Forum: Future F-16 crew

Hi, I'm 27years old, turning 28 March 30, 2006. I desperately wan to fly Active Duty, Reserves, or ANG, either fixed wing or helicopters - heck, I'd even fly blimps if they had em. I have a few questions:

1. What is my best route given my situation? ANG, Reserves, or Active Duty?

2. A reserves recruiter told me I need to find a unit that wants me, how do I do that?

3. If you know of any ANG units that will have a UPT board this year, please let me know - you can email me.

4. Do I have a chance? Please add any recommendations, I'm open to anything right now.

Here's a little about myself:
-BA Business Admin (Apr 06)
[Link pending approval] GPA
-Prior Air Force (4yrs. honorable)
-Private Pilots Liscense (350Hrs PIC, Cessna's & PT-17 Stearman)
-30min F-18 Simulator (Lemoore NAS) - Just though I'd throw that [Link pending approval]
-Strong desire to fly & serve my country - not trying to simply get training, I want to fly (military planes) until the FAA or my body says I'm too old to do so.

Thanks

F-16.net Sponsor

I would say ANG is your best route although I wouldnt think OTS is completely out of the question. Others on here will have a better oppinion than mine. Usually though in my expereince on this forum I always see people tell the older guys (not as in old ; but as in nearing their deadlines) to go ANG. Why? I guess that's just the way it is. A few things...

1.) already stated above....

2.) goto http://www.wantscheck.com This website is useful for two purposes... a.) it will give you a comparison of your stats to others who are on your path and in your shoes and succeeded. (GPA, AFOQT scores, etc...) b.) Under the subheading flying jobs you will find list of available Reserve and Gaurd units and you can narrow the search to your area if you'd like.

3.) If you want people to do this, you should probably post your e-mail Wink

4.) I say you deffinatly have a chance. The AF Regulation to get in a cockpit is waiverable up to age 30 now. You still have 3 years and that's a lot. Plus you have a good hand of flying time under your belt, and it may just be me but I'd say your time on an F-18 sim actually helps too. It shows you know what your getting yourself into. Your prior enlisted too, and that never hurts. Especially if you worked hard in your last job the AF will have a record of that and they can use that to assume you will work hard in this job too. I say you deffinatly have a chance; stay optimistic Smile

Also, always remember; "Always assume the best of all outcomes but prepare for the worste!"

Others will chime in soon with more info than I can give you.

-Aaron

Hey dude...
First of all, youre not too late...but need to put the pedal to the metal.
1. I would go guard.
2. To find a unit, go visit one that has your job and then just get in. Keep in mind, you may not be in the most favorable situation but sometimes you have to take a step backward so that you have the opportunity to take a giant leap forward.
3. A lot/most have boards this year. Google something like "ANG UPT Boards" and you should see plenty. Also go to wantscheck.com to get a few.
4. Your chances are determined by you. Make it happen.

Pointers on Stats
1. Take AFOQT, BAT test. Cant do sh*t without these done.
2. Make personal marketing folder of your AF career (awards, training, AFOQT, BAT/PCSM Scores etc) and take it to units that you decide to visit. Meet with the UPT "Dude in charge" and allow him to look at it. Ask him straight up if you are competitive. They will tell you...trust me.
3. Compile letters of recomendations. Usually from a pilot or two(military) and then use your judgement on the rest.
4. After you do these things, come back here and we'll move forward.

Holla
Willio

Edit: Throw out the F-18 sim. Though it looks cool, its a POS and 30 min in the sim doesnt help you much. 3000 maybe...
Or maybe even a 3000 hour Falcon 4.0 pilot like myself... JK!!! Very Happy

TenqNoHi
Whoops... we posted nearly the same thing at the same time.

Thanks for the comments so far everyone. Geez, I wish you folks were recruiters. All the recruiters I've talked to are reluctant to do any paperwork, I really had to push just to get an AFOQT scheduled, especially ANG and reserves. In addition, they always say, "oh, you'd barely make it" or "you have very slim chances". I just tell them, lets go for it and let the selection board or someone else say I can't do it. I don't argue with them, but this really is a chance of a lifetime.

Outsideloop,

Man it looks like you got the right mindset don't be discouraged. Let me make a suggestion though..... ARMY. Hear me out, I was an F-16 crew chief for 9 years and I joined the Army National Guard because I want to fly Helo's. I have orders to attend WOCS with follow on flight school at Fort Rucker Alabama. I went guard but Active Duty Army Literally holds a Board every other month selecting at least 50 people every time. And things happen fast this route. I have a buddy who put in his package one month, boarded a month later and three months after that was in WOCS. Don't be disillusioned though it is competitive and their is a lot of paperwork to do. If you want any more info on this option PM me I did it. By the way i'm 27 to.

