Rated positions

[Wishful]

Kind of odd to think that so many Navy pilots get hired by the airlines. . .

DD says she can always tell if the airline pilot was Navy by how hard the landing is; they 're used to landing on carriers

 

[Capt MJ]

DD says she can always tell if the airline pilot was Navy by how hard the landing is; they 're used to landing on carriers

First time I heard that line was decades ago standing in the aisle, waiting to deplane, when the person standing behind me noted confidently to her companion, “That was a hard landing, so it had to be a former Navy pilot. They aren’t used to runways.” When we got up to the front hatch, the captain was cheerfully greeting passengers. He saw my Navy pin on my lapel and made a nice comment, and I thanked him for a safe flight, then asked Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard, etc., and he laughed and said “100% Air Force today.”

I think that trope is in the chapter in the service trash talk guidebook that comes right before the classic entries on Air Force, chairs and golf courses and after the chapter on Marines and crayons.

 

[Karenof2]

DD says she can always tell if the airline pilot was Navy by how hard the landing is; they 're used to landing on carriers

The last flight I took the pilot was a retired marine. Seriously the softest land without whip lash breaking. Freaking wonderful. Had a nice chat with him after landing.

 

[raimius]

DD says she can always tell if the airline pilot was Navy by how hard the landing is; they 're used to landing on carriers

The majority of people who "grade" airline landings have no idea what constitutes a hard landing.

If you didn't grunt and feel it in your back for more than 5 minutes, it probably wasn't that bad.

 

[Humey]

I haven't heard any stories of someone moving from RPA to Pilot. I don't think it would be in the interest of the USAF. They would still have to invest resources to train the RPA pilots how to fly trainer aircraft (T-6, T-38) and then their following MDS (C-17, F-16 etc).

RPA pilots used to complete a program where they train with civilian aircraft and get their PPL -- similar to IFT. However, I talked to an RPA pilot over the summer who mentioned that the new syllabus only has RPA pilots getting ~15 hours of stick tim

My sons friend at UPT was initially chosen for RPA and prior to attending RPA school, they offered him a pilot spot that he took. Yes that is different from being a RPA pilot and going to fixed wing.

 

[aranders75]

FWIW @Stormbird , I didn't read your post to be divisive or putting down anyone who not interested in or not going to serve in a pilot role after commissioning/ earning wings. I will say being the parent of a new mil officer (navy) who is down in Pensacola flying and eventually to earn his wings, that the 10 year after wings commitment is for those dreaming to fly not a big deterrent to a dream job. Most who want to fly/ love aviation will I think not pause to make the sacrifice.

I'm curious about interest in a longer career vs five and dive for those who were perhaps academically talented but in that window where they wouldn't qualify for financial aid but family didn't have a great deal of $ to support their education. I do see candidates who until coached flat-out say "for the free education" on why they want to attend a SA or train in ROTC. Inflation has tightened a lot of household belts - maybe there is an impact showing here on less people being willing to make a 12 or more with delay commitment. IDK, but appreciate your raising a good discussion point. I don't see anything incongruous about stating those wishing to avoid longer service commitments may steer away from aviation - 5 years vs 12+ is a difference - it is a bigger commitment.

I'm not sure how many cadets had pilot on their preference sheet but did not get it, or were as others noted wanted to be a pilto but were DQ'd for a pilot slot after a more in-depth class 1 flight physical. I do recommend, as we did for my DS in HS that anyone who can afford it pay for a class 1 flight physical completed by a team who often does these exams for the military before they commit to serve. Better to know up-front if you or your DD/ DS/ Dwhatever won't be able to fly for any reason. Things can change, but some DQs are already, like the alien waiting to pop-out in Aliens - already there - whether or not they have yet been discovered or not.

There were some posts noting that perhaps those ranked higher but not highest (maybe ranks 201-299, some other tiers like 400-499 would be culled for serving in key but non-aviation positions (serving the needs of the AF over pure preference). Maybe that had some impact on the lower numbers ending up in aviation? Not sure.

Anyhoo, just thought I'd sanity check how your post read and share a couple of thoughts.

Curious- how did you find a Dr that does the class 1 physical? I’d prefer my DD know now if she can/cannot fly.

 

[Humey]

Curious- how did you find a Dr that does the class 1 physical? I’d prefer my DD know now if she can/cannot fly.

