Military or 2yr flight school for training??

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David_The_Pilot

New Member
The title sums up what I would like feedback on. Especially if you have gone through the military for aviation training.
My current situation is that I have a bachelors degree so I am eligible to be an officer in the military. My eyesight isn't the best though and I am going to get Lasik soon after I am certain the military is ok with this if I end up going that route.
Thanks for your time and feedback.
 
David_The_Pilot said:
The title sums up what I would like feedback on. Especially if you have gone through the military for aviation training.
My current situation is that I have a bachelors degree so I am eligible to be an officer in the military. My eyesight isn't the best though and I am going to get Lasik soon after I am certain the military is ok with this if I end up going that route.
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Be careful before you do that, LASIK was not allowed when I was in the USAF, just the older procedure with a knife. Check carefully what the rules are now. You don't necessarily need 20/20 uncorrected, it depends what you are flying.

I think nearly everyone here would advise against the borrowing of large sums for a flight academy when you'll end up as a CFI anyway. Military is probably a better career move. Even if you don't end up flying in the military, you'll probably make enough to cover all the ratings on your own while you are in part time.
 
Kind of an apples and oranges comparison. If you go in to the military and do manage to wind up a pilot, you're going to have a very, very long commitment. You'll almost certainly be deployed to some unpleasant places. You will lead men and ride a desk at times.

If you just want to fly, I'd urge you to very carefully consider what you're in for in the military...either as a pilot or if you wash out of pilot training.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
Be careful before you do that, LASIK was not allowed when I was in the USAF, just the older procedure with a knife. Check carefully what the rules are now. You don't necessarily need 20/20 uncorrected, it depends what you are flying.

I think nearly everyone here would advise against the borrowing of large sums for a flight academy when you'll end up as a CFI anyway. Military is probably a better career move. Even if you don't end up flying in the military, you'll probably make enough to cover all the ratings on your own while you are in part time.
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:yeahthat:

It's difficult to get a pilot slot in the military, but the military will only help you in the long run.

I would advise you to stay away from those flight academies that are heavily advertised and run for $50,000+ for all your ratings up to CFI. If you're real economical, you can get the same ratings from the FAA for 20-30k at your local FBO.
 
Militart = no gaurentee of flying ANYTHING. IIRC, I recently read an article about the military cutting some 3000+ aviation positions. Not are were pilots, but you get the drift.
 
mshunter said:
Militart = no gaurentee of flying ANYTHING. IIRC, I recently read an article about the military cutting some 3000+ aviation positions. Not are were pilots, but you get the drift.
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No guarantees, but everyone in my detachment that wanted to fly ended up flying
 
Do you have any specific questions? I did both....civilian 141 before college, and then following NROTC commissioned into the Navy for flight school. I'm about 3 months away from winging, in advanced jet/strike training right now. In general, yes, totally apples and oranges. You fly straight and level as a civilian (for the most part at least if you are getting paid) and go from pt A to pt B with a certain set of concerns and procedures. There is a very different focus in military flying, and the main concern is not getting from pt A to pt B. That and you likely won't fly nearly as much on the military side during your career.
 
You can get a guarteed pilot slot. My instructors son went all over to like 10 different recruiting offices till finally one was able to guartee him a slot. This was the navy.Not sure how it works though. But he is now a instructor pilot in the navy.

The army will guartee you a pilot slot in helios if you want to go that route through their WOFT program.
 
Through BDCP or straight OCS, Navy types can get pilot guarantees. These are dependant on 1) being physically qualified, and 2) making it through OCS. NROTC and USNA types do not have this luxury and have to apply during their senior year of school. I believe the USMC is still doing a pilot guarantee program through PLC as well.

As for vision, Navy side it is not "platform" specific, in other words if you have the vision for pilot standards, you are eligible for any type of aircraft. You need 20/40 uncorrected or better, correctable to 20/20. There are limits to astigmatism, and other disqualifying visual conditions, but that is the big one. PRK is permitted, provided that you have several months (I think 3) between the surgery and your flight physical. It is "disqualifying" but they will write you a PRK waiver assuming your vision checks good on the re-exam. I can't speak for Army or AF aviation, but these are the current standards for Student Naval Aviators (USN or USMC) Helos are in no special category w/r/t vision standards.
 
I always find it funny that guys on here will say "why not choose to go to the military?" I imagine most guys on here would kill for the chance to fly in the military - but with strict health/vision requirements, not to mention the difficulty of getting a slot, I would wager to say most of us were unqualified in some capacity.
 
