Becoming a US pilot

[Toua]

I think I am going to join the US airforce as an Officer and become a pilot since im getting my 4yr degree soon. what do you think guys? I am shooting pilot or nothing at all.

[Splodge s4]

No way mate, they are dangerous as they shoot anyone on the battlefield. well.. maybe thats the safest place to be then?

Join the Army & become a tank driver, thats what my grandad told me, so i did, good life, give it ago for a few years!

[The_Del]

Hey go for it if you can make it. It's not easy and a very tough assignment to go for it but if you have the commitment then shoot for the top.

Do remember that it takes a lot of ground crew for every pilot, not sure on ration but not surprised at near 100-1.

As for tank drivers no awadays, it used to be the queen of the battle field but now it is the duck in the shooting gallery to air to surface, surface to surface, shoulder launched, remote controled or autonimous tank busters... Not a safe place to be..

[Guest teigan]

i've never met an american military man of any rank who wasn't noticably dim. go for it.

[Mikes2esprit1979]

Im an ex british army Tank crewman and currently work on M1 Tanks for the United States Military in the middle east.(CIVILIAN)

Go for the Airforce as we have a large graveyard for US Military vehicles over there.Not a pretty sight or smell.

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

I feel the need... the need for speed!

As long as you're only ever inverted in your PLANE then good luck to you mate!

If it's what you really want yo do then 100% go for it buut be prapared for the possibility of not making pilot so have a backup plan

A friend over here spent 4 1/2 years in the RAF and has nothing but good things to say about his active time there. I think it may have been the making of him.

[gixxer]

i've never met an american military man of any rank who wasn't noticably dim.  go for it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're a damn funny guy teigan!

[s4simon]

Just get your priorities right first.

1. Buy Esprit

2. Become Airforce Pilot

3. Shoot down lots of baddies and become an 'Ace' / 'Hotshot'

4. Become famous around the world as - 'That Airforce Ace who owns that cool Lotus Esprit'

5. Pay me lots of money for guidance

PS. Airforce is the way to go. B) I did 15 years and escaped with no major injuries.

Go for it !

[Paul C]

If i stare, i see double and one eye drifts to the right.

Apparently, this means the RAF

won't accept me as pilot material.

Airbourne fairies the lot of them.

[Guest chinaboy]

go for it!

this reminds me an US Air Force TV commercial in late '80s.

in the advertisement,

first, there was this guy on the desert with a 1969 Chevy Camaro with highly tuned engine (can see the blower sticking out the hook)....and he was adjusting the engine...sounds were awesome...

until...a F15 flied by him..

not only the Jet engine noise covered his car's sound, but it (of course) outperformed him by very very large degree...

and then it said this slogan...(the meaning is) kind of like "You want Speed, Go for the Ultimate"

**other questions;

do you ride motorcycle, too??

I find out (by reading many motorbike magazines) many TopGuns really ride Sportsbikes as their other hobby...**they are not much a car guy...

NOTE: in the late '80s...US marine commercial is the coolest!!

first they showed this Knight being ranked by the King...

and the camera shifted to modern world...it is a marine who received his sword.

and then he swing the sword few times and marked his position

the slogan shows "Be All You Can Be"

Edited September 10, 2005 by chinaboy

[Guest chinaboy]

by the way,

I think the most skillful pilots are those who do the airshow thing (with F18)

BlueAngel??

[USAndretti42]

by the way,

I think the most skillful pilots are those who do the airshow thing (with F18)

BlueAngel??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe but I reckon the Red Arrows have the best production. I just love the way the commentator, that they bring along, says, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Red Arrows" and the come overhead right on cue. Gives me a tingle just thinking of it.

[Guest teigan]

i went to an airshow in highschool, and the blue angels killed a good fraction of the audience. i'm guessing it was the military training.

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

<chuckles>

[Toua]

yeah im talking to a recruiter this coming up tuesday.. see what he says.. well im gonna be an officer.. better then enlisted you know..so i dont know..i really want to be an officer.. 4yrs ill be like a O-4 .. which pays around $50K-$68K a year.. so i think i can afford a little esprit of my own.. so yeah.. hope i make it.. wish me luck!

[esprithk]

yeah im talking to a recruiter this coming up tuesday.. see what he says.. well im gonna be an officer.. better then enlisted you know..so i dont know..i really want to be an officer.. 4yrs ill be like a O-4 .. which pays around $50K-$68K a year.. so i think i can afford a little esprit of my own.. so yeah.. hope i make it.. wish me luck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

if you become a TopGun, don't forget to park your Esprit next to you Tomcat and take a photo, man!

