T-38 slot (T-38s track to fighters and bombers). As a result, you track helicopters or T-1s (T-1s track to tankers/airlift). Would you be miserable if you were assigned anything but fighters? Think about that as well.

And what if out of T-38s you got stuck with a B-52 or a Pilatus PC-12, or a comfy chair on the ground "flying" UAVs? Getting a T-38 doesn't mean squat these days, you can still get a bad deal out of it.

[surfsupbud]

I thank you all for your responses. I'll have to make a decision soon.

[frog_flyer]

B-52 is a rockin' airplane.

Think about it, you get the perks of the heavy world with the perks of the pointy-nose world.

Crew environment, lotso time, long transcon flights, you get to blow #### up, and you get to punch out if #### goes south.

I'd sure as hell prefer it to a t-6 gig teaching studs to not puke while flying, or flying a damn UAV. I bet the U-28/NSA (PC-12) is gonna have some cool missions.

[Low_Level_Hell]

The AF has trained pilots flying UAV's?!? Not that it would be all that bad of a gig. Great career opportunities and really the only AF platform blowing anything up nowdays.

[Hacker15e]

Originally Posted by frog_flyer

B-52 is a rockin' airplane.

Think about it, you get the perks of the heavy world with the perks of the pointy-nose world.

Crew environment, lotso time, long transcon flights, you get to blow #### up, and you get to punch out if #### goes south.

Ever actually talked to a BUFF guy about it?

I briefly considered the BUFF when I was in UPT, but then I had a chance to talk with some crews...and decided against it.

BTW, realize that any time you are in a crew airplane in the military you are going to get "lotso time" as you say, but you're going to be a copilot for much of that time early on. You are going to be getting turbine time, but not PIC turbine.

In the fighter biz, you're getting PIC multi/turbine right from the first day you pass your MQ checkride.

So, from what I've seen a fighter guy over the course of a typical commitment will have less overall time but likely MORE PIC turbine time.

[Hacker15e]

Originally Posted by Low_Level_Hell

The AF has trained pilots flying UAV's?!? Not that it would be all that bad of a gig. Great career opportunities and really the only AF platform blowing anything up nowdays.

Yes, currently the UAV community is manned primarily with pilots with one tour in a MWS aircraft. There are some dogs-and-cats, such as the navigators/WSOs with Comm pilot licenses, but it is still primarily a rated pilot game.

The plan in the next couple years is to pull them directly from SUPT. My bet is that when the current CSAF retires, the next one will make UAVs their own flying career field (the current one is very much against that).

WRT "the only AF platform blowing anything up nowadays", I suggest you check out the daily CENTAF updates that show what is happening in OEF and OIF.

I spent last summer at Bagram, and dropped nearly as many bombs as I did during the Shock N Awe portion of OIF.

There is still a #####-ton of iron being dropped by A-10s, F-15Es, B-1s, etc over in theater.

[frog_flyer]

Originally Posted by Hacker15e

Ever actually talked to a BUFF guy about it?

I've shared a few brews with various buff dudes. Reserve bubbas though.

Seems like a decent enough life to me! Can't complain with the Guam TDY's. Just got my SCUBA cert!

[aloft]

Originally Posted by Hacker15e

I spent last summer at Bagram, and dropped nearly as many bombs as I did during the Shock N Awe portion of OIF.

I'd freakin LOVE to hear about that particular mission over a coupla brewskis!

[Hacker15e]

Originally Posted by aloft

I'd freakin LOVE to hear about that particular mission over a coupla brewskis!

Well, I'm not talking on one sortie. I was referring to cumulatively.

In OIF, for the first two weeks of the war we regularly went out with 9 x GBU-12s on board and brought whole 2-ship and 4-ship formations back completely clean of bombs.

In OEF it isn't nearly that active on a daily basis, but there is still a ton or ordnance being dropped. In my squadron's 4-month stint there last summer, we strafed more 20mm rounds than the entire F-15E community had strafed in combat cumulatively up until that time (over 25,000 rounds).

[Low_Level_Hell]

Originally Posted by Hacker15e

Yes, currently the UAV community is manned primarily with pilots with one tour in a MWS aircraft. There are some dogs-and-cats, such as the navigators/WSOs with Comm pilot licenses, but it is still primarily a rated pilot game.

The plan in the next couple years is to pull them directly from SUPT. My bet is that when the current CSAF retires, the next one will make UAVs their own flying career field (the current one is very much against that).

WRT "the only AF platform blowing anything up nowadays", I suggest you check out the daily CENTAF updates that show what is happening in OEF and OIF.

I spent last summer at Bagram, and dropped nearly as many bombs as I did during the Shock N Awe portion of OIF.

