Forum: Technology

After flying for 31 years, Ive lost my medical. What are the quals to fly a uav? The only non-military source would be the cia. Ive look on there web-site, it doesnt list pilots, or uav pilots.

F-16.net Sponsor

Any guard units flying uav's?

The problem is ; im pretty sure UAV pilots AD or Gaurd still need to qualify in the T-38 once a year. That would still require a positive physical.

-Aaron

Don't think so...rules are a navigator can be a UAV pilot if he has a civvie commercial ticket.

Guard will have UAVs, just not yet.

From internal Job posting (Boeing)

Required: A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) commercial pilot's license and appropriate category endorsements, such as Single or Multi-Engine Land (SMEL) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). • Graduation from a military test pilot school, or meets waiver criteria set forth in Defense Contract Management Agency Instruction 8210.1. • A minimum of 1500 flight hours as pilot, navigator, weapons systems operator or Naval Flight Officer in tactical aircraft, and 300 hours PIC of which at least 200 are in manned aircraft. Graduation from military UAV pilot training is preferred. Must pass a flight physical to attain an FAA Class II medical certificate and pilot performance screening

I think that is for UCAV test flying. Reasonably certain that does NOT represents USAF requirements for Predator or Global Hawk ops (Predator or GH pilots ARE NOT required to be Test Pilots.

Now that ive lost my medical,im thinking uav flying,but dont know how to get started?

My quals are 12000 hrs,atp,4 type ratings,20yrs aviation business)frerght,charter,corporte,airline).

Syracuse(174th) will be adding a predator squadron... well hopefully adding, still not sure if the 138th is going to convert or if theya re going to just gain a squadron...

Dont need to fly T-38, some of my bro's are flying them. You can have it, sorry dude, but fighter pilots don't want to fly them.

Wow. If those are the requirements, it's gross overkill. Laughing

Personally; id rather be a has-been than a UAV pilot. Its not like your failure to pass a physical made your history as a pilot any less amazing. But I admire your enthusiasm to not let uncontrollable things get in your way. Good luck to you on any road you take.

-Aaron

At the moment you have to be a current rated pilot, with at least 500hrs in something tactical. At least that's the latest intel I have, it changes daily. My unit, 119FW NDANG, is getting predators in the near future and as a UPT alternate I'm deeply interested in this situation. The UPT spot is still for F-16's, and after UPT I'd go to a unit that still has 16's to build time. I'd then go to predator school, and return to ND. In my own self interest I hope it stays like this, but I can see the current/rated requirements changing. There was rumors of the RPV(Remotely Piloted Vehicle, UAV apparently didn't make acceptable alphabet soup) Pilot position of even being an unrated enlisted position. I don't see that happening too soon though. To keep pilots rated in a real aircraft (and secondly to haul stuff) we are also getting 130's and eventually another light cargo aircraft. Hope that helps, let me emphasize that this stuff seems to change daily, but this where the ANG is at this moment.

G-reg,
I heard a rumor you guys getting the 4 herc's as interim airlifters until the C-27's get there in 2010/2011? I also heard that they are gonna hire UND instructors that have a CFII to help man the ranks of the predator pilots. You heard anything about this?

We are getting 130's(E models Confused

) to bridge the gap between the 16's and what ever light cargo aircraft we get. The C27 is one of three options, and part of reason to have them is to keep Predator pilots current in a real aircraft. As far as UND CFII helping to Pilot the Predators....I think we'll get F-22's before that happens. That sounds like a rumor "the Harvard of the North" would like to be true but it really makes no sense at all. I'll eat my words if I'm wrong, but as a UND Aero Alumni that sounds like the usual rumor mill crap.

Forum: Technology

Flying Uav's