Murdoughnut said:
I always find it funny that guys on here will say "why not choose to go to the military?" I imagine most guys on here would kill for the chance to fly in the military - but with strict health/vision requirements, not to mention the difficulty of getting a slot, I would wager to say most of us were unqualified in some capacity.
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That's why I didn't. They told me my bad eyesight would be ok then when I got into the ROTC program I found out the truth. Thankfully I got out before owing anything. Shoulda stayed though as I wound up as enlisted in the Corps. :cwm27:

Drunken Beagle I think you are referring to PRK, there's no knife involved. It's just a different way of accessing the eye. Basically the coating gets scraped away with an electric toothbrush thing instead of having a laser cut the clap. The actual corrective proceure is the same.
Difference is supposedly with LASIK you run a risk of the flap coming unpeeled when pulling high G maneuvers which of course would be bad.
Also LASIK heals instantly pretty much, PRK takes about a week or so to heal.
I don't think the knife procedure has been used in decades, no way I'd let someone with a knife next to my eye!

Also to the OP you realize you are going to have almost a 10 year commitment in the military if you go that route right?
 
juan valdez said:
Drunken Beagle I think you are referring to PRK, there's no knife involved. It's just a different way of accessing the eye. Basically the coating gets scraped away with an electric toothbrush thing instead of having a laser cut the clap. The actual corrective proceure is the same.
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I honestly don't know, it was 10+ years ago for me. PRK sounds familiar though
 
Becoming a military officer is not something to be taken lightly. It is not just something you can wake up one morning and decide to do.

It most certainly is not simply an avenue to receive flight training, if that is your primary objective -- not during a time when our country is actively engaged in two combat zones.

If you are interested in becoming a military officer, then go for it -- it's a long road. If you are able to become a pilot after becoming an officer, then good, that's a bonus.

Otherwise, steer clear. It's not an airline lead-in training program.
 
You can get a guaranteed pilot slot in the military, its very competitive though. I am currently studying for the AFOQT. I suck at basic math though :(

Basically you apply to OTS through a rated board, and assuming you make it through OTS you head to UPT afterwards.
 
I got all my civ training part 61 and instructed until I hit 700 hours. I was hired by an Air Force Reserve unit last December to go to OTS/UPT. I'm 3 flights into UPT and I can tell you already that military flying is waaaaaay different than civilian (Hacker already told you that and he's a combat experienced Strike Eagle pilot, so take his word for it).

Do you have any flight time? Are you ok with the possibility of serving your country from a desk for 6-9 years if you a) don't get a pilot slot, b) wash out of UPT, or c) get a nonflying assignment after UPT? Go spend a while researching what it means to be a military officer and aviator and learn about the differences between civilian flight training and military. The military forum here is a good place to start. Read my post from a few months back on the military application process and most of your questions will be answered.

The Air Force allows Lasik and PRK with a one year waiting period before you area eligible for a military flying class 1 physical (what you need to fly). The forums at baseops.net has like a million page thread on Lasik/PRK, so go read up on that.
 
I have nothing to add to this thread other than to say that the amount and variety of experience on this site is pretty damn cool . Carry on.
 
Do you want to be in the military and fight wars for a living? If yes, then go for it. If not, then don't. Pretty simple really.

What is this "2yr flight school" you speak of?
 
Hacker15e said:
Becoming a military officer is not something to be taken lightly. It is not just something you can wake up one morning and decide to do.

It most certainly is not simply an avenue to receive flight training, if that is your primary objective -- not during a time when our country is actively engaged in two combat zones.

If you are interested in becoming a military officer, then go for it -- it's a long road. If you are able to become a pilot after becoming an officer, then good, that's a bonus.

Otherwise, steer clear. It's not an airline lead-in training program.
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took the words right outta my mouth! It isn't something to be decided upon last minute as an alternative route to get you to that "dream job".
 
I'll just throw out that military flight training is not for the thin skinned. Nobody is there to make you feel good about yourself, or pat you on the back. It's a dangerous business, and your IP's will be honest and (occasionally) brutally so, in order to make a strong impression on you. It is a job that they are paying you good money to do, and in return you have to earn it. I'd say civilian training is very opposite to this, even in a good program. You are paying them, you set the pace and the schedule, and you decide pretty much where you want to go and what you want to do. Yes there are hard a** civilian instructors as well, but the intensity is just not there. Beyond that, agreed that the scope of the training is very different.
 
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