Forum: Future F-16 crew

Just wanted to know if you have to go to college or anything before you go into the airforce. If you do,how many years? What subjects are recommended?

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If you have the proper High School classes, a good SAT (1300 min) you could apply for the USAF Academy (or you could try for the USAF Academy Prep School), if not you could try for an AF ROTC scholarship, or if you already have your degree, OTS. Yes, in the USAF to be a pilot you need to have a college degree. If you choose to come in enlisted, a High School diploma will do the trick. It shoud be noted that if you enter as an enlisted troop, the USAF is paying 100% for college tution, it may take a bit longer going to night school and or internet classes,but it can be done.

Good Luck!

Salute Fighting Falcon!

You can reply to me using the 'private message' feature of this super BB.

Cylon and STBYGAIN are active Viper pilots. I am retired, but I recruit anyone I can that has the motivation, hands and all the rest required.

Loader has got most of it EXACTLY right. There are a lot of other things to consider, but get with me.

Three weeks ago, I visited my high school and talked with the 'yutes'. I was surprised how little they knew about pursuing a career in USAF or just wanting to fly jets! So your question is a good one.

Plenty of folks on this BB to help out, and they are honest, dedicated, good folks who work on the jets, fly the jets, or are just all around good guys.

ouit,

To add to what loader said, be careful to not let yourself get too old like I did. You have to be in UPT (pilot training) before your 30th birthday. If you're looking at Active Duty then you have to have your package before the board before you're 28 1/2.

Another option is the Guard, many units select their pilots from the enlisted ranks. You can get tuition assistance to go to school and have a part-time job one weekend a month. You could also look at it as a way to help pay for school then go Active Duty from the Guard.

There are lots of options, but you're doing the right thing by asking questions first.

talk about letting yourself get to old,. . .I'm 27, I'll be 28 in November and I'm thinking about enlisting. I got a BA in photography from Cal State Fullerton and I was thinking about being an Air Force photog. Is 28 the cuttoff for enlisting??

Well, I don' t think I'll have to worry about getting too old,cause I'm 13.
Thanks for all the information!
Also, do you have to excel in things like math and science,or do you just need to know the basics?

It's better to know maths and science because you will need them, especially the maths, as you will need to use tirgnometry and bearings when your in the operations desk, reviewing the flightline and checkpoints.

Quote:

Is 28 the cuttoff for enlisting?

No If I remember right you have till you are 35...that is also the cut off age for Officers if memory serves me right.

As for Fighting Falcon I have some insight for you....

I just turned 27 and am at UVA in Virginia, I have two years to finish my degree and will be in ROTC, I'll be put up for a pilot slot eval my senior year...All I am waiting on right now is my age waiver.

The Air Force is seriously pushing for Technical Degrees I.E. Engeneering degrees, and math degrees. This is the path you should most likely take....non-technical degree slots are getting harder and harder to find.
Study..Study..Study.
Keep up the good grades, get involved in team sports...soccer-football-- etc...Go for team captain (the military loves leaders)
Be a team player--
Stay focused on your goal--if you get side tracked you'll have a very hard time getting back in the saddle (so-to-speak)
Be proactive--don't wait for situations to present themselves, look for ways to be involved, do research, get your private pilot's license gain knowledge of aircraft and flying....
Keep your chin up...its hard work getting to pilot training but it will be well worth the sweat, toil, and sacrifice

Good luck to you! Cheers!

"No If I remember right you have till you are 35...that is also the cut off age for Officers if memory serves me right.

As for Fighting Falcon I have some insight for you....

I just turned 27 and am at UVA in Virginia, I have two years to finish my degree and will be in ROTC, I'll be put up for a pilot slot eval my senior year...All I am waiting on right now is my age waiver."

Hey Vypergrl,

What can you tell me about age waivers....at 29 years old, I'm still chasing a dream...
Don't know what else I can do at this point....I'm sitting on two Masters degrees, a year away from a PhD in Aerospace engineering, I work in the Space Shuttle program down here at Kennedy Space Center, and I can fly anything that isn't welded to the ground. I did some graduate research in wing flutter for stores-loaded F-16's and can tell you more about the structural mechanics than most folks who fly 'em. I can't get the USAF to bite and take me for UPT. I have tried and tried and I'm getting closer to the final limit....care to drop me an email and let me know anything about age waivers? (kurt@stresau.net)

K

I really wish that, given the great shortage of pilots that the AF is currently experiencing, they'd suspend many of the requirements and open the gate to anyone who wishes to try. Let them be weeded out by their performance in the classrooms and in other training.

I'd be all in favor of such a move. If I ran the zoo, anyone, regardless of age, experience, or educational level would be permitted to apply for any slot including pilot slots. The training would be tough enough to weed out all but the very best.

Some of the best and brightest people on the planet don't have a college degree, but they'd make great pilots and great officers. I can't see any sense in excluding them from the opportunity to at least try out for such a position.

But that's not how things are now, obviously.

Interesting trivia: Of the current Thunderbirds team, ALL BUT ONE of the twelve flight officers are Air Force Academy graduates. The one that isn't got his commission via an Air Force ROTC program in college.

If you want to fly fighters for the Air Force, try very hard to get into the Academy. It seems like that's where
most fighter pilots come from.

CJ

Yeah, one of the new guys is also ROTC.. (Shredder, he just got picked up).

Cylon

First of all - great site! I'm brand new to this site as well as the viper community and there is definitely a lot of good info here.

It's true that there are generally more USAFA grads who go to pilot training than ROTC but it's definitely not impossible if you choose to do the ROTC thing. I was an AFROTC grad and I'm currently here at Luke for viper training with another buddy of mine from college. Just keep working hard and getting good grades and everything will work out!

Choke

I just had a few more questions about getting into the Academy before the Air Force. I understand the grades, SAT's,ACT's ect, but really what do they look for in a potential cadet? Also for getting a pilot spot what things do you have to complete in order to get a pilot slot for fighters, EX. polygraph test, PAST test(what min score?), certain time served, good form 50 eval, no LOR's? Putting aside all the things for the schooling portion what do they look for in a potential USAF Viper driver?

WildWeasel0301

Thanks for all the information!
Also,do you think that getting my private pilot's license would help my chances?

Forum: Future F-16 crew

Question about becoming F-16 pilot