Airframe

T

tbonemsu

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Oct 8, 2021
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As a curious potential applicant, what is the airframe breakdown of the USAFA pilot grads? I know seats don’t come out until after flight school, but how many typically go cargo, vs fighter, vs rotary?
 
Rotary and fighter are very competitive with only top of each UPT class selected. Best chance is through ENJJPT to get fighters.
 
On youtube you can search for drop / assignment night UPT videos at Vance. Shepard, columbus. Some are humorous. Towards the end they typically announce aircraft assignments. Lots of air force speak but you can get an idea of how many go into each type of aircraft. But not by commissioning source. FYI, at UPT and in your squadron, no one cares about your source of commissioning so you have to prove yourself at every turn. It is an equal start for all. If you tried to leverage a USAFA commission you'd be burned at the stake.
 
Mystic05 said:
Rotary and fighter are very competitive with only top of each UPT class selected. Best chance is through ENJJPT to get fighters.
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It’s true that Rotary and fighter are very competitive but with regard to Rotary, at least from the Academy, there is a separate selection board and pilots go straight to what’s called Helo Training Next, no fixed wing.
 
I would venture it is 85% go heavy/cargo and 15% go fighter/bomber. I will also say best chance for fighter/bomber is selected to ENJJPT program but still not a 100% guarantee.
 
Bigrod said:
I would venture it is 85% go heavy/cargo and 15% go fighter/bomber. I will also say best chance for fighter/bomber is selected to ENJJPT program but still not a 100% guarantee.
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The last couple of drops I had students in (former students) it was more like 1/3 - 2/3 (F/B to Hvy)...but that changes with the needs...
 
AF Roots said:
It’s true that Rotary and fighter are very competitive but with regard to Rotary, at least from the Academy, there is a separate selection board and pilots go straight to what’s called Helo Training Next, no fixed wing.
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Ya HTN is super competitive, I’ve even heard equal or more than ENJJPT this year
 
Does Air Force also do the “first in their class gets what they want (of the slots available that week), second best and onwards is needs of the Navy/Marine Corps/etc”?
 
My daughter dropped pilot this year and she said it appeared to her that those that got ENJJPT was the top 10% in the class based on GPA and a few other factors. There is a pretty long delay to get into ENJJPT even once selected. It is taking upwards of 2 years before you start flight training. Rotary now has its own path separate of fixed wings. For fixed wings it is taking up to one year for your flight training to start and rotary is pretty much as soon as you graduate.
 
Does major have anything to do with ENJJPT selection OR simply a pilot slot overall. I find it hard to believe that a cadet majoring in something like Aerospace Engineering isn't looked differently at than a cadet who majored in Management.
 
chino said:
Does major have anything to do with ENJJPT selection OR simply a pilot slot overall. I find it hard to believe that a cadet majoring in something like Aerospace Engineering isn't looked differently at than a cadet who majored in Management.
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Polisci and fly!

Works well in the Navy because you avoid the submarine/nuclear draft better that way
 
My son chose to not even apply to ENJJPT because he was told the casual status would be upwards of two years. He chose to go regular UPT route and is in Texas doing his thing now. Keep in mind your 10 year commitment starts when you graduate UPT not when you graduate USAFA so it does make a difference to your career path.
 
Hopefully this flow chart is helpful:

Q: Do I want to fly fighters/bombers?
A: YES -> go to ENJJPT.
A: Yeah kinda, but I'm not sure -> go to UPT.

Q: How do I get into ENJJPT?
A: Most ENJJPT slots got to cadets with proven flight experience at the airfield, and who are also well-rounded academically, militarily, and physically. The program is about quickly making tactical aviators, it does not have time for students to get over their fear of flying or figure out if this is really for them.
A: Excel at what you do. There are always a few of slots for accomplished IC's, cadet wing leadership, and academic weapons. But once again, the majority go to the airfield, because the cadets it produces is a known quantity.

Q: Great! I want to go to ENJJPT, how do get involved in USAFA airmanship?
A: Do well doolie year. A good rule of thumb at the Academy is that good performance is rewarded with greater opportunities... I'll let you figure out the rest. Be humble and willing to put in the work and effort doing the non-glamorous work - it will pay off.
 
chino said:
Does major have anything to do with ENJJPT selection OR simply a pilot slot overall. I find it hard to believe that a cadet majoring in something like Aerospace Engineering isn't looked differently at than a cadet who majored in Management.
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Being an Engineering major doesn't necessarily equate to being a potential fighter pilot. There are lots of factors involved from medical fitness, class rank, suitability for flight training (lots of skills tests) and AFOQT results. Sure, an aero degree gives you knowledge, but that doesn't always translate to the actual ability to get in the seat and fly a plane well enough to be a fighter pilot. Always remember too that at the academy everything is taken into account!
 
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