SAR Pilot?

SamAca10

10-Year Member
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Jul 19, 2009
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Does anyone know how difficult it is to become a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot? Requirements? Preferably, I want to serve in the Coast Guard or Air Force...how hard is it to get flight school? What about Kings Point? Could I become a pilot from these schools? What is day to day life like? Additionally, I want to major in Electrical, Aero, or Mechanical Engineering, but want to get a masters in history...is this possible as a pilot? Thanks:cool:
 
Have you thought about Navy, because there are a lot of helicopter pilot opportunties (much more than the Air Force) but you will do more than just SAR. Probably the most diverse mission possibilities of any of the services.
 
ya, it seems like the Navy has way more chopper opertunities then the Air Force. I haven't seen alot of Air Force Helos but I have seen alot of Navy ones.
 
Air Force has helos especially in the spec ops community but they recently cut out the MH-53 and replaced it with the v-22. The navy on the other hand is coming out with a new varient of their MH-53 and i agree you will get more variety in the navy than air force or army.
 
The AF does CSAR with HH-60Gs. If you fly the Pave Hawk, CSAR is your primary mission.
 
ya, it seems like the Navy has way more chopper opertunities then the Air Force. I haven't seen alot of Air Force Helos but I have seen alot of Navy ones.

The Navy flies helos/helicopters. Channel 10 flies choppers (and maybe the Army, not sure).
 
I was a missileer on active duty with the USAF. We had a flight of UH-1 helos that would support our mission. They seemed like a tight group of guys; but, I can't imagine that getting UH-1s in Minot, and flying cops, missileers, and maintainers to the ICBM field during icy temperatures was their first choice coming out of UPT. SAR was clearly NOT the primary mission for that airframe. I did do a summer training one year as a cadet down in Hurlburt Field, and those guys had a cool mission. Sorry to hear about the MH-53s, I got to ride in one of those-was very cool.

I would think that the branch with the most helicopters is the Army, yes? (all AF training for rotary wing is done at Ft. Rucker)-although there are many missions there other than SAR.
 
During airmanship day during 2nd beast they told us that if you go into UPT wanting to fly helos most likely you are going to get a helo. They said thats because everyone else wants to fly fixed wing so if you want it you will get it.
 
I did do a summer training one year as a cadet down in Hurlburt Field, and those guys had a cool mission. Sorry to hear about the MH-53s, I got to ride in one of those-was very cool.

Funny enough my dad is ,well was a flight engineer on the MH-53s and is stationed at Hurlburt
 
Like Mike said, I was told that it is pretty easy to get 'choppas' if you want them.


I don't know this for sure, so don't take my word for it.
 
The Coast Guard will give you the greatest SAR taste, however the number of airframes is limited to two helos and three fixed wing.
 
USAF is one type of helo, and one fixed wing...that is dedicated to CSAR, anyway. A bunch of others will assist, as a secondary mission.
 
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