Forum: Future F-16 crew

For my entire life I have wanted to do nothing more than being a fighter pilot but then it hit me. It's not like anything you see in the movies. 95% of all Airmen never see combat and if so less than 3% engage in actuall dogfights. Guys go there entire careers with out firing so much as a single round at an enemy aircraft yet so many people seem to dream this job into such a high prestige.

Lets look at it like this.
Say your a college student in AFROTC right now a freshmen
Your first 2 years will be GMC courses after that the staff at the college select a HANDFULL of people to go to Field training the rest of the ROTC core that was there might aswell just quit. AFTER field training the cadets are continually funneled down until there are only 17 or so Com'd officers from a graduating class. It is unlikely that any of those will ever become pilots.

So whats the point of the airforce if you dont become a fighter pilot? Unless anything less than a fighter pilot is acceptable to you than there is nothing.

Other routes, Joining something like the AIR GUARD is an option but you are most likely going to see combat in your career thats if the job is even around in 10 years UAVS could easily replace pilots.

Face it, its a dying breed a job that has not existed since the vietnam war.
IF you don't like being a pilot and only want to be a fighter pilot for the speed, dog fighting, and maneuvers then please give up on this dream now as its a non existent image painted by our media and goverment to increase recruitment numbers.

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???

Wow, I'm sorry you didn't get into the club. Oh, and if it took you your entire life to realize that being a fighter jock is not like the movies I'm not suprised you aren't one.

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95% of all Airmen never see combat and if so less than 3% engage in actuall dogfights. Guys go there entire careers with out firing so much as a single round at an enemy aircraft yet so many people seem to dream this job into such a high prestige.

I'm sorry would you like us to declare war on China or N. Korea so you can read about dogfights? Its not our fault our enemy has neither the equipment or desire to fly against us.

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Your first 2 years will be GMC courses after that the staff at the college select a HANDFULL of people to go to Field training the rest of the ROTC core that was there might aswell just quit. AFTER field training the cadets are continually funneled down until there are only 17 or so Com'd officers from a graduating class. It is unlikely that any of those will ever become pilots.

Where did/do you go to school? I did AFROTC at Purdue and I don't recall that being the case here. Not saying you're wrong, but just sounds like sour grapes to me.

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So whats the point of the airforce if you dont become a fighter pilot? Unless anything less than a fighter pilot is acceptable to you than there is nothing.

Are you serious? I grew up near WPAFB and I can tell you the USAF does some great and amazing stuff... and it is an outstanding employer in research and technological fields. If you were in ROTC you should know that putting on a uniform is something that feels special... if it wasn't special to you it isn't surprising that you didn't make it to Field Training. If you did make it to Field Training, I'm sorry you took someone else's slot.

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Other routes, Joining something like the AIR GUARD is an option but you are most likely going to see combat in your career thats if the job is even around in 10 years UAVS could easily replace pilots.

UAVS just might do that at some point in time... but if you've followed the development of the F-22A at all you should know not to expect anything earth shattering in the next 10, 15, 20 years. Also... ANG folks are top notch and fly the same aircraft as the AD pilots for the most part.

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IF you dont like being a pilot and only want to be a fighter pilot for the speed, dog fighting, and manuevars than please give up on this dream now as its a non existent image painted by our media and goverment to increase recruitment numbers.

If you don't like being a pilot and only want to be a fighter pilot for the speed and dog fighting... don't worry... you will NEVER get a slot. Every fighter pilot I have met has a love for flying. Maverick was a fictional character and unfortunately Hollywood has portrayed an unrealistic aspect of being a military pilot. Military pilots are dedicated, hard working people who do their job because that is all they have ever wanted to do. I too grew up wanting to become a TopGunesque pilot... but that was before I knew all of what into flying, and that was around age 14. And I tell you what, once I found out about the incredible amount teamwork, passion, and dedication that went into the job... I wanted to do it even more. Do I want to fly fighters? Yes. Would I "settle" for something "less"? You bet ya, because I want to be a pilot in the USAF... and there is nothing "less" about flying another aircraft.

I'm not trying to call you out or flame, because I rarely post and I know that my experience level is nothing compared to some of the great guys that post here. I'm just defending MY DREAM. Its sad that people don't understand what being a fighter pilot is all about. Just because there are less A2A engagements doesn't mean that flying isn't fun. Just ask any of the pilots that I've seen take off from a runway in southwestern Ohio on a random Saturday in March... cruise down the runway, and pull straight up into the sky. I just can't see it getting any better than that. I can only hope that some day I get paid to do that. I'm sure those who have been there can back me up, and to those of you who share my dream... never give up and never get discouraged... I hope to see you in a couple years.

No, your post is entirely correct what im stating is that the job is infact not like the movies.

Don't even try if all you want to do is dogfight
Don't even try if you dont want to take pride in the USAF
Don't even try if unless you are passionate about being a military member.

"A2A engagements doesn't mean that flying isn't fun. Just ask any of the pilots that I've seen take off from a runway in southwestern Ohio on a random Saturday in [Link pending approval] cruise down the runway, and pull straight up into the sky."

You just pretty much supported my message.

To me it would get old first couple years its great but then its just meh, Id rather be doing something that has a higher chance of me dieing.

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Id rather be doing something that has a higher chance of me dieing.

Then why don't you try dodging traffic for a living? Your comment is the most asinine thing I've ever heard.

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For my entire life I have wanted to do nothing more than being a fighter pilot than it hit me. Its not like anything you see in the movies. 95% of all Airmen never see combat and if so less than 3% engage in actuall dogfights. Guys go there entire careers with out firing so much as a single round at an enemy aircraft yet so many people seem to dream this job into such a high prestige.

