NROTC schools w/ flight programs

TheCadet

5-Year Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2011
Messages
23
I am a current junior and I hope to pursue a career in naval aviation. I have been considering applying for USNA as well as Norwich ( I do not have the best grades and stats) and other NROTC state schools that catch my attention.

My question here is does anyone here know good schools with an NROTC program that also offers the opportunity fly? I am as of right now, a student pilot looking to get my private pilots license. I would love to go to a school where I can occasionally go to a local field, rent an airplane, and fly as to stay current. Any ideas are welcome, thanks for the help.
 
Check out Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. You basically live just a few hundred yards from the airport. Best of luck.
 
I'm sure any college in or near a semi-major city will have a small airport nearby for you to rent a plane.
 
I really wouldn't concern myself with flying opportunities at this point because schools like ERAU are competitive and by your own admission your stats are not the best.

As SC stated almost every small town has an airport for personal flying. It maybe 15 -20 minutes of a drive, but I would bet there is one near the majority of colleges.

Get your stats up because in the end if you want to fly for the Navy as an ROTC grad., you will compete and it is your OML that will be the deciding factor not if you have a PPL. OML, includes your gpa, your PFA, your rank within the unit.

If you want to attend USNA as plan A, than you really need to have strong stats with strong ECs. PPL will help, but not enough to overcome the candidate that has a higher gpa/SAT, Capt of Soccer, Treasurer for NHS, and 150 hrs with Habitat for Humanity. The avg SAT is in the 1300 range out of 1600, and that is AVG.

Certain colleges, like ERAU are known to have a lot of pilot slots for their ROTC cadets/mids. However, it is a huge program and thus the competition will be stiff...OML. Notre Dame, PSU and Corp of Cadets (TAMU, VT, VMI, Citadel, NW, etc) universities also are schools that have high stats for getting rated slots.

If you apply for an NROTC scholarship, again the PPL will not be the bulk of your WCS. 60% is PAR, which is academics, class rank, course rigor, SATs, etc. ERAU being a demand college equates into you needing to be competitive academically to get a scholarship.

I understand you have been bitten by the flying bug, but don't place that into your equation when it comes to deciding how to determine what school you should look into or place priority on applying.

Flying will only be a few hours a week if you are lucky. ROTC OTOH and academics will be many more than a few hours.

Lastly, flight times vary area by area. What you pay now, may not be what the cost somewhere else. We pd 185 an hr for DS in NC., in VA it is 300. Supply and demand, plus insurance rates for each area will cause the costs to vary. It could be that ERAU looks the best because they are an aviation school, but the costs could be an issue where you can't afford to fly...unless you are independently wealthy and than again if you are NROTC scholarship also will not be an issue.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top