I want to be the best pilot in the U.S. Armed Forces. Navy or Airforce?

flyboy · Jan 5, 2008

I am applying to both the Air Force academy and Naval academy. I really want to go to the air force academy because it will hands down provide a much better expierience for me then the naval academy. But career wise, who has a better flight program? The Navy or Air Force? Which one makes better pilots? Thanks again.

KaMiKaZi · Jan 5, 2008

Though I'm going to be a black shoe surface line guy, I feel the need to defend my fellow brown shoe naval officers (I was almost one of them!). You seem pretty set on USAFA for personal reasons; that's cool, but here is my pitch for Naval Aviation. And BTW, in the future, don't create the same thread twice.

Naval Aviation is the tip of the spear. We offer quick strike capability from our aircraft carriers at sea. The ocean is our base and we can reach out to project our power at a moments notice.

The platforms that the Navy flies consist of jet, props, and helos. While most of our platforms are meant to be depolyed at sea, we do have land based aircraft. An also realize that aircraft carriers are not the only ships you can land on. All of our ships have helo pads, whether they be cruisers, detroyers, frigates, or amphibs. Landing a SH-60 on the bucking flight deck of a destroyer takes skill.

But the bottom line is piloting comes down the the pilot. They are the operator of the machine.

Altaica103 · Jan 5, 2008

I too was in your shoes. I'm an ole' softy for the air force due to some experince of mine, however I've desided on USNA. I know that my odds in NUMBERS are greater as an AF pilot. However I am looking for more than argueably the best flight training in the world... (I hear red flag rocks...from someone who help organize it...) I'm looking for the best OFFICER training the world has to offer, I believe that lies with the USMC. In the end, you will be a pilot for THE US. Flying the best aircraft with the best training that money can dream up, yet alone buy. You can't go wrong either way. Look at what you want to do, do you want to be a test pilot or an astronaut? If so, the USN may be a better choice. If you just want to fly an airplane, you may be better off with the AF, after all, that's what they do, your numbers are better. Just look into the two and think about what you want to do.

flyboy · Jan 6, 2008

I'm pretty sure the space program is the Air Force's thing, not the Navy's

KaMiKaZi · Jan 6, 2008

If you do your research, you will find that USNA has produced 52 astronauts, more than any other institution in the country.

xchefmike · Jan 6, 2008

My two Cents

Its 03:00 in the North Atlantic, a gale has been blowing and the deck is pitching left to right and it is also moving fore to aft at the same time. There is no lite from the moon and stars and visibility is terrible. Lt. WT Door has 300ft or less to land and all he has is his instruments, training and the LSO giving him directions on his final approach. He Slams into the deck at 130+ knots and guns the engines into afterburner just in case he gets a bolter and has to go around and do it all again.

at the same time somewhere at an AF base Capt. Zoomie is trying to land his F-16 in the same terrible weather, however he has 7000 foot of runway that is not moving and all the lights are on and if he punches out he is over dry land.

Now who has to be the better pilot?

swimmerguy09 · Jan 7, 2008

Don't the Marines also fly jets? How do there pilots stack up against the other services?

Zaphod · Jan 7, 2008

xchefmike said:
Its 03:00 in the North Atlantic, a gale has been blowing and the deck is pitching left to right and it is also moving fore to aft at the same time. There is no lite from the moon and stars and visibility is terrible. Lt. WT Door has 300ft or less to land and all he has is his instruments, training and the LSO giving him directions on his final approach. He Slams into the deck at 130+ knots and guns the engines into afterburner just in case he gets a bolter and has to go around and do it all again.

at the same time somewhere at an AF base Capt. Zoomie is trying to land his F-16 in the same terrible weather, however he has 7000 foot of runway that is not moving and all the lights are on and if he punches out he is over dry land.

Now who has to be the better pilot?

Navy for the win! :biggrin:

Pima · Jan 7, 2008

"Don't the Marines also fly jets? How do there pilots stack up against the other services?"

Bullet here. Just a WSO, but I do know a little about a avaition career and flying jets.

Some of our finest aviators serving this nation are USMC officers. And yes, they do fly jets -- F-18s and Harriers for the most part. They are currently extremely active in plans to replace the Harrier with a Vertical Take-off and Land (VSTOL) version of the F-35 (the Joint Strike Fighter). That will probably be in service by the time you're ready to join the fleet.

