Becoming an AF Pilot after USMMA?

boatingmom

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My DS is considering all options available after HS graduation. He has an appointment to USMMA, an AFROTC scholarship (acceptance to Embry Riddle), and still waiting to hear about a USAFA appointment. He says his ultimate goal is to be a pilot in the AF and he wants to know what are his chances of getting an AF pilot slot after USMMA graduation. I searched for older posts and it appears that the AF allows a certain number of pilots out of USMMA. Do any of you have experience in this regard? Also would he have to go through OCS?

I've read the criticisms others have about students using the USMMA as a platform to gain commission into AD, so please no flaming here. I realize that many kids change their minds from wanting to go AD to the shipping industry after KP.
 
Just came home from USMA plebe parent weekend; at dinner DS' TAC [USAFA officer on cross-academy duty] said that due to current severe pilot shortages every cross commissioning 2LT would be accepted for USAFA pilot slots.
That does NOT mean that every cross commissioning request will be approved; just that all that are approved will be slotted for pilot training if medically qualified. As of today; no guarantee for 2-3 years out.
Application begins junior year ['cow' year at USMA] for cross commissioning requests.
FWIW
 
My DS went active duty from USMMA and is now a Navy pilot. No OCS because of the Naval Science required curriculum at Kings Point, but I'm not sure about AF. He had offers from both Navy and USMC for guaranteed pilot slots. He did not put in for AF pilot, but he is fairly sure he could have gotten that offer also. He has classmates who became AF pilots out of KP. Things change from year to year, so there is no guarantee, but I would guess that chances will be good with the current (and projected future) pilot shortage. DS had wanted to be a pilot since he was 8 years old. But he would not trade his USMMA education and sea year experience for anything. He loved sailing and I would not be surprised if he returns to the maritime industry after his AD commitment.
 
When we were there a few weeks back we saw a list of what each senior had applied for. There are two rounds they get a chance to apply for what they want. Round 1 I think is in the Fall and sometime in March round 2 . They take a test (pilot test of some sorts) not sure which year to see if they even qualify to be a pilot. They go off campus for that. . Even saw one that was going to Navy for Drone pilot. A couple of heading off to Seal training. The options are limitless.
 
My DS went active duty from USMMA and is now a Navy pilot. No OCS because of the Naval Science required curriculum at Kings Point, but I'm not sure about AF. He had offers from both Navy and USMC for guaranteed pilot slots. He did not put in for AF pilot, but he is fairly sure he could have gotten that offer also. He has classmates who became AF pilots out of KP. Things change from year to year, so there is no guarantee, but I would guess that chances will be good with the current (and projected future) pilot shortage. DS had wanted to be a pilot since he was 8 years old. But he would not trade his USMMA education and sea year experience for anything. He loved sailing and I would not be surprised if he returns to the maritime industry after his AD commitment.

Thanks kpmom2013. Your DS sounds like mine regarding wanting to be a pilot. Our next door neighbor has a DS currently at USMMA. He has really gotten my son interested in that route. And who knows he may like ships more.
 
Funny, I initially wanted to be an AF pilot and that is what got me into the Academy system. . .but by the time I was accepted and entered KP, my mind was changed and was VERY happy to be a marine engineer instead. No regrets, either. One just never knows.
 
My DS is considering all options available after HS graduation. He has an appointment to USMMA, an AFROTC scholarship (acceptance to Embry Riddle), and still waiting to hear about a USAFA appointment. He says his ultimate goal is to be a pilot in the AF and he wants to know what are his chances of getting an AF pilot slot after USMMA graduation. I searched for older posts and it appears that the AF allows a certain number of pilots out of USMMA. Do any of you have experience in this regard? Also would he have to go through OCS?

I've read the criticisms others have about students using the USMMA as a platform to gain commission into AD, so please no flaming here. I realize that many kids change their minds from wanting to go AD to the shipping industry after KP.

Yes, its possible. But, you have to sign the contract before you know whether they will give you the rated slot or not. You sign with them junior year. It works through an AFROTC unit out of Manhattan College in the Bronx. Contact the command at that unit for questions. So to summarize, yeah it is possible but USMMA probably isn't the place you want to do it. Embry Riddle with an AFROTC scholarship sounds wonderful for becoming a pilot.
 
My son went to KP with the thought of going AD. His first sea year dissauded him from that. But during the way I asked him if he considered flight school His reply was that if he was on a ship and it started to sink, he could swim, but if he was on a plane that started to crash, he could not fly. He sails now and is quite content
 
From what I understand, each academy has 10 slots for flight school for each graduating year. Given that, I would say that the AF academy would be highly competitive. USMMA is not. Your chances of going to flight school are pretty high at USMMA.
 
My DS is considering all options available after HS graduation. He has an appointment to USMMA, an AFROTC scholarship (acceptance to Embry Riddle), and still waiting to hear about a USAFA appointment. He says his ultimate goal is to be a pilot in the AF and he wants to know what are his chances of getting an AF pilot slot after USMMA graduation. I searched for older posts and it appears that the AF allows a certain number of pilots out of USMMA. Do any of you have experience in this regard? Also would he have to go through OCS?

I've read the criticisms others have about students using the USMMA as a platform to gain commission into AD, so please no flaming here. I realize that many kids change their minds from wanting to go AD to the shipping industry after KP.