There is still a #####-ton of iron being dropped by A-10s, F-15Es, B-1s, etc over in theater.

Apologies Sir, not doing my homework. I was just lucky enough to have Baghdad proper for both of my deployments and I was just going by what I observed in the postage stamp sized area I was in.

[skydog]

If the only reason you are going into the military is to play fighter pilot with the fast jets, then please do me and my fellow citizens and taxpayers a favor and stay out. We want people in our military who take seriously their committment to defend this nation, not people who are only willing to do so on their own terms (i.e. fighter pilot or nothing). There are a lot more deserving candidates out there.

[ppragman]

Originally Posted by skydog

If the only reason you are going into the military is to play fighter pilot with the fast jets, then please do me and my fellow citizens and taxpayers a favor and stay out. We want people in our military who take seriously their committment to defend this nation, not people who are only willing to do so on their own terms (i.e. fighter pilot or nothing). There are a lot more deserving candidates out there.

that's a rediculous statement, you think every guy over in iraq right now got into the military to defend the country? Hell, a lot of them are guard and reserve guys who got in to pay for school, or learn a trade, these people were only willing to do it on their own terms, and look where they're at now, so shut your mouth and stop typing. I'd rather have someone be a fighter pilot whose sole motivation was to fly that way he'll work his ass off to be the best dammed fighter pilot he can and score as many splashes as he can. if being a zipper suited sun god is all the guy wants to do, then support him in that

[Doug Taylor]

The problem is, is that if your sole motivation is to become a fighter pilot, are you going to make a rotten officer if you only earn a KC-135 slot?

I don't have any military experience whatsoever, but from what I've heard from guys and gals that were, it's not truly a long-term career track. Largely, there are pressures to move you 'up the food chain', before your commitment is satisfied in some branches.

Naturally, do what you want as the process itself will decide if you're a good fit for the military.

[ppragman]

Originally Posted by Doug Taylor

The problem is, is that if your sole motivation is to become a fighter pilot, are you going to make a rotten officer if you only earn a KC-135 slot?

I don't have any military experience whatsoever, but from what I've heard from guys and gals that were, it's not truly a long-term career track. Largely, there are pressures to move you 'up the food chain', before your commitment is satisfied in some branches.

Naturally, do what you want as the process itself will decide if you're a good fit for the military.

Definately true Doug, if your sole motivation was to become a fighter pilot, then yes the risk is there when you are moved up the food chain, or you don't get picked for fighter school. However, that happens in all facets of military service so be forewarned. My buddy Travis, for example, just wants to be a C-130 mechanic, that's what his dad did, and that's what he wanted to do, he joined the Airforce about 10 years ago straight out of highschool, and had to wait to be retrained before a mechanic slot opened, and then wait again. Just because you get KC-135s at one point doesn't mean you'll be stuck with them at the next. Additionally, the training you get in the 135 will transfer almost exactly over to the civilian world, and you'll build more hours over the years, which would definately be an added bonus, hell even if you were stuck flying C-12s the military version of the beech 1900, you'd prbably have fun and fly more than the fighter jocks.

As for being moved up the food chain, I've heard that many a time, and met many officers while I was in CAP that had to come to us to fly. That being said, they were still rated pilots, and they had to maintain their currency in their rated airplane, I don't think that the military is about to piddle away the millions on training they paid for your training.

As for being a rotten officer, the military will probably rid you of that habit over the years. Now granted, if you're an arrogant bastard who sits in the right seat of the KC135 and says things like "well, I should have gone to fighter school but excuse...excuse excusey scuse." then you probably won't make it through the training to begin with.

The only positive advice I can give is to ask you a question that you have to look deep down inside yourself to find the answer to: "What attracts me to the fighter pilot slot?" Is it "Hey, I want to fly, and I want to fly in the most challenging possible environment." Or is it something else. I recommend you go for it regardless, however, bear in mind once you commit and sign your name on the dotted line, you are in for better or worse, and that is that. That's just how it is, and it isn't about patriotism. Like anything else, its a job you have to be willing to accept that you'll be working there for the next 10 years, and that flying won't be your only duties, whereas if you go the airline route and work for ten years flying will most likely be the only thing you do. Honestly, to me, the military sounds like a better way to go with way better QOL, when you are actively flying, you're only flying 50-60 hrs per month at very most, and the pay is good for entry level flying jobs, however, the commitment is very large.

[Hacker15e]

Interesting words, but spoken like someone who has never flown in the military.

It's different in the club than it looks from outside...and the "fighter or nothing" attitude, as well as the "I want to use the USAF to train me to fly fir the airlines later", will absolutely kill someone who joins up thinking that way.