Helos and jets

rpfeif

rpfeif

Well-Known Member
I am getting close to selection. Posting a good grades (last check 72.5 NSS, probably a 75 when all said and done). My first choice is tailhook (jets and E2/C2) second is helos. Motivated to fly both but uncertain about post-Navy flying careers for both.

1. Since the Hornet is a centerline thrust multi engine aircraft and I would be training in the T-45 (single engine), it seems that I would have very little flight time in multi engine aircraft that have assymetrical thrust. Would this be an issue when applying for jobs that require large amounts of multi time?

2. How have people transitioned from helos into fix wing civilian careers? I already have about 1000 hours of civilian time and probably would consider coming back to primary as a T-6 instructor if given the chance (maybe another 1000 hours of single engine turbine time). Would going helos mean that I am going to stay helos for the rest of my career? I would be fine with that, but would hope I had options on the table to do many things.
 
rpfeif said:
1. Since the Hornet is a centerline thrust multi engine aircraft and I would be training in the T-45 (single engine), it seems that I would have very little flight time in multi engine aircraft that have assymetrical thrust. Would this be an issue when applying for jobs that require large amounts of multi time?
Click to expand...

Depends where you apply. On the bolded part, worry about being a good aviator at what you're doing now.....hell, you don't even have wings yet, and you're worried about something nearly a decade down the road?

2. How have people transitioned from helos into fix wing civilian careers? I already have about 1000 hours of civilian time and probably would consider coming back to primary as a T-6 instructor if given the chance (maybe another 1000 hours of single engine turbine time). Would going helos mean that I am going to stay helos for the rest of my career? I would be fine with that, but would hope I had options on the table to do many things.
Click to expand...

Most likely. Once you track one direction, you don't usually make a transition to a different fleet aircraft. Training command being the exception for helo guys to come back to in primary.
 
My personal advice would be to go airplane.

Helicopters are more prone to mechanical problems because there are more moving part. They are tougher to fly. The missions are harder and more dangerous. You have to be alert all the time when you are flying them.

Once you leave the service, you find that the job opportunities are more limited, the locations for those jobs are more clustered, and the work is still hard, and the pay is lower than fixed wing counterparts. Perhaps the reason for the low pay is the principle of supply and demand because the military turns out a higher percentage of rotary wing pilots in comparison to civilian rotary wing jobs.

All of that may not seem like a big deal to someone who is in their 20's, but by the time they enter their 50's and 60's, the differences become pronounced.

None of that is to say anything negative about helicopter pilots. The great majority of them are super pilots and a well flown helicopter is a thing of beauty. The issues are just quality of life, pay, and job associated risk.
 
rpfeif said:
Motivated to fly both but uncertain about post-Navy flying careers for both.

1. Since the Hornet is a centerline thrust multi engine aircraft and I would be training in the T-45 (single engine), it seems that I would have very little flight time in multi engine aircraft that have assymetrical thrust. Would this be an issue when applying for jobs that require large amounts of multi time?
Click to expand...

I agree with MikeD, worry about getting your wings. That being said, if you plan to go back civilian, I would go tailhook. As far as Hornet being c/l thrust, that doesn't matter, it's multi-engine time and almost all PIC.

Good luck with your selection.
 
Houston said:
My personal advice would be to go airplane.

Helicopters are more prone to mechanical problems because there are more moving part. They are tougher to fly. The missions are harder and more dangerous. You have to be alert all the time when you are flying them.
Click to expand...

Blasphemy you heretic!

You're right though, gotta be a better pilot to fly a helo :)

Once you leave the service, you find that the job opportunities are more limited, the locations for those jobs are more clustered, and the work is still hard, and the pay is lower than fixed wing counterparts. Perhaps the reason for the low pay is the principle of supply and demand because the military turns out a higher percentage of rotary wing pilots in comparison to civilian rotary wing jobs.
Click to expand...

Generally more limited, but lots of different things to do and type of jobs out there. Just depends what one wants to do.

All of that may not seem like a big deal to someone who is in their 20's, but by the time they enter their 50's and 60's, the differences become pronounced.

None of that is to say anything negative about helicopter pilots. The great majority of them are super pilots and a well flown helicopter is a thing of beauty. The issues are just quality of life, pay, and job associated risk.
Click to expand...

The risk is what makes it fun :D
 
Something to think about sir...

The next 8,9,10 + years of you're life are gonna be significant chunk of you're life. After the service you may have had you're fill of flying. Choose what you want to do in the service.
 
Go jets dude. You have the grades for it, and after doing that well in primary, I think you will probably do well here too. If you don't you will always wonder "what if". Helos are cool, but they just don't get to do the cool stuff that we do (Navy side at least). The transition from helos to f/w is possible (lots have done it in the VT's as you know), but it isn't going to set you up as well........I know tons of guys who went directly from a single seat centerline thrust Hornet to heavies with the majors. The transition to a standard multi rating is not very time consuming. That said, prepare to hate life through a lot of phase 1 TH, but know that phase II is pure awesomeness. E2/C2 slots are few and far between here, so unless you want it, you probably won't get it. Actually, I even knew a couple guys that wanted it who were told "no" because their grades were too good (40+ NSS). As a caveat to that, things are really slowing down here.....my class had our winging pushed back from next month to mid april, possibly later, cause they just can't wing many more folks this FY. I know the Marines in TW-1 can only wing 10 more dudes this year. In other words, it may take you a while if they do have a slot for you.
 
///AMG said:
Go jets dude.
Click to expand...

We don't need another GoJets thread.....not here in the Mil forum. Take it to the Airline Pilots forum.

:D

If you don't you will always wonder "what if".
Click to expand...

