USNA VS. USAFA

GONAVY3237

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Hi Guys! A question- USNA or USAFA? My goal is to become a pilot, so I wonder which is best. Any insights?

Thanks,
GONAVY3237
 
There are a whole lot of threads on the forum describing the differences between the Services, but the threshold questions is whether you want to a USN/USAF officer and serve in the military, or do you "want to be a pilot" . Keep in mind that there are no guarantees that either Service Academy will lead to flight training, so you need to pick the Service first, then work toward the goal of being a pilot. I've stated here before, there are a lot more opportunities and alternatives at Navy if you aren't a pilot.
 
Hi Guys! A question- USNA or USAFA? My goal is to become a pilot, so I wonder which is best. Any insights?

Thanks,
GONAVY3237

Well, out of the 2017 graduates of USNA, 411 were chosen to become either pilots OR flight officers in either the Navy OR Marine Corps.
https://www.usna.edu/NewsCenter/20...lass-of-2017-receives-service-assignments.php

Out of the 2016 graduates of USAFA, 345 were chosen to become pilots.
http://www.usafa.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/788557/graduating-class-of-2016-fact-sheet/

I don’t know if those numbers affect your thinking, but regardless of if they do, you should also consider available majors, sports, campus location, life after, etc. Good luck!
 
... and to add to @connorjp 's comments.... no one knows what each services need for pilots will be 4 years from now. It varies from year to year.

Navy flies both fixed wing and rotary aircraft. AF almost exclusively fixed wing according to my understanding. You also need to look at the jobs available in each service as @Old Navy BGO strongly implies. Are there jobs in that service you would be willing to do if you don't get to become a pilot?

Finally, look at the ROTC programs as a backup plan and apply there as well. You can still become a pilot out of the ROTC programs.
 
Lots of things can happen along the way to becoming a pilot. Medical issues. Poor grades. Not doing well on the AQT/FAR (or whatever the flight screener is now called). Needs of the USN/USAF. And on and on. Thus, you should hope for the best but be prepared to do something else. Also, at least for USNA, you don't know your aviation platform until some time into flight school. Thus, you may want to fly jets but end up with helos. Or want helos and end up with C-130. Or want P-8s and end up with carrier-based aircraft. (Not suggesting any of these platforms is better/worse than the other -- but may be to some).
 
Hi Guys! A question- USNA or USAFA? My goal is to become a pilot, so I wonder which is best. Any insights?

Thanks,
GONAVY3237

Well, out of the 2017 graduates of USNA, 411 were chosen to become either pilots OR flight officers in either the Navy OR Marine Corps.
https://www.usna.edu/NewsCenter/2016/11/naval-academy-class-of-2017-receives-service-assignments.php

Out of the 2016 graduates of USAFA, 345 were chosen to become pilots.
http://www.usafa.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/788557/graduating-class-of-2016-fact-sheet/

I don’t know if those numbers affect your thinking, but regardless of if they do, you should also consider available majors, sports, campus location, life after, etc. Good luck!
Not to start a turf war however...the percentage of "pilot slots" were higher at USAFA than they were at USNA. The total "rated slots" were numerically higher at USNA however there were 200 more graduates in the USNA class of 2017 than in the USAFA class of 2016.

The real thing here is not the numbers, it's what does the OP really want?

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
It's also worth noting the number of drone slots the USAFA pilots end up with compared to USNA where the superintendent proudly noted that all the Navy pilots went to actual aerial platforms.
 
I went to both academies. From my understanding, you have to go rated at USAFA to become pilot, some get drafted into RPA. At USNA, you may get put in NFO due to needs of the Navy.

Things to consider: college/service culture (both have very different cultures), types of aircraft, and 2nd/3rd choice jobs at each service if aviation doesn't work out.
 
It's also worth noting the number of drone slots the USAFA pilots end up with compared to USNA where the superintendent proudly noted that all the Navy pilots went to actual aerial platforms.
That's kinda because of all the really serious "Drone" orbits run today...they're all USAF. The navy currently, as far as I know from an unclassified position, has no orbits that they control.