I would say you're right about firing at the enemy almost never happens in a dog fight. But why do we think of it as such a prestige? Well just look at all the work the people who do it have to do to get to be able to train for the chance that they will see combat. Also it is not like just flying is'nt dangerous in nature, therefore under training conditions these guys and girls are willingly risking their lives for the off chance that they will have to fight for the constitution of the United States. I think they have the right to say their job is prestigious.

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Lets look at it like this.
Say your a college student in AFROTC right now a freshmen
Your first 2 years will be GMC courses after that the staff at the college select a HANDFULL of people to go to Field training the rest of the ROTC core that was there might aswell just quit. AFTER field training the cadets are continually funneled down until there are only 17 or so Com'd officers from a graduating class. It is unlikely that any of those will ever become pilots.

I would agree with you. I am currently a college freshman in ROTC. I think the point of doing ROTC is to funnel down the kids who want to and should be there and the kids who thought they wanted to be there but really weren't cut out for it. (no shame in that)

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So whats the point of the airforce if you dont become a fighter pilot? Unless anything less than a fighter pilot is acceptable to you than there is nothing.

If the only thing you will do in the Air Force is be a pilot then you're right you shouldn't be there.

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Other routes, Joining something like the AIR GUARD is an option but you are most likely going to see combat in your career thats if the job is even around in 10 years UAVS could easily replace pilots.

Face it, its a dying breed a job that has not existed since the vietnam war.
IF you dont like being a pilot and only want to be a fighter pilot for the speed, dog fighting, and manuevars than please give up on this dream now as its a non existent image painted by our media and goverment to increase recruitment numbers.

I would agree with a lot of your points but I think you should be careful in how you present your points. Instead of telling people to just give up and not be fighter pilot. you can tell them what it is really like and how it is nothing like the movies but still leave room for their decision and not just yours for them because believe or not some kids like myself would love the job for more reasons than just how cool Tom Cruise seems in Top Gun.

Dude, I have a job that's pretty high up there on the roasting my precious pink body scale, and BELIEVE me, having a gig that "......has a higher chance of me dieing" is vastly overrated. Plus, Ive never met a fighter pilot...and I've met a lot of them, who's ego was driven by a need to risk their life. They do it mostly because they are driven to excell at something, and most of them would excell at whatever it was they would be doing other than flying. I do my job because I love to do it, and I feel like it makes a difference in other people's life, not because it thrills me that I could be killed....hell I see people killed every 4th day taking showers, driving to work and eating lunch....there's nothing glamorous about getting killed amigo, and if dying is your goal, just wait a while.....it'll eventually happen....nobody gets out alive.

chick wrote:

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Id rather be doing something that has a higher chance of me dieing.

Then why don't you try dodging traffic for a living? Your comment is the most asinine thing I've ever heard.

Or try deck crew on an aircraft carrier, law enforcement, or just driving on the roads out here in Vegas with all the drunk tourists Wink

...

In all seriousness, I had wanted to be a fighter pilot from about the earliest I can remember. Several things got in the way - exercise induced asthma as a kid, bad eyesight (at least I don't need glasses to drive!), but overall, the biggest killer was a lack of drive and determination. I'll freely admit my shortcomings when they're true.

I have all the respect in the world for the guys and gals in uniform - heck, I only put in 30 hours of overtime last week answering phones and working tech support at a desk and I felt worn the foxtrot out! The pilots work their butts off, make no mistake, but so do all the maintainers, loaders, security guards, and everyone else who makes it happen.

If you're not in it to give it all you've got for your country, you don't belong there.

Dude - if you WANT a high risk gig, then I don't want you on my wing or in my squadron. Risk is something we live with, not something you go looking for.

Check Six

I'm not a pilot, but I did try to join the Belgian Air Force (didn't get in for medical reasons).... but the reason I wanted to join the air force is not to get in a dog fight and shoot an enemy... it's about the flying, flying one of the best aircraft ever made in a team that cooperates superbly.

Let me see if I can summarize your original post in softer words.

Military flying is not like in the movies. Yes, anyone who has done any research knows this. Thanks.
You expected it to be like the movies, and didn't get in. We understand your bitterness, but are not surprised.
Anything less than a fighter pilot slot is unacceptable to YOU. This is why you aren't a pilot.
There is extremely tough competition to become a pilot, especially a fighter pilot. Yep, This keeps unqualified and unrealistic people out of the position, allowing only the best.
You believe the only purpose of a fighter MWS is to shoot down other fighters. While "air superiority" is a primary goal, to beleive that is all a fighter pilot contributes is unreasonable, and really down right offensive.
If you only have dreams of flying an invincible plane at mach 2 while firing all 25 of your missles and singlehandedly winning a battle and have absolutly no realization or fear of a threat, then I agree with you, you should not be a pilot.

Thank god for those hard entrance req, right?

To be honest, I'd just be eternally happy to shoot some dummy bomb into a range everyday in my life as long as I was flying the bird Very Happy

Besides, there is an amount of dogfighting at training etc. isn't it ! 2 in 1: You get dogfight "like in the movies" and you get no chance of gettng mercyless killed in case you screw up. I'm all for getting that actually !

Well everyone,

I think this person set out to get at least two pages of response from us.

Good job kid. I knew one like you once, he turned down a city job on trash removal because he could not drive the truck. You can't get in a fighter so all the rest is a waste of time. I never saw one student at Webb AFB63-65 cry and pout or try to give up his wings because he got a chopper and not a Thud. You have a long way to go before you understand that concept.

Please spend more time in a creative writing course and then come back and make a clear point.

OLGO

Last edited by allenperos on Aug 31, 2006 - 02:26 AM; edited 1 time in total

POST DELETED.

Done
Good luck Kid

Olgo

Forum: Future F-16 crew

It's not like Top Gun - Chance of being pilot slim to none