[DanR]

Go for it Toua. I'd have loved to be a pilot especially seabourne and having to land on a carrier.

I remember years ago skiing in Switzerland, Andermatt. Everyday we'd hear jets close by but never could find and see them. One day getting off the cable car at 3000m+ the sound was close by but still couldn't see them. Started skiing down and there they were. Two Swiss fighters threading their way through the mountains below us, so that we were looking down on them.

I thought I was having fun but I'd have swapped anything (well almost) to have been one of those two pilots. Awesome.

[Toua]

Well i looked at the requirements..one thing i fail at is the eye sight.. i have shitty eye sight.. they need 20/70 far corrected to 20/20 and 20/40 near to 20/20 ..I failed!.. damn it.. well i need to ask the recruiter if i sign up, will they pay for the bill

[esprithk]

Well i looked at the requirements..one thing i fail at is the eye sight.. i have shitty eye sight.. they need 20/70 far corrected to 20/20 and 20/40 near to 20/20 ..I failed!.. damn it.. well i need to ask the recruiter if i sign up, will they pay for the bill

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think only "national guard" would have a lower standard...so too bad for you.

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

Colour 'blindness' kept my friend form being a pilot.. SO instead he became one of the world's foremost authorities on submarine tracking and surveillance, f;ying around in RAF Nimrods and USAF AWACs!!

There are lots of other potentially exciting careers there - but watch out for the recruiters - they will tell you anything you want to hear!

Or save up and get yours corrected - at least that's doable! If you're Colour blind you're stuck with it

[Toua]

OK just got done talking to a Sergeant.. here it goes

1. I dont have flying Experience!

2. only 80 slots are available

3. those 80 slots are giving to only the BEST of the BEST (that includes flying experience.. whichi I dont have any)

4. I dont have a my wings!

5. this guy talked like a prick!

6. I was thinking about becoming an officer as a programmer! but his bitch ass muda flubber talking like a prick made me decide not to join the stupid military.. im just going to be happy being a programmer making more $$$$ then those stupid jerks!

[brett27]

The guys are right Toua, Unfortunately your going to find it almost impossible to get recruited with your eyesight. Some Defence Forces now allow their pilot candidates to have corrective surgery such as Laslik or PRK procedures but it will be at your expense prior. Some types of laser surgery such as PRK can leave you with a scar on the eyes surface which will cloud vision and they will again fail you on that. Its expensive and not recommended by opthamologists to younger people anyway I believe as your eyes will change again in time.

Hope this doesn't put you off air force pilot if its your dream job, but if your still keen to take the risk then Go for it! It can work in your favour if they see some of the committments you have made. Not all Forces require any sort of previous flying experience also, more just an avid interest and maybe a few hours of experience. They will train you from no experience anyway and tell you to forget everything anyway, just the military way!

Its hard work to get in yes but very rewarding also if you want to put in the hard yards....but be prepared for another 4 years of study and mixed with a few sorties a day, some of the most demanding time you will have.

If you want to be an Officer anyway and pilot seems too much, look at all the other Aircrew positions available to officers, all equally rewarding. All have different medical requirements also.

The best thing to do is to ask the recruiting sergeant to spend a day with a squadron where you can see all the jobs for yourself and chat with the people who do the jobs. It will cost you a day of your life and I am sure will motivate you in the right direction.

If all fails with the USAF then look at the other services which fly and last case...you can look overseas to other military, if you want to get there that bad.

If you want to fly or be around it you can, just show the recruiters that and it will happen!

I had seven years in Royal Australian Air Force. My pilot training was very demanding but I would do it all again for the love of flying.

Good Luck

[Toua]

The sergeant was like this to me. I dont have any flying experience and they have only 80 slots in the world to fill up. And those 80 slots are reserved for only the best of the best. How am I going to cope with that. Plus flying school is expensive. I can barely pay for college. I don't want to be like 25 and then become a pilot. Well I really REALLY want to fly since I was kid. I have a 3.5 gpa at college. I have great standings all that is blocking me is EXPERIENCE and EYE SIGHT!

Eyes sight is no big problem just the stupid experience. I thought they would train me to fly but hell no! I got rejected the second they said do you have experience and I said no. He's like nope you dont qualify! I was thinking to myself.. holy shit what a prick!

[Toua]

I wanted to fly this F-15 too! damn it! stupid pilot dream.. wtf was I thinking!

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

There are *definitely* more Jets in the air force than F15's!