Flying Hours for AFROTC

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How important are flying hours for getting a UPT slot in ROTC? I know it plays a huge role for OTS, but I don't think too many college kids can afford 100+ hours. I've talked to some current pilots who went thru ROTC and none of them had any, but they all went thru 6-10 years ago.

Now that PCSM 2.0 seems to be heavily relying on hours, it'd be good to know how many hours the average UPT selects have.

Thanks for any info/suggestions!
 
I got picked up with 0 hours, but that was just before the PCSM 2.0 was introduced. Most people I talked to before getting a pilot slot said that a good number of hours to get is around 40 and getting your PPL if possible. Most people don't have any hours though. Of the 7 people that were selected for pilot at my det, none of them had flying hours.
 
Reaper has been great with helping answer my questions too and some of the info is based off of his posts in my thread.

I've heard from him and multiple sources that even though flying hours are a bigger portion of the PCSM score, most people that go in have little or none.

In my situation, with a low GPA, I am doing everything I can to better my chances. It boils down to how much you want it + is the cost worth it. For me it was easy. I want this more than anything and I'm willing do whatever I can to better my chance. Worst case scenario is that I don't get a pilot slot but I'll still have a PPL so I can pursue my dreams of flying either way.

On the topic of flying, I took my discovery flight yesterday and it was amazing. Imagine a roller coaster, that feeling you get. It's like that except multiplied. I am arranging finances now so I can get in the program and earn as many hours as I can and for me the cost is well worth it. Some people may be different.

Reaper said his scores went from a 78 (pre PCSM 2.0) to a 27 because of flight hours alone. That's a 51 point drop in the PCSM which accounts for 40% of your overall score. That is why I'm trying to get hours.
 
My PCSM score drop was probably one of the biggest drops. Most other people I talked to said there scores dropped about 10-20 points. The reason (I'm guessing) that my score dropped so much is because I did amazing on the TBAS, but only had a 63 on the pilot portion of the AFOQT. Most people do ok on the TBAS and pilot portion of the AFOQT so it makes their PCSM score pretty even. That's why most people's scores only dropped around 10-20 points. Mine wouldn't have changed so much if I had done better on the pilot portion of the AFOQT.

I also would like to point out that flying hours do count a lot more than before on your PCSM. In my other post I said that the 7 people had no hours, but that was before PCSM 2.0. So if you're able to rack up some hours then I would do it. I expect on the next rated board people with more flying hours will have a better chance at getting a pilot slot than people with no hours.
 
I had like 20 hours when I went up. My PCSM was a 79 (dropped to a 61 with 2.0). I'm not terribly familiar with the OCS game but I honestly wouldn't freak out too much about getting hours. If you can get hours then yes get them. However, I would focus more on GPA and making a good impression on the cadre (CC ranking). I did fine simply by working hard and controlling what I could. Remember that everyone else will also have their scores going down as well with the new PCSM. Best of luck!
 
The big thing for OCS and why it matters more than per se ROTC because typically the 1st slots go to AFA, than the next huge chunk is AFROTC and the minority of slots if OCS.

Our friends DS is at OCS currently, he did not get UPT, he got UNT. He was told that the amount of UPT slots were little, and the people that got UPT had flight hrs in their packet.

One reason many AFROTC cadets will probably in the future have more flt hrs than in previous yrs is the system has changed starting this yr.

A. The PCSM now includes hrs at higher rates (flight hrs) for it to impact the PCSM score.
B. If selected for UPT and have a PPL, the AF will waive IFS.
~~~ IFS is the flight school they will send you to prior to UPT. If you bust it, than you will not go to UPT. These days it is also unlikely you will go to any rated school (UNT esp.) In our DS's IFS class 25% busted IFS. (Feb 13), and that is @ the avg. His close friend from his det. was in the Mar. class....April UPT date. They busted IFS, never flew before IFS, they were sent to a new rated board in June (cas. status for 3 mos) and informed only a few weeks ago that they will go non-rated in Aug.

It is expensive to fly to say the least, but if it means just one flight a month for the next few yrs., do it. Ask for the hrs as your birthday, holiday presents. In the long run it is worth cost.
 
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