MQ-9's and RQ-4's. And yes, I do know about the MQ-4C under development.

But...with the X-47B in the development stage and one-day to be deployed, and the MQ-4C out there in development as well...I'd imagine it won't be too long before we see USNA graduates going to RPV/UAS/Drones.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
I went to both academies. From my understanding, you have to go rated at USAFA to become pilot, some get drafted into RPA. At USNA, you may get put in NFO due to needs of the Navy.

Things to consider: college/service culture (both have very different cultures), types of aircraft, and 2nd/3rd choice jobs at each service if aviation doesn't work out.

Never heard of anyone attending both academies...just curious how that happened and your thoughts on such? Or did you do the semester abroad at one or the other?
 
Interestingly enough, USNA just raised the score requirements for the Aviation Selection Test Battery (ATSB) in order to compete for a pilot or NFO slot. Not sure yet what that means in terms of needs of the Navy for pilots/NFOs, but it is causing some angst among a bunch of Midshipmen who thought they had qualifying scores for pilot/NFO only to find out a few weeks ago that the minimums were raised and they were no longer qualified to compete (especially those 2/C Mids who will be making service selection choices in a couple of months). Lot's of re-tests going on the next couple of weeks. Not sure if USAF is going through a similar scenario but gotta wonder if this is simply a pipeline issue or a longer term "needs of the Navy" issue.
 
wonder if this is simply a pipeline issue or a longer term "needs of the Navy" issue
Neither. Just correlating they success rate at flight school. Mids with higher ATSB scores have better success. Hence the change.
 
Neither. Just correlating they success rate at flight school. Mids with higher ATSB scores have better success. Hence the change.

Actually, Juvat's question is the issue. Of course ATSB ( I think it was called AQT/FAR in the past) is supposed to be a predictor of aptitude , and hence success, but if prediction of success (ie. quality) is the only factor, then only those with perfect scores would be eligible for selection. Raising and lowering the bar serves as barrier to entry, making it easier to reduce the quantity of aviators in the pipeline. The question then becomes whether this adjustment of ATSB scores reflects a reaction to a short term backlog in the training pipeline, or is the Navy anticipating a lower demand in the long term ?
 
Air Force has more fixed wings than Navy. So you maybe a Navy Helicopter pilot. From a wesbite that I cant confirm is true or not, Navy has 2254 fixed wings while AF has 3550. Assuming these numbers are true, they dont seem like a lot or rather I thought they would have much more
 
... and to add to @connorjp 's comments.... no one knows what each services need for pilots will be 4 years from now. It varies from year to year.

Navy flies both fixed wing and rotary aircraft. AF almost exclusively fixed wing according to my understanding. You also need to look at the jobs available in each service as @Old Navy BGO strongly implies. Are there jobs in that service you would be willing to do if you don't get to become a pilot?

Finally, look at the ROTC programs as a backup plan and apply there as well. You can still become a pilot out of the ROTC programs.

Not true. The air force also flies H-60s and H-53s.
 
From the official service numbers reported on each branch's website:

Air Force has:
3584 Fixed Wing Aircraft
1191 Fixed Wing Training Aircraft
265 Rotor Wing Aircraft
37 Rotor Wing Trainer Aircraft

Air Force Total Aircraft: 5077

Navy/Marine Corps:
1330/401 Fixed Wing Aircraft - Total 1731
331/65 Fixed Wing Trainer Aircraft - Total 396
537/475 Rotor Wing Aircraft - Total 1012
129/0 Rotor Wing Trainer Aircraft - Total 65

Navy/Marine Corps Total Aircraft: 3204

Stealth_81

*edited for bad math.
 
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I've stated here before, there are a lot more opportunities and alternatives at Navy if you aren't a pilot.
This. The other services have much more exciting non-flying career paths than the Air Force. Also, it gets progressively more difficult to get promoted in the Air Force if you are not a pilot than in the other services. Also, if you are ever caught up in a RIF in the Air Force, you may possibly be more likely to get the boot if you aren’t flying.
 
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