How do you know you won't wonder "what if?" the other way around?

Helos are cool, but they just don't get to do the cool stuff that we do (Navy side at least).
Click to expand...

Maybe YOU don't get to do all the cool stuff they do.....

And btw, how would you even know.......Mr-I-don't-even-have-wings-yet? :)

I know tons of guys who went directly from a single seat centerline thrust Hornet to heavies with the majors.
Click to expand...

Same with how most fighter pilots get jobs with the airlines. Not even a problem.
 
FWIW, when I was working line at an FBO I met a Flexjets pilot (CL-300) who flew helos in the Navy for his initial commitment then got out.
 
I wonder if the guy, who in 2000 based his choice on what would get him to the majors, is thinking about his choice today?
 
Low_Level_Hell said:
Eh, I know guys who did more in a week in a helicopter than what a carrier full of -18s did on their entire tour.
Click to expand...

There is certainly nothing wrong with helo's, it's a vital piece of equipment no doubt. However, I too say go tailhook. What separates the Navy pilot from all others is the landing on the boat thing. This is your time, this is your shot and being your grades are excellent, I say go for it as it seems this is what you want. I'd even forget about E2/C2 as well, it's boring flying. You have a choice, I never had a choice, E2/
C2 chose me back in my day out of primary.
 
Again, I would differentiate between Navy helo flying and the flying that most of the other services do (coughMikeDcough :p ) I have a lot of friends who are flying SH-60's/MH-60's etc, and though they do get to do some cool training flights, their primary flying is just not that exciting sounding IMHO. Starboard D for 2-3 hrs, or hunting subs in circles, or even SAR (though rewarding I'm sure) just isn't the excitement that I would want. That said, it's a cool community, helo advanced sounds like a blast, and I'm sure there are some pretty cool aspects to it....as long as you don't go HSL at least :) Go with what you want, but you won't be disappointed in tailhook, and like Bunk said, tailhookers are Naval Aviators in the purest, most traditional sense. I'm not going to say that it is harder than landing a -60 on a pitching deck small boy at night in crap weather (I don't have the experience to make that statement, and I feel like I'd probably be wrong anyway), but it is just a very different community and lifestyle. Trust me, helos were a very close second on my dream sheet coming out of primary, and I don't think I would have regretted that either. But I am very happy where I am now, and wouldn't go back and do it differently now if I could. I'd second the opinion that you shouldn't base this choice on what will help you out the most down the road....you never know, you may end up wanting to go a different way later on (or even stay in), and you can always make the transition at a later date as well.
 
My dreamsheet is first tailhook/jets and then helos. I wanted to fly jets since forever and I worked my butt off to get the grades to try for tailhook.

Besides the centerline thrust question. I guess I was trying to find out if I got helos I could still fly fix winged post career, with T-6 time mixed that I get on my JO shore tour after my sea tour. I want fly post-Navy and want to see what job options are there since I am kinda of deciding that in a few weeks. I know if I wanted to fly fixed wing and didn't get jets I should go P-3s but that community doesn't fit me as far as I can tell. I guess I am just trying to see how marketable I would be later on, but I think that is a question no one can answer till later.
 
rpfeif said:
My dreamsheet is first tailhook/jets and then helos. I wanted to fly jets since forever and I worked my butt off to get the grades to try for tailhook.

Besides the centerline thrust question. I guess I was trying to find out if I got helos I could still fly fix winged post career, with T-6 time mixed that I get on my JO shore tour after my sea tour. I want fly post-Navy and want to see what job options are there since I am kinda of deciding that in a few weeks. I know if I wanted to fly fixed wing and didn't get jets I should go P-3s but that community doesn't fit me as far as I can tell. I guess I am just trying to see how marketable I would be later on, but I think that is a question no one can answer till later.
Click to expand...

As for the T-6 thing, from what I know, it's not easy to get that gig as a Navy strike guy....if you mean going back to primary. When I was at Whiting, there wasn't one JO Navy strike guy as far as I knew. The reserve O-6 was a Hornet driver and there were a few S-3 guys before I got there. Not impossible though. I would imagine the T-45 IP thing would be much more fun. I chose it over flying the T-6 down at TW-4. Another thing is after your time is up, go FTS with a C-40 squadron, the Navy's 737. That might make you marketable.
 
Yeah we didn't have a single strike IP in Corpus when I was there. From the sounds of it, jet VT's are about as out of the community as you are going to get for a post JO tour shore job (flying anyway). I'm guessing you were gearing your primary VT IP questions towards the prospect of going helos and trying to transition later on
 
bunk22 said:
There is certainly nothing wrong with helo's, it's a vital piece of equipment no doubt. However, I too say go tailhook. What separates the Navy pilot from all others is the landing on the boat thing. This is your time, this is your shot and being your grades are excellent, I say go for it as it seems this is what you want. I'd even forget about E2/C2 as well, it's boring flying. You have a choice, I never had a choice, E2/
C2 chose me back in my day out of primary.
Click to expand...

The only major community who wears the wings of gold, yet don't land on a carrier, are the P-3s. :D
 
MikeD said:
The only major community who wears the wings of gold, yet don't land on a carrier, are the P-3s. :D
Click to expand...

It's funny too because as I was writing the part about "traditional NA's land with tailhooks", I was also thinking how maritime recon and PBY type stuff was really the backbone of early Naval aviation. Interesting how it has come half-circle now, with them kind of being the "other" guys. My old man was a P2V driver back in the late 50's-late 1970's, and I'd have a hard time not calling him a Naval Aviator, but at the end of the day, they still land big props on long runways and sleep in nice condos at night. Can't fault that QOL, but I agree that it is a different kind of Naval air.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top