trying to decide

texflyguy

New Member
I am debating a career in the military flying but I can't decide... I know I don't want to be in ROTC in college and I'm pretty sure I wont be going to the AF Academy so how would I go about becoming a PILOT with the Airforce or Navy and if I do become one which is a better lifestyle for transferring to civillian later on cargo or fighters? thanks in advance..
 
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I am debating a career in the military flying but I can't decide... I know I don't want to be in ROTC in college and I'm pretty sure I wont be going to the AF Academy so how would I go about becoming a PILOT with the Airforce or Navy and if I do become one which is a better lifestyle for transferring to civillian later on cargo or fighters? thanks in advance..

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You mean which route is "easy street"? Try by becoming an officer first, since there is no easy street in this gig.

And the lifestyle sucks right now. Unless you enjoy constant deployments to places no one cares about.

You have to really want it for this job......it's no cushy stepping stone.
 
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which is a better lifestyle for transferring to civillian later on

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Is this what your actually after, flying for the airlines or some corporate/fractional gig? If so, don't join the military, go to an aviation academy, go to college and train Part 61, stay in the civilian sector.

I am a big proponent of joining the Air Force to fly because you want to do two things, fly and serve your country, not caring a bit about making it to the airlines. If you truly want to fly for the Air Force, 10-years of flying into Baghdad Intl, PSAB, OREs, ORIs, etc will be part of the territory. If you're trying to make it to the airlines, it will be a long 10-years.

If you're asking about Active Duty, your last option is OTS, which is very difficult to get a pilot slot out of there these days.

ANG/USAF Reserves you'll at least need a private certificate along with a college degree when you apply at which point you might as well press on with purusing your civy ratings to instruct and sign on with a regional.

Cargo because airframes/systems would me more in-line with what you'll find with the airlines as far as easier transition ... although I'm sure it also varies by personality.

Do you have what it takes to take off knowing you've been ordered to engage a facility with lives inside that will cease to exist because of a button you triggered? Do you have what it takes to fly an aircraft full of troops day-in and day-out to locations where you and them won't see your family for months at a time?

I'm not insinuating you don't have what it takes ... I just ask that you're honest with yourself about what you want and why you want it before you make any decisions and sign on any dotted lines.
 
It's alright bud, just apply to more than one.
I could care less about flying civilian, but that is my last option after I have exhausted every option of flying in the military.
Right now I am just flying privately and doing everything I can to keep a 4.0 and continue playing sports, and do everything I can to make me a good candidate for OCS/OTS.
 
Let me change that.
I definately didn't mean I could care less about flying civilianly(is that a word); I just meant I would prefer military first.
If not that, then civilian aviation. . . . if not that, then it's off to the monestary, because I will have no other purpose for living, or become a pron star. I'm not a big fan of pron's, but it would be fun to be in a pron.
 
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