Helo Training

middies10

middies10

Well-Known Member
This could very well be the wrong place to post this, but I wanted to throw this out there to get public opinion. As some of you know, I am a freshman at the University of North Dakota working towards a BBA in Aviation Management and a BS in Air Traffic Control. My ultimate goal is to end up working for the airlines, and the BBA degree allows me to get all my flight ratings through the school. That was just a bit of background, so on to the real question.

Here at UND, we have an Army ROTC program that also has a Helicopter Flight Training program in it. With a certain scholarship, that I should be able to get if I applied, the Army would pay for $125,000 worth of helo training. Right after graduation, if I were to go this route, I would be sent off to Fort Rucker for advanced warfare tech stuff.

I never pictured myself in any form of the military, nor flying choppers, but the thing with this program is GUARANTEED employment, which, as all of you know, is almost unheard of in these days.

Main question: Would it be worth giving up flying commercially to fly choppers for the army? Its still flying, so Im not sure how I feel about it.

Anyone with army helo experience, I would love to hear your input on this one.

Thanks alot!!
 
middies10 said:
This could very well be the wrong place to post this, but I wanted to throw this out there to get public opinion. As some of you know, I am a freshman at the University of North Dakota working towards a BBA in Aviation Management and a BS in Air Traffic Control. My ultimate goal is to end up working for the airlines, and the BBA degree allows me to get all my flight ratings through the school. That was just a bit of background, so on to the real question.

Here at UND, we have an Army ROTC program that also has a Helicopter Flight Training program in it. With a certain scholarship, that I should be able to get if I applied, the Army would pay for $125,000 worth of helo training. Right after graduation, if I were to go this route, I would be sent off to Fort Rucker for advanced warfare tech stuff.

I never pictured myself in any form of the military, nor flying choppers, but the thing with this program is GUARANTEED employment, which, as all of you know, is almost unheard of in these days.

Main question: Would it be worth giving up flying commercially to fly choppers for the army? Its still flying, so Im not sure how I feel about it.

Anyone with army helo experience, I would love to hear your input on this one.

Thanks alot!!
Click to expand...

"Worth it" is a relative term. Flying for the Army was worth it for me and I was still able to fly commercially after I moved on from the military. It will give you the option of becoming dual rated which can increase your marketability depending on demand.
 
Nothing is guaranteed.

Don't do well at Rucker, then you get to run an artillery battery for the next 4 years.

If you go into the military for "free flight training" then you may wind up VERY disapointed. If you have always wanted to fly for Uncle Sam, and know that flying is only a part of the job, then you might enjoy your time.

FYI most airlines won't count your helo time when applying.
 
middies10 said:
This could very well be the wrong place to post this, but I wanted to throw this out there to get public opinion. As some of you know, I am a freshman at the University of North Dakota working towards a BBA in Aviation Management and a BS in Air Traffic Control. My ultimate goal is to end up working for the airlines, and the BBA degree allows me to get all my flight ratings through the school. That was just a bit of background, so on to the real question.

Here at UND, we have an Army ROTC program that also has a Helicopter Flight Training program in it. With a certain scholarship, that I should be able to get if I applied, the Army would pay for $125,000 worth of helo training. Right after graduation, if I were to go this route, I would be sent off to Fort Rucker for advanced warfare tech stuff.

I never pictured myself in any form of the military, nor flying choppers, but the thing with this program is GUARANTEED employment, which, as all of you know, is almost unheard of in these days.

Main question: Would it be worth giving up flying commercially to fly choppers for the army? Its still flying, so Im not sure how I feel about it.

Anyone with army helo experience, I would love to hear your input on this one.

Thanks alot!!
Click to expand...

The Army ROTC program is designed to create and mold Army leaders -being a helicopter pilot is simply a technical skill needed to lead an aviation unit in combat, much the same way armor officers must learn to operate tanks and artillery officers must learn how to fire artillery pieces.

That being said, flying helicopters is a blast and I'm happy I get to do it.

Recommend you check out the ROTC program first. Go to some classes - sit in on some leadership labs, and if they have a field training exercise coming up, ask to go on it. Watch specifically how the juniors have to plan, brief, and execute operations and also watch how they are evaluated. It isn't easy, is very stressful, but is very rewarding. If after watching all of that you think it's for you, then the helicopter part will be just an added bonus. (Sorry MikeD :))
 
You probably should also check out the Army's WOFT (Warrant Officer Flight Training) Program........ different from ROTC....... but worth looking into.
 
If your dream is to fly for a living walk briskly away from the Army and don't look back. In the Army, especially as an RLO, flying will not be part of your normal duty. While deployed you'll be composing insanely convoluted PowerPoint slides for the Old Man while your Warrant Officer counterparts will be flying 80-140 hours per month. You'll be lucky to get one five-hour mission with an IP in the same time period. In garrison you can forget flying altogether as ATP waivers are the norm due to reset, preset, ARFORGEN, NTC/JRTC/CMTC/ATX, block leave, PCS, etc.

If your dream is to become a military officer and get some incidental helicopter ratings at the same time, you might be on to something...
 
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