Pete

Sweetpete also presents a very good option. In all actuality most of us on here probably think AF minded since that's what most of us are doing; you have hundreds of options ahead of you though. Try investigating the marine core. There is a rumor running around that they are "garunteeing" pilot slots. Just remember to have someone read the fine print before you "sign." Make sure they know you have no problem serving you country or you wouldnt have been prior enlisted, but make sure you also let them know you want to fly and if the MC cant offer that to you ; you'd rather persue a different path. (And I would talk to an Officer in the Marines... ever since the Marines got those incentive bonuses for recruitments; they have been saying a lot of junk) Sure, it's the marines and they are hard core... but tell yourself you can hack it and you can! Oh yeah, then cross your fingers you dont fly an Osprey! Wink

WILZ, actually I'd rather you say because you are the one that has a lot of expereince in the gaurd path Smile

I'm just using my expereince from other threads.

Just stay positive Outsideloop Smile

They tell you you cant do it because they never got to! Prove 'em wrong!

-Aaron

Hey y'all,
Just joined the forum, although I'm a frequent visitor to this site. I had to join when i saw this thread. I've been in college for two years now, majoring in mathematics, and I'm considering transfering to another college and doing AFROTC. It would be a dream of mine to fly for the air force, but I'm not confident that I could pass the flight physical. I'm in excellent physical health, but my eyesight is not as great as it used to be and i have a throid problem that will probably not go away anytime soon. I've been told that those things pretty much disqualify me, but I'm looking into talking to a flight surgeon anyway. I was wondering if the physical requirements are the same throughout the flying community, whether your a tanker, helo or a fighter pilot.

FNG,

For future reference you should create a new thread if you have a question that is too unrelated to the thread you are posting in. The only reason is that the person who created his thread will have the trouble of sifting through two conversations now to find the answers to the question he asked.

To answer your question, it doesnt matter what you plan to fly, the physical is the same, because when you start UPT (especially AD from ROTC) you will not know which air frame you are selected for. In fact, you will be in UPT almost 1/3 the time without a track select. So just because you qualify for a heavie's health standards doesn't neccessarily mean you qualify for a helo's standards and you dont know which one you'll get. Therefore, they made it simple and made them all the same. Still persue a flight surgeon though. PRK is a possible option for you vision and additionally for something like a thyroid problem, usually if you can get a doctor to sign a note that says it wont inhibit your ability to do your job, you can have it waivered. Has your DOBMERB come back on your field training slot? If that's waivered I'm sure youll have no problems. Just think outside the box and consider your other options.

-Aaron

Sorry about that. I'll create a new one next time.
Thanks for the quick response. I think it will be best to just talk to a flight surgeon.

FNG
The requirements are the same for all aircrew. All go through an Initial Flying First Class physical. Your results are sent to Brooks AFB where they are approved or disapproved. You then go to Brooks for more in depth physicals. They make no distinction what aircraft you will be flying because you dont know yet. The only guys who have an idea are Guard/Reserve but even they have to earn their jet in UPT.
After you are selected for fighters, you go to the puke and juke... g trainer. You have to go through certain requirements of g tolerance for the particular airframe youre going to (you know by now which jet youre getting). ie: Viper requirements=9Gs for a certain amount of time. If you can't without GLOC, youre out. Lata

OUTSIDETHELOOP
Recruiters are usually that way. The way I look at it is as follows.
You have to use them... there is really no way around it. You want to be nice because they do a lot of paper work (clearance!!! bastards fucked mine up and it took 720 days for my clearance to go through!!!) for you and you dont want to piss them off when you are trying to get things scheduled(AFOQT). I just used them for what they are worth. It may sound harsh but you have a goal in mind. Use them as much as you can and then move on. Most recruiters know that people do not like them... be kind but accept no BS and youll be fine. Do not take "No" for an answer. Press them on issues... call them daily. They will put you to the back of the stack if you dont. You are just a number to them. They have a certain quota and they will take the easier "numbers" if they can... same end result in their eyes. Sorry to ramble.... Lata!
Willio

Forum: Future F-16 crew

Getting Qualified for OTS or UPT Selection - 27yrs old!!