Best chance at becoming a military pilot?
06-19-2011, 01:42 PM
#12
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: 737 right
Posts: 755
06-19-2011, 08:35 PM
#13
Line Holder
Joined APC: May 2009
Position: weekend beyotch
Posts: 39
If you go to the Air Force Academy, getting a pilot slot is almost a guarantee (note I said almost, it varies some years to due demand for pilots). The real competitive part is getting into the Academy. AFROTC is less competitive to get into, but getting a pilot slot is competitive, and it varies from year to year, but for the 2006 year group, it was just over a 50% selection rate of those who applied. There are opportunities to apply once on acrive duty but it gets even more competitive. You can also apply via OTS (very competitive)
As the resident Coastie, I'll put in my plug for CG aviation. You'll get a lot flight time. I had considerably more than my Navy, Marine, and AF conterparts in the squadron. But like someone else mentioned, the ground duties bite the big one. Especially the CG's evaluation report. Terrible. Most tedious of all the services. And if the Coast Guard takes you from another service, you will take a paygrade reduction to O2. Bummer.
06-20-2011, 07:46 AM
#15
China Visa Applicant
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: Midfield downwind
Posts: 1,928
First off, I had GJS (Gray Jet Syndrome, the mil equivelent of SJS), and no amount of doom and gloom would have put me off.
Second, as a young flyer in the military, virtually none of that bureaucratic BS either effects you or impacts you. It's not until you're a mid-level Captain, probably on your second assignment, that you start to see the idiocy of the work, the politics of the organization, or really develop a sense of cynicism. Most young guys are just enjoying the ride and scoffing us old farts who are full of cynicism and criticism.
I'll be the first one to say that the current AF isn't the same AF I joined, and that the changes have mostly been for the worse. I won't, however, go so far as to say that it's not still an amazing career. It still very much provides amazing opportunities for people with the right attitude and motivation.
06-20-2011, 08:04 AM
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: 767A (Ret)
Posts: 6,248
To be fair, people could have told me this all they wanted back when I was looking to get in to the AF, and it wouldn't have changed my decisionmaking at all.
First off, I had GJS (Gray Jet Syndrome, the mil equivelent of SJS), and no amount of doom and gloom would have put me off.
Second, as a young flyer in the military, virtually none of that bureaucratic BS either effects you or impacts you. It's not until you're a mid-level Captain, probably on your second assignment, that you start to see the idiocy of the work, the politics of the organization, or really develop a sense of cynicism. Most young guys are just enjoying the ride and scoffing us old farts who are full of cynicism and criticism.
I'll be the first one to say that the current AF isn't the same AF I joined, and that the changes have mostly been for the worse. I won't, however, go so far as to say that it's not still an amazing career. It still very much provides amazing opportunities for people with the right attitude and motivation.
First off, I had GJS (Gray Jet Syndrome, the mil equivelent of SJS), and no amount of doom and gloom would have put me off.
Second, as a young flyer in the military, virtually none of that bureaucratic BS either effects you or impacts you. It's not until you're a mid-level Captain, probably on your second assignment, that you start to see the idiocy of the work, the politics of the organization, or really develop a sense of cynicism. Most young guys are just enjoying the ride and scoffing us old farts who are full of cynicism and criticism.
I'll be the first one to say that the current AF isn't the same AF I joined, and that the changes have mostly been for the worse. I won't, however, go so far as to say that it's not still an amazing career. It still very much provides amazing opportunities for people with the right attitude and motivation.
06-20-2011, 08:51 AM
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,244
To be fair, people could have told me this all they wanted back when I was looking to get in to the AF, and it wouldn't have changed my decisionmaking at all.
First off, I had GJS (Gray Jet Syndrome, the mil equivelent of SJS), and no amount of doom and gloom would have put me off.
Second, as a young flyer in the military, virtually none of that bureaucratic BS either effects you or impacts you. It's not until you're a mid-level Captain, probably on your second assignment, that you start to see the idiocy of the work, the politics of the organization, or really develop a sense of cynicism. Most young guys are just enjoying the ride and scoffing us old farts who are full of cynicism and criticism.
I'll be the first one to say that the current AF isn't the same AF I joined, and that the changes have mostly been for the worse. I won't, however, go so far as to say that it's not still an amazing career. It still very much provides amazing opportunities for people with the right attitude and motivation.
First off, I had GJS (Gray Jet Syndrome, the mil equivelent of SJS), and no amount of doom and gloom would have put me off.
Second, as a young flyer in the military, virtually none of that bureaucratic BS either effects you or impacts you. It's not until you're a mid-level Captain, probably on your second assignment, that you start to see the idiocy of the work, the politics of the organization, or really develop a sense of cynicism. Most young guys are just enjoying the ride and scoffing us old farts who are full of cynicism and criticism.
I'll be the first one to say that the current AF isn't the same AF I joined, and that the changes have mostly been for the worse. I won't, however, go so far as to say that it's not still an amazing career. It still very much provides amazing opportunities for people with the right attitude and motivation.
06-20-2011, 10:14 AM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Posts: 945
To be fair, people could have told me this all they wanted back when I was looking to get in to the AF, and it wouldn't have changed my decisionmaking at all.
First off, I had GJS (Gray Jet Syndrome, the mil equivelent of SJS), and no amount of doom and gloom would have put me off.
Second, as a young flyer in the military, virtually none of that bureaucratic BS either effects you or impacts you. It's not until you're a mid-level Captain, probably on your second assignment, that you start to see the idiocy of the work, the politics of the organization, or really develop a sense of cynicism. Most young guys are just enjoying the ride and scoffing us old farts who are full of cynicism and criticism.
I'll be the first one to say that the current AF isn't the same AF I joined, and that the changes have mostly been for the worse. I won't, however, go so far as to say that it's not still an amazing career. It still very much provides amazing opportunities for people with the right attitude and motivation.
First off, I had GJS (Gray Jet Syndrome, the mil equivelent of SJS), and no amount of doom and gloom would have put me off.
Second, as a young flyer in the military, virtually none of that bureaucratic BS either effects you or impacts you. It's not until you're a mid-level Captain, probably on your second assignment, that you start to see the idiocy of the work, the politics of the organization, or really develop a sense of cynicism. Most young guys are just enjoying the ride and scoffing us old farts who are full of cynicism and criticism.
I'll be the first one to say that the current AF isn't the same AF I joined, and that the changes have mostly been for the worse. I won't, however, go so far as to say that it's not still an amazing career. It still very much provides amazing opportunities for people with the right attitude and motivation.
If you want to fly for Uncle Sam, go for it. If you end up not liking it, at your first opportunity, get out. If all the airline retirement projections are accurate, you may just have flying employment waiting for you on the outside. But, 20-30 years from now, I bet you'll look back on your military flying as some of the best years of your flying career. I do.
Despite the oft cited negatives of serving/flying in the military, you DO get some once-in-a-lifetime operational opportunities, and, even during the worst of times, the peers you're with are some of the greatest people you'll ever meet.
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