Flight Hours

[Randy Daytona]

That's fair and it sounds like an answer to my question is forming. Everyones flight time is different, but expect to spend plenty of time out of the cockpit. I expect plenty of desk work but my question forms from talking to a Marine pilot. He told me at times he only gets a couple hours a month... So I was hoping to avoid a situation like this. And I know, I know alligators and all. Its still important to know what lies at the end of the road though.

It is confusing to me that an aviator thinks my desire to fly doesn't make sense. Do you enjoy what you do?

One of the things to consider is if you want to fly after your initial fleet tour. Some go to their respective RAG/FRS and gain more time in model, others go to the Training Command and fly jet trainers. If you go jets, you would likely get to be a T-45 instructor, if you go props you would likely be a T-44 or T-6 instructor, and if you go helos you could either be a helicopter instructor (aircraft to soon be determined) or a T-6 instructor. The training command is where you can build up a large number of flight hours. Some of the current guys might want to chime in as my reference is dated, but we flew easily flew double or triple the amount of hours in the training command that we flew in the fleet.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

One of the things to consider is if you want to fly after your initial fleet tour. Some go to their respective RAG/FRS and gain more time in model, others go to the Training Command and fly jet trainers. If you go jets, you would likely get to be a T-45 instructor, if you go props you would likely be a T-44 or T-6 instructor, and if you go helos you could either be a helicopter instructor (aircraft to soon be determined) or a T-6 instructor. The training command is where you can build up a large number of flight hours. Some of the current guys might want to chime in as my reference is dated, but we flew easily flew double or triple the amount of hours in the training command that we flew in the fleet.

P-3 tour: 1,250 hours

T-6 IP: 1,280 hours

 

[RedFive]

I disagree. I’ve had a few Engineering internships and shadowing opportunities throughout my time at university. Cubicle life bores me to absolute death and a 9-5 in civ div makes me want to bash my head into a wall. Flying an aircraft for the Navy excites me, I don’t really care whether it’s fixed or rotary (but I’d like to know who gets the most time in the sky).

Wait a second...

I want flight hours just because I want to fly. This has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. After my service I plan on falling back on my degree. What do you mean not all hours are created equal?

As a former engineer, I agree with you, cubicle life sucks. But Naval Aviators also have cubicles. So which is it, are you falling back on your degree or are you going to fly the cubicle in the sky?

It is confusing to me that an aviator thinks my desire to fly doesn't make sense. Do you enjoy what you do?

We all love flying, don't be absurd. There's much more to being an Naval Aviator than simply flying. And the type of flying one guy does is completely different from the next guy. And the flying you do on Monday will be completely different on Tuesday. Personally, I love landing in the dirt, I love VERTREP, I love chasing down drug boats, and I even enjoy putting a Hellfire downrange (despite the annoying software)...but I think Starboard D is completely worthless flying (necessary, but worthless). That's me. You will have a completely different experience/opinion.

You want to know what the right answer is? You already got it...

My advice to you is that you've got a long way to go to community selection, so focus on the closest alligator in the boat. Crush the ASTB/OCS/API/Primary and then it will be time to pick.

None of us have a clue what will happen in ten years. Everyone who has flown recently has a little bit of a thinner logbook than their predecessors because of sequestration. Make good decisions today, don't wait to make perfect decisions next week.

 

[Gatordev]

Everyones flight time is different, but expect to spend plenty of time out of the cockpit. I expect plenty of desk work but my question forms from talking to a Marine pilot. He told me at times he only gets a couple hours a month... So I was hoping to avoid a situation like this. And I know, I know alligators and all. Its still important to know what lies at the end of the road though.

I would caution you to think of it strictly as who gets the more flight time. What Treetop is saying is spot on. For me, I wanted lots of flight time (and still do), but 1,280 hours flying P-3s is not what I wanted to do with my life.

That said, the newer the airframe, typically the healthier the community is. There are obviously exceptions. Second comes how high in demand the community is. There are obviously exceptions there, too.

I know this is completely irrational, but I have no desire to be in the army...

There's nothing irrational about that.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

That's fair and it sounds like an answer to my question is forming. Everyones flight time is different, but expect to spend plenty of time out of the cockpit. I expect plenty of desk work but my question forms from talking to a Marine pilot. He told me at times he only gets a couple hours a month... So I was hoping to avoid a situation like this. And I know, I know alligators and all. Its still important to know what lies at the end of the road though.

It is confusing to me that an aviator thinks my desire to fly doesn't make sense. Do you enjoy what you do?

I enjoyed flying very much in the fleet. I wanted to fly a jet, blow shit up, and kill terrorists. I almost certainly would have gotten more hours in C-130’s than harriers, but I would much prefer a 1.3 in a harrier to a 6.0 in a herc. I don’t fly harriers any more, and I still enjoy flying but I don’t give a shit about hours. I shoot for the 100 hour minimum in the reserves, and the least hours for the most pay in the airlines.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Alright guys let’s close this thread down.

 

[Jim123]

You can get really mad flight hours in a tethered balloon.

Just sayin'...

