Becoming an Airline Pilot After The Navy

In the labrytnth of my brain, I still want to fly F/A-18's off of carriers. That NEEEEEVER goes away.

I'd leave an MD-90 idling on the taxiway to go do that.
 
Doug Taylor said:
In the labrytnth of my brain, I still want to fly F/A-18's off of carriers. That NEEEEEVER goes away.

I'd leave an MD-90 idling on the taxiway to go do that.
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Why don't you just put the brakes and spoilers on, put the aircraft on full throttle, and let it go?:)
 
I'm all about education, just i'm too poor to go to college without the help of the GI BILL, otherwise i'd probably starve my self to pay for college instead then eating because my parents wont pay for it.

I think i will join the Navy, do all of the flying i can with my pay money at aero clubs, and when i get out i will go to a flight college like ERAU or Jacksonville University and let the GI bill pay for it. But if ERAU sucks and DCA sucks? Then whats good out there? ERAU is perhaps the biggest name on the industry, and if it sucks, i cant even imagine the lower schools.
 
It really sounds like you've been talking to a recruiter.

Nothing wrong with that, but they're motivated to get you into an enlisted position and use the "GI Bill for Training" as a carrot.

I'd suggest forgetting everything you know about flight training schools, aviation colleges, and aviation in general and think about education first.

I've already said this once, but I'll have one more go at it:

I'd look at a community college if funds are low at a bare minimum, but use that time to explore state universities for a four year degree. Also start researching the National Guard.

If money is too tight even for a community college, flight training costs will whip your arse and be a financial 'monkey on your back' for decades.

I'd heavily suggest staying away from the Navy recruiters and flight school recruiters in the short term, but let me qualify that:

If you've got questions about the military, we have a good military section here browsed by veterans of the armed forces. Take the advice they give you and treat it like gold because they're speaking from experiences.

Flight school recruiters are paid to put bodies in flight school and that's about it. Do a lot of reading on the forum which you probably haven't done yet because you're asking about DCA on jetcareers.com and anyone whose done a little reading knows that there's no love lost between myself and them for a variety of obvious reasons.

If you're interested in the Navy, your point of contact is going to be JEP or H46Bubba. If you're looking at the Guard, blast C650CPT an email off and he'll tell you all about that. If you're looking at one of the academies, email me and I'll send you the email address of a stellar liason officer that loves to help out guys like you.
 
NW004 said:
Ok first of all thanks for the replies guys. I do want to join the Navy, but i dont at the same time, i feel that if do i will loose 4 years of my life in which i could've become an Airline Pilot. But i also feel that if i dont, i will be missing out on traveling around the world and all of the great opportunities that they have to offer.

One question, lets say i come out of the Navy in 4 years and i want to go to ERAU, would they pay 100%? Or still only 60%? I want to go for Aeronautical Science at ERAU, but the course includes flight Training, so i dont know if they pay 60% or 100%.
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Well while I was active duty I went to college while I was on the ship. I did courses online and courses with the instructor coming on the ship. I was only a few courses short of an associates degree in Japanese Studies. I didn't waste anytime on my educationl, because as time passed I am getting older. DON'T WASTE TIME!
 
I'm a little late getting to the party here, but I gotta go with Doug on this one. Focus on the education even if you do the tour with the navy. It's not even funny how much a place like DCA would cost you and then you're out with a huge debt coupled with your ratings at a very young age...

The last quick point I want to make is that you have plenty of time. You talk about spending four years in the navy when you could have been in the airlines... that's a joke. You wouldn't get hired into the airlines at that age. (I know I'm going to get beat up for that one). The maturity level needs to be there and that is something that college or the armed forces would help you get.

I worry that you're going to find yourself at 21 with 60,000 dollars in debt and no education to fall back on. Whichever way you go--navy, ang, college+fbo, rotc (which--if I had to do it all over again, I would have)---> think it all the way through.

Don't rush for the CRJs-- I know guys at 28--39 that just got hired at the regional level so take your time and get a solid base together before you make a run at the airlines.

There are schools all over that can help you get what you want-- just do a lot of research. I spent almost 3 years before I even got into the cockpit.

Good luck!
 
If you go into the military then take college classes on-base at the education center during your off hours. You can get your 4year degree in a 4year enlistment. Word to the wise: I was stationed in Hawaii and took college courses with students from all the services. The Air Force is by a mile the most generous with you getting time off to take college. The Navy talks a big game about encouraging you to do off duty education but the duty and at-sea time onboard a ship will always get in the way. Furthermore, the Navy only pays for 12 credits of college per year...this means you can only take 4 classes per year (4classes x 3credits each = 12credits). The Air Force allows you to use $4500 per year toward tuition with no credit cap. They also pay for your wife, should you get married, to attend college too. 20/20 I would have done Air Force.
 
What kind of studies and degrees can you get on the Navy? Is there a broad list of them? Or just a few?

Once again i really apreciate all of the time you guys take to help me, i really do.
 
I dont know if someone has mentioned this before(I believe in another thread) but watch out for recruiters. They act as your best friend but when you walk out that door, or sign on the line, they dont care anymore.
 
NW004 said:
What kind of studies and degrees can you get on the Navy? Is there a broad list of them? Or just a few?
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You go to a local college. The military brings them onto the base in exchange the college reduces tuition cost and offers you some credit for your military training and experience. So to answer your question...you can study anything that the local colleges and universities offer. But don't expect to get into a law or medical degree program because those types of programs are not offered in "night school".
 
SoFlo said:
I dont know if someone has mentioned this before(I believe in another thread) but watch out for recruiters. They act as your best friend but when you walk out that door, or sign on the line, they dont care anymore.
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They sure do. I was bored during lunch one of these days and the Marines recruiters come by every week so I made the mistake of going up to their table. So I get there and he starts the casual conversation as if I was his friend for my entire life. He hands me out a form and I fill it out just for the heck of it. He called me everynight for 2 weeks straight. When I actually answered the phone, he went into a 45 minute conversation trying to get me interested in different things. I said I was interested in aviation but I couldn't do it because my vision sucked. I then told him I've been playing the sax for 7 years and he gave me the whole history of the Marine bands. I said I wasn't interested and he tried for another 15 minutes. He finally hung up.

I'm never making that mistake again.
 
BCTAv8r said:
They sure do. I was bored during lunch one of these days and the Marines recruiters come by every week so I made the mistake of going up to their table. So I get there and he starts the casual conversation as if I was his friend for my entire life. He hands me out a form and I fill it out just for the heck of it. He called me everynight for 2 weeks straight. When I actually answered the phone, he went into a 45 minute conversation trying to get me interested in different things. I said I was interested in aviation but I couldn't do it because my vision sucked. I then told him I've been playing the sax for 7 years and he gave me the whole history of the Marine bands. I said I wasn't interested and he tried for another 15 minutes. He finally hung up.

I'm never making that mistake again.
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Yeahh the Marines are some crazy guys, i had one of them called me a ***** in my school too. I told him, ok well just for that this ***** is not going with the rest of you *****. He gave me the meanest look i've ever seen. But thats pretty much the only recruiter i actually ever talked to.

I never trust recruirers, i ask my teachers from my NJROTC classes, they are honest veterans who dont want to recruit, i also spend lots of time at usmilitary.about.com , where i learned of all of the benefits and stuff.
 
SoFlo said:
I dont know if someone has mentioned this before(I believe in another thread) but watch out for recruiters. They act as your best friend but when you walk out that door, or sign on the line, they dont care anymore.
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no way.
ummm, oh ok. yes they do
lol
 
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