Forum: Future F-16 crew

Hello all,

I am another starry eyed dreamer of life as an AF pilot. I have done a lot of research into the path I will have to take after I complete my four year degree (next summer) in order to achieve this dream. I know that I will have to finish up my private pilots license, build at least 51hrs of time, take the AFOQT, BAT, and do the whole interview process. I am doing well in college, am fairly athletic, and play enough vids to challenge the BAT (Falcon 4.0 rocks!), so I think I will have a fair chance at a good PSCM score.

I have been hearing from my fellow civilian counter parts, who totally despise my wanting to join the AF, that the AF will tell you anything so that you will join. It was my understanding that if you are accepted into OTS and UPT, that you are guaranteed some type of pilot position, depending on your grades and track choice during UPT. My friends laugh and say that the AF is lying and that I will be a bomb loader the rest of my life if I join. (nothing against bomb loaders, that's just their joke) Rolling Eyes

My question is this:
If I get my acceptance letter into OTS and UPT, isn?t that a guaranteed pilot slot assuming that I pass OTS and UPT? Or is the Air Force making false promises?

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Yes, that is true. If you are accepted to UPT, you are going to be a pilot as long as you make it through UPT.

Also, if you are accepted to OTS, you aren't going to be a bomb loader, regardless of whether you get into UPT or not. Also, as far as finishing your private pilot's license, the Air Force has a program called IFT (introduction to flight training). In essence, the Air Force pays for you to get your private pilot's license. It's now mandatory that you have your license before you go to UPT, so if you don't and you're accepted, I believe they automatically enroll you. I would look into that first before you foot the bill yourself. http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=138

Now, if you haven't gotten accepted to OTS or IFT yet, and you only have a few hours left before you get your license, I would go ahead and finish on my own if I were you, as it may help with those acceptance letters.

Bottom line, do all the research that you can, and ask as many people as you can (just like you've already done) before you believe your friends or a recruiter.

Oh yeah, the Air Force readily admits that the BAT test really doesn't tell them anything about a person's ability to make it through pilot training (however, IFT does actually give a good indication of piloting skills), and yet they still administer it. Who knows why. We were just talking about it the other day, and after we took the test, none of us pilots here ever heard anything of it again. They never even told us what our score was. I guess just take it and do your best, but don't stress out about it, because it really doesn't mean anything.

Good luck!

Rexxxx

Great! Thanks for the response.

I will have to look at that link on the IFT program. I have only a few hours at a flight school right now, and really dont want to have to pull an education loan to finish. However, if I do get my PPL before applying I will know for sure if being a career pilot is really for me. After my first few flights I can't imagine this not being the case. I assume that you have to make some sort of commitment to the AF before they just hand you money for IFT at a civilian FS? (Does Microsoft's flight simulator count for anything, I can fly in complete fog/darkness and still find my way home to land in that game. LOL)

In the meantime I am doing as much research as possible, which is what brought me to this awesome site. My next step is to find an AF pilot here in Seattle that I can talk to about their job.

BTW- saw the thunderbirds and Blue Angels a couple of weekends ago. Blue Angels were limited due to local restrictions, but the thunderbirds at McChord AFB rocked!

Thanks Again!

Sounds like you're on the right track. Believe it or not, MS Flight Sim isn't a bad thing to use for practice, as long as you keep in mind that it is just a simulation and not a substitute for the real thing.

Yes, you do have to make a commitment before the AF will pay for anything for you, but hey, they're paying you to fly. How bad can it really be?!

Much appreciated Rexxxx. Really.

Sounds like you have been through all of this and are now where I want to be one day so I gotta ask, do you still love it? What track did you pick in UPT?
Not Worthy

IMHO you should still think about what happens when you wash out of pilot training.

What other officer job in the air force would you like to do?
Would you be happy doing that or would you consider it a lousy job, well below what you could do if you try a different carrer path?

Glad to help. Yes, I still love it, and don't see myself stopping anytime soon. Someone gave me some great advice once, and I still use it today: No matter what job you do, always look at it like they're only paying you to do the parts of it that you don't like. The stuff you like you do for free. When you look at things that way, if you're really doing a job that you love, you'll find that you're grossly overpaid!

Hansundfranz has some good advice as well, and that applies to anything you do. It is wise to have a backup plan IF (not when) things don't work out, but also don't spend too much time dwelling on it. Especially in pilot training, you can't spend too much time thinking about the "what if's". At that point, you really need to focus on achieving that goal.

Oh, I definitely picked the fighter track in UPT. Can't fly the viper if you go T-1's! Wink

That's a good point. I have never been one to fail at a goal, mainly because I don't set impossible goals for myself, but you must always prepare for the unknown.

I'm sure the Air Force has a lot of great opportunities aside from being a pilot, but flying Vipers is the goal for me. Sounds like just getting accepted into the program through the OTS track is going to be difficult enough. I need to know that accepting a UPT slot means that someone else, who dreams like me, didn't make it and I need to bust my butt to make sure it isn't wasted (not to mention busting my butt to get a fighter slot. Crazy Pilot

)

Thanks again fellas, all this knowledge is extremely helpful.

Tell your buds to go F*&% themselves.

Yeah - your civilian counterparts sound like they were built out of "counter parts". They need to keep their mouths shut when something is being discussed beyond their scope of knowledge. I know a few bomb loaders who would be happy to help them out with that.....

Will do fellas, gladly. Slap

Last edited by swanee on Aug 12, 2005 - 12:21 AM; edited 1 time in total

I really dislike people who think that other peoples jobs are less important. I deal with it on a regular basis (as do we all) in the ice hockey officiating world. (I am either going to be a jet jock or a referee in the NHL as a career; I'm working on both.)

There is a saying that goes like this: "...just a f*cking linesman" and I hate it. If someone doesn't do their job everything falls apart. If your linesmen don't do their job, it's going to be a brawl that night.

Everyone is important, the pilot, the chief, the loaders, the fuel guys, the guy in the tower, even the person who sits behind the Ops desk.

That being said, the only service who promises you a fighter slot before going to UPT is the Marine Corp. (they hit up my college constantly)
Edit: The Guard is also a place where you know what airframe you will be flying before going to UPT.

Yep - even the folks in personnel and the chow hall. It's hard to fix jets on an empty stomach and no money in the wallet....

You get a UPT slot and then you go to OTS and UPT.... Read around guys. If you need any other questions answered, go to www.baseops.net or www.wantscheck.com. Later

Well, what are the carrer options of a non pilot/WSO officer in the air force?

I recon there must be managing personal (officers) in supply, maintenece , intelligence, medicine etc. Still what are the chances of personal out of that pathes to become generals?

Are there any other non flying combat jobs for officers?

In the navy they could always switch the beeing a black shoe and end up as admiral with their own fleet (with lots of luck and effort of course).

Forum: Future F-16 crew

False promises?