Forum: Job Openings

Just wondered, for those who either are in the field working with UAVs/know individuals who work with them/UAV Pilots/etc, which AFSCs are either dealing with or can lead to a career path with UAVs?

I will be going to BMT at Lackland Febuary 24, 2009. I signed on with a "guareented" AFSC in Electronics, but I will choose specifically which one at Basic. Any advice on choosing an AFSC to better my chances on working with UAVs/Fifth Gen Fighters or that would be a stepping stone for cross-training or becoming a UAV pilot?

I would eventually like to look into becoming a UAV pilot or be part of the crew that helps maintain/oversea operations (not right off the bat of course but over time, my first step is getting my foot in the door), regarding this does one need to be an Officer to be a Pilot for a UAV system just as one needs to hold an Officer rank to fly?

Any advice would be extremely appreciate. Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,

Rob

F-16.net Sponsor

2A3X1 consists of A-10/F-15/U-2 avionics and 2A3X2 covers F-16/RQ-1/CV-22/F-117 avionics. As of 2003 I guess, not too sure where the 22 and 35 are I haven't checked.

Those AFSC's are for avionics aka pointy heads. I would recomend avionics or if they let you be a crew chief. I know some guys put the crew chiefs down calling them knuckle draggers but I as an an avionics tech for 5+ yrs have seen many crew chiefs get selected for pilot slots.

If you want to pilot UAV's, which are flown by enlisted personell by all branches of the military except for the Air Force, I would recomend focusing on excelling at your afsc whichever one you choose. Good grades at tech school and hitting the ground running when you get to your 1st duty station will go a long way. Each step of the way you'll want to distance yourself from the rest of the crowd. Don't look too far ahead to forget where you are at the time though. When you get to your first duty station they will tell you not to start college untill you get done with your CDC's, career development courses, but i've seen guys knock them out in weeks though. Read read and re-read them and you'll have no problem passing the tests for them.

What they don't tell you though is that you CAN take CLEP and DANTES tests while doing your CDC's. As soon as you get to your 1st duty station go to your education office they'll give you a list of all the clep tests available and from there you can go to the library and pick up a study packet for whatever test you want to take. Its so much easier and faster and cheaper than taking a full blown class. A little known fact too is that Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will let you clep out of all of your classes except for 10 for their professional aeronautics bachelors degree. They'll give you 36 credits off the bat just for avionics tech school. Take cleps while doing your cdc's and after your cdc's are done you'll have very little college left to do and then all your buddies will be like what the heck how did you get so far ahead of all of us.

Also pay attention to the medical requirements for uav pilots. I'm not too sure if they are the same as traditional pilots but if they are just make sure you get them taken care of before you go before a selection board. 3 months ago a buddy of mine had everything done except his medical and was denied. He came in 3rd and barely missed the 2 slots available.

Organize, plan, stay ahead, and stay focused.

Forum Veteran Joined: Jul 01, 2007 - 07:22 PM Posts: 620

You could be a sensor operator. I'm not sure what the AFSC is but they are the ones who actually get to do the fun stuff.

All most all of your sensor operator's are enlisted crew chief's and snake handler is right they are the one's who get to do the killing. The air force times had an article, it was about how they are slowly moving towards letting enlisted fly UAV's like the other branches.

sensor operators are 1N1X1's

Hav-Gun-Will-Travel

Sensor operators are not crew chiefs they are 1n1 imagery analysts. They work the sensor ball and laser and stuff but the pilot (Officer) is the one who shoots.

Stay Away from the Flightline, unless you wanna be working 10+ hour days, even some weekends for planes that arent even on the flying schedule the next week. I worked on F16's it fucken sucked. A-10, F15's are the same. If you want UAV's you might end up at creech in Nevada. A sh*t hole. life sucks in the fighter world. I got out and joined the guard C130's best thing ever. Try the guard and look for technitian jobs. its good pay.

Creech isn't that bad. I was there for the last 3 years before Abu Dhabi, UAE. Just live in the north west of Las Vegas and you are good to go. I would suggest the X1N1X1 career. The X prefix is a designation given to the 1N1's that are Sensor Operators. They have yet to create a specified AFSC for that position. There is a discussion right now about letting Enlisted fly the MQ-1's. Currently the Predator is the only plane a "non-rated" officer can fly. Go figure! The flight line for MQ-1's isn't bad, it's the deployments that suck. Although being predator or reaper you are like gold to the air force, and sometimes get special treatment on deployments. The planes fly for a very long time making life a bit easier too. The newer blocks are nice as well. The Block 5s were carberated engines, the block 10s were fuel injected. The Air Force gave all their Block 5s to Battlespace to work on. The Block 15 and Block 25's are just beefed up. The 25 was an attempt to go with a split cowl for the engine. It was in test when I separated with the air force. You can't go wrong with UAV careers so what ever you choose good luck.

prior RQ-1L, MQ-1L, MQ-1B, MQ-9 crew chief with the 232nd OS Nevada Air National Guard (THE FIRST ANG UAV UNIT!).

justinfluegel
I collect Air Force patches. You dont happen to have any extras from your unit? I have some extra MQ-9 ones if you want to trade.

www.aircommando.com/rwm1.jpg

afsocwes@aol.com

Just about a week or so ago a message came down called "14 Things Airman Need To Know About 2009". In this message it was released that the Air Force is Considering allowing Enlisted Members "pilot" UAV's. So, you may get your chance before you know it. I have to agree with fightertoheavy, stay away from the flight line if at all possible. I've been working F-16's for the last 5 years and it's hell. The average day is 10+ hours and life is rough. The smell of JP-8 doesnt go away very quickly.

justinfluegel,

what did you do in UAE? And Are you still there? I'll be there in June and am trying to get info on the base and what unit I'll possibly be with. I'll be there for a year as my short tour. Any help will be appreciated. thanks

Spoke to one of my friends at Edwards AFB. And he said General Atomics is hiring a couple of hundred more guys. I guess they just a new maintenance contract.

http://search9.smartsearchonline.com/ge ... search.asp

Forum: Job Openings

Advice for UAV jobs in the USAF?