If you mean FAA class 1 physical, you could easily pass that and still not pass the pilot's physical at Wright Patteson AFB. If you are interested in FAA physical you can find lists of doctors who specialize in this. I have no idea what the percentages are, but many of the kids who fail the physical is because of vision. I would go to an ophthalmologist, preferably one that worked for the Air Force and have their eyes completely examined. I am not talking about seeing an optometrist where they check for vision. This is where lots of people fail. My son went with 3 other people for their physical. One of them was there for non pilot , but my son's friend failed because they found something in his eyes (i think cataracts but my son was never clear about this) while the third guy failed because the positioning of eyeballs were off. So of the four who went, my son was the only one who passed the flight physical (the fourth guy was there for non pilot physical ). They don't have to have perfect vision and they can be short sighted and have other issues but they must be within a range. Even if you make the range, you have to have 20/20 vision with glasses and sometimes people fail because even with glasses, they don't get 20/20. There is the issue of color blindness and depth perception which everyone has a hard time with. In a certain way its more of a trick than anything else. If you can figure how to do it, you will pass. Sometimes people don't pass, but its because they can't figure out how to do it. Years ago they use to have those 3D posters where if you looked a the poster in a certain way, you would see a 3d image. Same kind of thing. If you can figure out the 3d poster, you will probably pass the depth perception test.. Obviously there are hundred other things that can trip you up during the exam. High or low blood pressure, hearing and so many others. During ROTC , they do make you take some basic physicals so the basic issues like pressure and hearing should already be known.

 

[Herman_Snerd]

Curious- how did you find a Dr that does the class 1 physical? I’d prefer my DD know now if she can/cannot fly.

So, my son's flight instructor when he was 15-16 was also an active Air Force Pilot so he knew the FAA medical examiners in our area that did most of the class 1 flight physicals for the military in our area. So I think we went to the one he recommended. In doing so, we understood things could still change/ there was still risk as eyes keep evolving past age 16 and other problems could present later, but many DQable risks were confirmed to be an non-issue including the eye exams and pretty thorough batter of other tests too by their team. This was for us, and perhaps you, worth the cost since military or not we knew he wanted to be a pilot (which here years later, he is as he's a commercial pilot/ flight instructor who is now earning his wings with the Navy as a student naval aviator).

I agree with the comments in the post above. To me the key is not just any FAA medical examiner - you can find those through the official FAA examiner search - https://designee.faa.gov/designeeLocator

The key is finding an examiner, who does these exams for the military, often, and knows their standards/ could flag a problem. I would contact a military base near you that has an aviation component (needs to do pilot physicals) and explain your DDs goal to "join their team" in the future and why you want to have your Class 1 battery of exams/tests completed by a team incl. ophthalmologist who does these for the military. I forget the skit that used the line "THAT's the ticket" but um, yeah, that's the magic sauce here. If you have trouble feel welcome to post your general area that you'd like one of these, or DM me with your general area and I can try to help. But try first directly.

This investment along with paying more than the average for the top lasik doc if needed are worthwhile investments for a pilot. Good luck to your DD.

 

[mommahedg]

While vision is a huge factor in getting approved to become a pilot, hearing is just as big. DS had to go through the waiver process because he couldn't hear the highest tone in one ear (you know - the one only dogs can hear). There were MRIs to make sure the structure of his ear is okay and multiple hearing tests with specialists to make sure that was the only issue. Took most of his Firstie year and 9 months after graduation to get everything completed and on file so he could go to flight training. He had 2 squadron buddies that didn't get to keep their pilot slots once the hearing tests were completed - none of them had ever had any hearing problems.

 

[Walking Tall]

Not sure why you are making the connection between majoring in CS/Cyber and not being a pilot. Majors don't normally have much effect on getting a rated job or not.

You are absolutely correct, your selected major have nothing to do with being selected for a pilot slot. Knowing that there's a shortage of pilot due to all the post that I've seen so far, I was just trying to say that DS has a chance to be one and I'm disappointed that he told me from the get go he doesn't want to be a pilot. I know it is his decision and I respect that but you cannot blame a parent for hoping. In another post I joked that I should have introduce him to combat flight simulator games when he was young instead of strategy games and maybe he will show a little more interest instead of absolutely nada.

 

[Bigrod]

There are many stories of people going to the Academy with no intentions of being a pilot. Things change. With all the flight programs they can do and some they have to do people end up changing their mi DS and do ask for that pilot slot. Also, it does go the other way too. People dead set on being a pilot and find themselves looking elsewhere when it comes time putting your job dream sheet together. Best of luck….

 

[flieger83]

There are many stories of people going to the Academy with no intentions of being a pilot. Things change. With all the flight programs they can do and some they have to do people end up changing their mi DS and do ask for that pilot slot. Also, it does go the other way too. People dead set on being a pilot and find themselves looking elsewhere when it comes time putting your job dream sheet together. Best of luck….

If you want to see how far "the other way" it can go, lookup my USAFA classmates (Brian Losey and Scott Moore). Scott's also my high school classmate.

See where they went.