Is there any way to be a Pilot without attending Academy?

Eagle41

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Feb 11, 2019
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My age will soon be over 23. But I can't afford to apply to the Air Force Academy. So I have to find another way, but I don't know what to do. If there is a way to pilot past the age of 23, could you tell me specify about it?
 
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Have you explored the warrant officer path in the Army? They do a lot of the flying — helicopters — and you shouldn’t be close to the age limit for enlisting. Perhaps others who know more about this route can weigh in.
 
Army WOFT (Warrant Officer Flight Training) would be an option. You are not required to have a college degree but it does help. Do some research into the WOFT program.
 
Here is a link to WOFT. It strikes me as a good possibility for you. Plus Warrants do the bulk of flying in the Army. Eventually line officers fly less and transition toward leadership/admin roles.

https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-.../warrant-officer/flight-warrant-officers.html

General Requirements:

  • High School Diploma
  • 18 years old at the time of enlistment and no older than 33. (Applicants must not have passed their 33rd birthday at the time of enlistment.
  • Achieve a qualifying score on the Selection Instrument for Flight Training (SIFT). SIFT test results are valid indefinitely, as long as verifiable official records exist. No waivers are available for failure to meet the minimum SIFT score.
  • Earn a minimum of 110 General Technical (GT) score on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) (nonwaivable). The GT score is one component of the ASVAB results.
  • Meet the Active Duty Army's screening height and weight standards.
  • Take a complete physical exam at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) and meet entry medical fitness standards as determined by military medical authorities no more than 24 months prior to the date of application. Must also undergo a Class 1A Flight Physical Examination in addition to the one conducted at the MEPS and have results approved by Flight Surgeons at Fort Rucker, Alabama, prior to the selection board.
  • The Flight Physical must be less than 18 months old.
 
Am I missing something?

30 is the cutoff to start UPT; 35 with a waiver (which is rare).

Go to college, join ROTC, and then apply for a rated slot. To maximize your chances, pick up your private pilots license while in school. I know plenty who went that route.

Most AF pilots are NOT AFA graduates.

Why are you under the impression you have to be 23?
 
Am I missing something?

30 is the cutoff to start UPT; 35 with a waiver (which is rare).

Go to college, join ROTC, and then apply for a rated slot. To maximize your chances, pick up your private pilots license while in school. I know plenty who went that route.

Most AF pilots are NOT AFA graduates.

Why are you under the impression you have to be 23?
Thanks. I think I know what to do now.
 
You still have time to commission through AFROTC, OTS, or guard/reserve commissioning sources and get a pilot slit before the age cutoff.
 
In the Air Force you need a college degree to be a pilot. However, you dont need to go to the academy. You can commission through Rotc while at college or you can apply to Officer Training School once you graduated college. Your age is the biggest factor, however at 23, you should have plenty of time to go through a 4 year college and still be young enough to fly. I dont know the Guard and AD have the same age limit, but I know that the age limit for the Guard has been raised to 33. That give you 10 years to go through college, apply to guard and attend UPT. Assuming AD has the same 33 age limit, you shouldnt have an issue either.
 
Am I missing something?

30 is the cutoff to start UPT; 35 with a waiver (which is rare).

Go to college, join ROTC, and then apply for a rated slot. To maximize your chances, pick up your private pilots license while in school. I know plenty who went that route.

Most AF pilots are NOT AFA graduates.

Why are you under the impression you have to be 23?

maybe i am reading this wrong, but the age cuttoff is now 33
pzni7kos8ri21.thumb.jpg.ce11f3112580c33b61ba5436630385b8.jpg
 
The reason I asked if he has a degree is he could walk into a Marine OSO office and sign up. They have planes.
 
@Eagle41 ,

So many questions.
My age will soon be over 23

No, but I will get college degree

School semester starts in @3 months. Will you be 24 at that point?
When will you have this college degree?
Are you just starting college or you will have it in 18 mos?
~ You can apply for OCS as a rising senior in college for a rated board.
Have you looked into the Guard?
 
maybe i am reading this wrong, but the age cuttoff is now 33
pzni7kos8ri21.thumb.jpg.ce11f3112580c33b61ba5436630385b8.jpg

Until AFI 36-2105 is updated (it currently has not, see para. 3.1.1), that letter is just a temporary exception to the guidelines, and only effective until Feb 2020. The only route to a commission for the OP prior to Feb 2020 would be via OTS, and the last board that would get someone into an OTS seat prior to Feb 2020 ended back in March.

For what it's worth, the URPAT cutoff is currently set by AF policy at age 39 (see para. 3.1.1.3). And RPA's are the future of aviation. For what it's worth. :)

Either way, the OP has time for ROTC (either undergrad or graduate). Just go about it the normal way-- go to ROTC, apply to UPT prior to age 30. Try and pick up a PPL along the way, plus as many hours as possible. That, coupled with a technical degree and a high GPA will ensure the best possible opportunity to get picked up.
 
The reason I asked if he has a degree is he could walk into a Marine OSO office and sign up. They have planes.
Yeah...and the Army has boats.

Why not just go to the branch known for aviation? It's kind of like ordering the tacos at Jack in the Box and then going across the street to Taco Bell for fries. ;)
 
In the Air Force you need a college degree to be a pilot.
Actually, you don't. The enlisted pilot program is open again, and there have been some recent moves toward expanding it beyond RPA's.

I dont know the Guard and AD have the same age limit, but I know that the age limit for the Guard has been raised to 33. That give you 10 years to go through college, apply to guard and attend UPT.
The Guard has the same requirements as AD, and that will remain the case until/unless the ANG opens up their own UPT schoolhouse somewhere. However, it is usually harder to get a non-prior service (NPS) UPT spot in the ANG versus AD. OP appears to be NPS.
 
In the Air Force you need a college degree to be a pilot.
Actually, you don't. The enlisted pilot program is open again, and there have been some recent moves toward expanding it beyond RPA's.

I dont know the Guard and AD have the same age limit, but I know that the age limit for the Guard has been raised to 33. That give you 10 years to go through college, apply to guard and attend UPT.
The Guard has the same requirements as AD, and that will remain the case until/unless the ANG opens up their own UPT schoolhouse somewhere. However, it is usually harder to get a non-prior service (NPS) UPT spot in the ANG versus AD. OP appears to be NPS.
Not putting down the RPA pilots, but when speak of pilots, I think we mean the guys who get into an aircraft. Since the enlisted pilot program is for RPA pilots, it still means you have to have college education. I am not saying someone without a college degree couldnt be a great pilot, but the pilot shortgage has nothing to do with those wanting to be pilot. There is ample supply of college students (Rotc and USAFA) who want a pilot spot. There are I assume plenty of people would want to fly through OTS. The problem has been and will be in that there are basically only 3.5 UPT bases in the US with the .50 being ENJJPT. I call ENJPPT that because its a smaller program but more importantly it has NATO student pilots thus having less space for American pilots. Not a criticism, just a fact. I think they are turning out 1100 pilots a year and they are talking about getting 1400 at full maximum. I am sure they can find 300 other officers without going into the pool of enlisted
 
The reason I asked if he has a degree is he could walk into a Marine OSO office and sign up. They have planes.
Yeah...and the Army has boats.

Why not just go to the branch known for aviation? It's kind of like ordering the tacos at Jack in the Box and then going across the street to Taco Bell for fries. ;)
Like the food court.
 
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