What makes Marine aviation "a little different" from the "other guys" is their special relationship with their Marine brothers and sisters on the ground. Marines tend to consider their strike and attack planes as an intergral arm of their ground force. Close Air Support of the Marines on the ground is their life blood, and something they take great pride in. We in the AF always say we're officers first, then aviators second. Marines see themselves as officers first, grunts second, and aviators third. Nothing bad about either point of view, just different.

I know you have questions about which service to look at, and which has the best pilots, and where can you find your true calling. All I can say is, you can't go wrong in any of these fine professions, and will take a sense of pride to your grave in the way you served your country.

flyboy · Jan 7, 2008

I liked that a lot, it was very good.

flyboy · Jan 7, 2008

xchefmike said:
Its 03:00 in the North Atlantic, a gale has been blowing and the deck is pitching left to right and it is also moving fore to aft at the same time. There is no lite from the moon and stars and visibility is terrible. Lt. WT Door has 300ft or less to land and all he has is his instruments, training and the LSO giving him directions on his final approach. He Slams into the deck at 130+ knots and guns the engines into afterburner just in case he gets a bolter and has to go around and do it all again.

at the same time somewhere at an AF base Capt. Zoomie is trying to land his F-16 in the same terrible weather, however he has 7000 foot of runway that is not moving and all the lights are on and if he punches out he is over dry land.

Now who has to be the better pilot?

Yes, I am quite aware of this trite cliche. Navy pilots probably do have better landing skills...but I am really concerned about what they do before they land.

xchefmike · Jan 7, 2008

blue angels versus tbirds

I have many years experience at the Cleveland National Air Show. The blues have a tighter show the distance between the aircraft at times is measured in inches. tbirds fly a min distance 10 feet apart.
Tbirds also will not land at Burke lakefront airport, however they will land a c-5 there. both teams switch off years as performers and attendance is always higher with the blues

I will say this that the F22 is the best air superiority fighter in the world and until it is flown by a Naval Aviator, we will never see what it is really capable of :smile:

Pima · Jan 7, 2008

Bullet here. I'm just a WSO, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night. :shake:

I think there already is a Naval exchange officer flying F-22s with my bro's out at Langley. However, I heard he is not doing well, as they have yet to convince him that during landing he doesn't need to stop in the first 50 feet of the runway! A little hard on the brakes! :yllol:

xchefmike · Jan 7, 2008

background on the Burke incident. a dozen years ago a tbird had a bird strike, and the pilot was killed. This changed the tbirds rules on burke airfield. to this day they will not take off or land at burke, they stage at hopkins 6 miles away. The AF will land c-5 and other ac at burke and the blues do the whole show from burke.
Also their is a larger number of birdstrikesand deer strikes per year at hopkins which makes no sense to me if they were afraid of strikes why go to the other field.

the blues have lost pilots too however they do not change the show as the tbirds did after there last incident. They learn dissect and become better pilots and move on without changing the min distance as the tbirds did.

xchefmike · Jan 7, 2008

it is not trite either

until you witness some of the unbelievable carrier ops firsthand you will never understand. Also catch a COD flight out to the ship one dark night and you will forever be a true believer.

xchefmike · Jan 7, 2008

you just need a tailhook on the f22 to make it perfect

it has the added benefit of trimming out the ship as well. :yllol:

Just_A_Mom · Jan 8, 2008

Tailhook is a word you may want to avoid when posting on the USNA thread

Why?

mom3boys · Jan 8, 2008

Tailhook=Scandal

NativeTexan · Jan 8, 2008

Yes, I am quite aware of this trite cliche. Navy pilots probably do have better landing skills...but I am really concerned about what they do before they land.

As a licensed pilot I am much more concerned with landing than what I am doing in the air. If you can't get the plane down you got serious problems...

Luigi59 · Jan 8, 2008

NativeTexan said:
As a licensed pilot I am much more concerned with landing than what I am doing in the air. If you can't get the plane down you got serious problems...

But as a military pilot, if you can't fly the plane skillfully and successfully against an enemy in combat, you may never get the chance to land it.

You could be the best in the whole world at landing, it won't mean squat if your plane is shot down because you weren't concerned about what you are doing in the air.