IBTL

 

[Hair Warrior]

Michael López-Alegría - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

^ This naval aviator logged 5,160 flight hours in one year, at a cruising speed of around 17k mph.

 

[Mos]

When people say Maritime they’re referring to the P3 or P8 right?

Yes. P-3/P-8 missions can run about 8-ish hours long, sometimes longer, and this is without inflight refueling (which the P-8 is getting). That tends to add up, even if you're sharing those hours with three other aviators, and there's usually a lot of demand for what we do.

If it's flying that you really care about, why not keep an open mind about the USAF? If USN officer accession didn't work out for you, would you be willing to try USAF as a back up?

 

[ajpurvis]

Yes. P-3/P-8 missions can run about 8-ish hours long, sometimes longer, and this is without inflight refueling (which the P-8 is getting). That tends to add up, even if you're sharing those hours with three other aviators, and there's usually a lot of demand for what we do.

If it's flying that you really care about, why not keep an open mind about the USAF? If USN officer accession didn't work out for you, would you be willing to try USAF as a back up?

I’ve been rigorously studying this past month for the ASTB and feel confident but won’t take it until next week. I do feel confident in my abilities and record but am keeping an opened mind. Why do people keep bringing up USAF? Are the differences in flight hours so significant? If you wouldn’t mind my asking, what are some benefits to Air Force versus the Navy?

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I’ve been rigorously studying this past month for the ASTB and feel confident but won’t take it until next week. I do feel confident in my abilities and record but am keeping an opened mind. Why do people keep bringing up USAF? Are the differences in flight hours so significant? If you wouldn’t mind my asking, what are some benefits to Air Force versus the Navy?

Sounds like a great question to ask an USAF Officer Recruiter.

 

[Hotdogs]

He told me at times he only gets a couple hours a month... So I was hoping to avoid a situation like this.

It’s totally dependent on largely things you can’t control. Hornet/Harriers/Shitters got dogshit hours in most cases for the last 6-8 years due to maintenance. (<800). C-130/H-1s got an average amount of hours (800-1200 hrs). Osprey and Prowler guys bagged more hours than anyone I know due to deployments (+1,200). The only thing that separated them as you can see were deployments and maintenance readiness. Neither of which you can control. Quals also played in the variables inside the squadron. Some H-1 guys I know only flew 800 hrs in a tour (Non-IP/Flight lead), Should’ve been FFPB’d) and others flew in excess of 1,400 (WTI, FLSE) Post-fleet tour was a complete crap shoot for continuing to fly. Largely depended on MOS and billet availability.

Why do people keep bringing up USAF? Are the differences in flight hours so significant? If you wouldn’t mind my asking, what are some benefits to Air Force versus the Navy?

The USAF has more jobs for pilots in which their primary duty is flying (makes sense right?). There aren’t as many career repercussions for staying inside the cockpit for most of their career for USAF pilots. In the Navy/Marines there are less pilot jobs, but plenty of jobs where they need a pilot to not fly, but provide aviation expertise to coordinate integration amongst the various war-fighting functions.

 

[ajpurvis]

I almost certainly would have gotten more hours in C-130’s than harriers, but I would much prefer a 1.3 in a harrier to a 6.0 in a herc.

I’m still trying to catch up on terminology... you mean 1.3 hrs in a harrier vs 6 hrs in a herc right?

 

[RedFive]

Why do people keep bringing up USAF? Are the differences in flight hours so significant? If you wouldn’t mind my asking, what are some benefits to Air Force versus the Navy?

Pretty much what @Hotdogs said. The Navy has been great and I'm sure it made me (most of us?) a more well rounded person than I might have been otherwise -- but I've always been aware that I was flying for an organization whose mission is not dedicated to flying. Don't delude yourself, the Navy's mission is the ocean and that requires ships. Ships are fucking expensive. As someone currently in the process of applying for Silver Wings, I'm pretty excited to just be a pilot. Yeah, the AF has their own BS, but when you're coming from the Navy/Marine perspective, it's night and day.

Say what? You deploy for 2 months? You get a van ride to the aircraft? You get your own room on deployment? No squad bay? No stank ass JO jungle? No ship food?? (Although the cookies are legit) THERE'S BEER???????????????????????????????????

I think the numbers will tell you the truth. Roughly speaking, USAF, Navy, and Army all get about the same amount of money. It varies year to year, but overall it's about the same. Each service breaks it up in pretty much the same manner as you can see here:

Now while I would love to see the equivalent AF chart that says how much they spend on their infrastructure compared to us, I couldn't find said chart. What we're really interested in for this discussion is the Operations and Mx bit. See below.

So let's keep it simple: The USAF throws 18.6bn at flying and the Navy 11.4bn. The AF has 5,369 aircraft and the Navy has "3700+" (I couldn't find a better number). It's a very simplistic approach, but they're still spending more than us by almost half a million dollars per aircraft. Per ? Aircraft ?. It adds up and if you google for articles about the readiness of Naval aircraft, it's troubling.

 

[Brett327]

If the OP’s only goal is to fly, why not go Army Warrant?

Because then he’d be in the Army, which is reason enough.