First, congrats on the appointment! Please remember, no matter what academy your DS goes to, including USMMA, he will need to be flexible - very flexible. Regarding getting a flight slot from USMMA - today/this year may have a number of slots - but 4 years down the road that may change. It is all about what the needs of the govt are at that time. The beauty of USMMA, he will have options - go active in any branch or sail. The potential for an internship with the various branches is also pretty good - he will be able to give it "test drive ". As I have written before, I know of current mids in the class of 2018 that are going active in each of the branches some flight and some not.

Again, best of luck to your DS
 
From what I understand, each academy has 10 slots for flight school for each graduating year. Given that, I would say that the AF academy would be highly competitive. USMMA is not. Your chances of going to flight school are pretty high at USMMA.

This is not true. Slots vary by branch/by year and there is no way of knowing today what the situation will be four years from now.
 
From what I understand, each academy has 10 slots for flight school for each graduating year. Given that, I would say that the AF academy would be highly competitive. USMMA is not. Your chances of going to flight school are pretty high at USMMA.

This is not true. Slots vary by branch/by year and there is no way of knowing today what the situation will be four years from now.
Our MOC said that each one gets at least 10 slots/year.
 
Your MOC may have been talking about his or her ability to nominate 10 candidates per year for each opening his or her district has at each academy. There is definitely NOT a set number of openings for flight spots at any academy. This number changes each year depending on the needs of the service branch in question. The bottom line is that there is no 100% guarantee of a flight spot at any academy. Right now, USAFA gives you an excellent chance at a pilot slot because of the severe shortage of pilots. That condition may or may not be true in 4-5 years. At USMMA, your chances are consistently good to obtain a pilot slot for two reasons: 1) you have less competition among your classmates because most of them choose the much more lucrative pathway of sailing on their license, and 2) you have a choice of pilot slots for multiple service branches, so even if one branch cuts back in a particular year, you can consider another branch. If you are open about which service you fly for, your chances of getting a pilot slot out of USMMA are excellent.
 
From what I understand, each academy has 10 slots for flight school for each graduating year. Given that, I would say that the AF academy would be highly competitive. USMMA is not. Your chances of going to flight school are pretty high at USMMA.
Maybe I am misunderstanding your reponse, but the AF academy gets about 500 pilot spots every year. From what I read, at least for the last couple of years, if you medically qualify there is a really good chance you will get a pilot spot from the AF academy. No idea bout the other academies. Now that I am thinking about it, do you mean there are 10 spots for students at AF who want to fly Navy or Marines
 
From what I understand, each academy has 10 slots for flight school for each graduating year. Given that, I would say that the AF academy would be highly competitive. USMMA is not. Your chances of going to flight school are pretty high at USMMA.
Maybe I am misunderstanding your reponse, but the AF academy gets about 500 pilot spots every year. From what I read, at least for the last couple of years, if you medically qualify there is a really good chance you will get a pilot spot from the AF academy. No idea bout the other academies. Now that I am thinking about it, do you mean there are 10 spots for students at AF who want to fly Navy or Marines
That is just what we were told during admissions visit.
 
From what I understand, each academy has 10 slots for flight school for each graduating year. Given that, I would say that the AF academy would be highly competitive. USMMA is not. Your chances of going to flight school are pretty high at USMMA.
Maybe I am misunderstanding your reponse, but the AF academy gets about 500 pilot spots every year. From what I read, at least for the last couple of years, if you medically qualify there is a really good chance you will get a pilot spot from the AF academy. No idea bout the other academies. Now that I am thinking about it, do you mean there are 10 spots for students at AF who want to fly Navy or Marines
That is just what we were told during admissions visit.

That's pretty much nonsense. Were they talking about each service academy? USAFA has way, way more than 10, USNA has more than 10, USMA has more than 10, I'm sure USCGA does to. What are they saying?
 
I agree with others. Every year for the AF they wing over 1100 pilots. @550+ come out of USAFA. Than @400 from AFROTC. The remainder are coming from OCS.

JMPO, if money is not an option, and he def. wants AF, I would say go ERAU. It is for many reasons.
1. Yes, there is a pilot shortage, but understand that this airline hiring frenzy is expected to end @2020-2022. That means if it goes back to the early 2000s than they will not need as many, and that means more pilots will stay in the AF, reducing the pipeline.
2. ERAU has a strong AFROTC program. It has been for years one of the top detachments in the nation. I believe the AFROTC unit there is @250 +. Their claim to fame is that after USAFA they give out the most pilot slots. Understand that is number wise, not statistics or percentages.
3. Bonding. See number 2. Our DS went to another large det. at his det. 13 went rated. There are 4 UPT bases. He showed up at Laughlin with 3 classmates that were already in the UPT program(commissioned a yr earlier) and 2 more that would be in his class. He had ready made friends, plus the ones that were in the program could mentor and show him the pitfalls.
~~ Going to USMMA and commissioning AF will most likely mean you could be starting that bonding from scratch.

Honestly, I think USMMA is amazing. However, I would also say I have been here long enough and what I have not read in any of these posts is simple.
~ To get a flight slot you must be competitive. To be competitive your academics have to be strong. I have read many times that the Sea year at USMMA is hard to say the very least.
~~~ Rated board for AF includes their cgpa and their TBAS score. It is putting more of a burden on them. For AFROTC that board meets their junior yr. For USAFA it meets the 1st few weeks of their senior year.

It is hard for a kid at 18 to decide what they want to do basically for the next decade. If he loves the water, and flying is a 2nd thought than go USMMA
 
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