How is my aircraft picked for me?

[wink]

will my recruiter be giving it to me after the ASTB? They seem like they don't want to give me too much attention till after I take the ASTB.

Your recruiter deals with dozens of people in a week that are just as motivated as you. In the end, most either flunk the ASTB, finally admit they have a physically disqualifying condition, or just drift away when they get a girl friend or forget the really cool scene in Top Gun that sent them to the recruiter in the first place. The more you invest in the process the more the recruiter will invest in you. It starts with the ASTB. And yes, I have seen Eng. majors flunk it. In the mean time, you have come to the best place for answers. Good Luck.

 

[gregsivers]

Better than flying airforce cargo or a helo (sorry helo guys... had to).

Oh you son of a b!tch. Just wait til you have to punch out then you'll see how much you like helos.

 

[Punk]

hmm, ride broken aircraft into ground or watch from my parachute as broken aircraft rides into ground

 

[bunk22]

I'm taking my ASTB on Nov. 10th and starting the enlistment / commission process for OCS with my recruiter. I know that during API based on your class rank you get the ability to pick a jet slot or helo etc.. I've also heard that sometimes there are no jet slots and if that happens to be my class well then I'm getting stuck with a helo or maybe a cargo plane? Not that there's anything wrong with being a cargo pilot, but I'd rather be in a helo or jet.

The Navy's needs and your performance determines what you will fly. If you think flying C-2's or C-130's is something you don't want to do, flying for the Navy or Marine Corps may not be for you. There's a small chance you will fly either, it's very competitive for both. Regardless, you need to be willing to accept flying anything from jets to helo's, that's the reality of what you want to enter. Have goals, stive to achieve them but understand even if you attain the grades and display certain abilities, the Navy's needs can and will override them.

 

[Gatordev]

hmm, ride broken aircraft into ground or watch from my parachute as broken aircraft rides into ground

Alright, Phrog was holding his own, but now it's time... You see, that's just how good helo pilots are. We can FLY our broken aircraft all the way to the ground and control our destiny rather than puss out and float around wherever God, Allah, or whomever decides you should drift to, hoping you don't land with a cactus up your ass. Clearly you see the benefits.

 

[squeeze]

Alright, Phrog was holding his own, but now it's time... You see, that's just how good helo pilots are. We can FLY our broken aircraft all the way to the ground and control our destiny rather than puss out and float around wherever God, Allah, or whomever decides you should drift to, hoping you don't land with a cactus up your ass. Clearly you see the benefits.

We had a thread about this once... it's called "going down with the ship"

...and it's a SWO thing.

 

[Fly Navy]

Alright, Phrog was holding his own, but now it's time... You see, that's just how good helo pilots are. We can FLY our broken aircraft all the way to the ground and control our destiny rather than puss out and float around wherever God, Allah, or whomever decides you should drift to, hoping you don't land with a cactus up your ass. Clearly you see the benefits.

Half the helo crash videos I've seen don't seem to be "flown" into the water...

 

[Gatordev]

Obviously lesser pilots.

 

[Fly Navy]

Obviously lesser pilots.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Alright, Phrog was holding his own, but now it's time... You see, that's just how good helo pilots are. We can FLY our broken aircraft all the way to the ground and control our destiny rather than puss out and float around wherever God, Allah, or whomever decides you should drift to, hoping you don't land with a cactus up your ass. Clearly you see the benefits.

Don't forget that after they land wherever the good Lord takes them, they sit there... Usually - cold, wet and scared... And probably piss themselves with joy when they see the helo coming to pick them up.

 

[dnweinreb]

I believe another important consideration is something phrog touched on briefly. If you decide that you really want to be an aviator and say "I'd fly a cardboard box if I get to wear shiny wings while I do it" consider the training route you're taking. As a civilian going to either navy or marine OCS, consider that the Navy will offer you aviation or not, but if they do you will sign a contract before you ever put up your right hand and swear anything in front of a flag. This contract states that you are entiteled to training as an aviator or flight officer unless you violate the terms (read: flunk/quit).

The gouge I heard about the USMC is that, like most other branches of service, they will promise you the world but there's always the risk of them playing the "needs of the corps" card and shipping you off to Badlandastan at the head of a platoon. Any dawg aviators who think I'm full of crap please feel free to correct me on that.

The navy will say "needs of the navy" but at least with OCS they'll do it before you sign your name to anything and you can go or not go.

 

[Brett327]

Half the helo crash videos I've seen don't seem to be "flown" into the water...

And the other half are CFIT.

Brett

 

[Brett327]

I believe another important consideration is something phrog touched on briefly. If you decide that you really want to be an aviator and say "I'd fly a cardboard box if I get to wear shiny wings while I do it" consider the training route you're taking. As a civilian going to either navy or marine OCS, consider that the Navy will offer you aviation or not, but if they do you will sign a contract before you ever put up your right hand and swear anything in front of a flag. This contract states that you are entiteled to training as an aviator or flight officer unless you violate the terms (read: flunk/quit).

The gouge I heard about the USMC is that, like most other branches of service, they will promise you the world but there's always the risk of them playing the "needs of the corps" card and shipping you off to Badlandastan at the head of a platoon. Any dawg aviators who think I'm full of crap please feel free to correct me on that.

The navy will say "needs of the navy" but at least with OCS they'll do it before you sign your name to anything and you can go or not go.

Hey that sh!t happens in the Navy too. I have a buddy who's a VT instructor that got voluntold to do a 6 month stint in Iraq during his shore duty, no less. There's a war on, folks.

Brett

 

[ip568]

Jets have the highest cutoff, then E-2/C-2, then helo and P-3 are open to anyone.
<P>
Ironic that it's just the reverse for NFOs...

 

[nocal80]

I believe another important consideration is something phrog touched on briefly. If you decide that you really want to be an aviator and say "I'd fly a cardboard box if I get to wear shiny wings while I do it" consider the training route you're taking. As a civilian going to either navy or marine OCS, consider that the Navy will offer you aviation or not, but if they do you will sign a contract before you ever put up your right hand and swear anything in front of a flag. This contract states that you are entiteled to training as an aviator or flight officer unless you violate the terms (read: flunk/quit).

The gouge I heard about the USMC is that, like most other branches of service, they will promise you the world but there's always the risk of them playing the "needs of the corps" card and shipping you off to Badlandastan at the head of a platoon. Any dawg aviators who think I'm full of crap please feel free to correct me on that.

The navy will say "needs of the navy" but at least with OCS they'll do it before you sign your name to anything and you can go or not go.

yes, you are full of crap. The USMC has flight contracts just like the navy does. You even sign it and everything! The only difference is you go to TBS after commissioning instead of right to API. I've never heard of anyone losing their air contract after they''d been commissioned do to needs of the corps. Unless you quit, are not physically qualified, or fail out, you will be an sna or snfo if that's what you signed up for. Have people been tricked into signing up for something else? probably, but that's why you should read the contract.