GONAVY3237
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2018
- Messages
- 16
Hi Guys! A question- USNA or USAFA? My goal is to become a pilot, so I wonder which is best. Any insights?
Thanks,
GONAVY3237
Thanks,
GONAVY3237
Hi Guys! A question- USNA or USAFA? My goal is to become a pilot, so I wonder which is best. Any insights?
Thanks,
GONAVY3237
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.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!
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.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.
Neither. Just correlating they success rate at flight school. Mids with higher ATSB scores have better success. Hence the change.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.
... 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.
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.I've stated here before, there are a lot more opportunities and alternatives at Navy if you aren't a pilot.