Path to Aviator

[mo7stanley]

Hey all, I am new here. I have been reviewing a lot of the posts and I can't seem to find the answer to a bunch of questions. So I decided to post them in this place because it seems like the most appropriate place to post them.

I am interested in both the Navy and the Marines and from what I gather, both programs are similar. I will have a degree before I join either.

1. What are flight contracts? (I think I know but I just want to be sure)
2. How do I get a flight contract?
3. What are any negatives about a flight contract that I need to watch out for?
4. Can someone post a list of things which would have to be completed prior to flight school? (no need to provide a lot of detail about what each item is)
5. How long in the pipeline?

Thanks for all your help in advance. If you can only answer one question that is fine, I will take whatever I can get.

BONUS QUESTIONS
1. What is family life like in terms of the Navy or the Marines?
2. What is this gouge I keep hearing about?
3. Which service is better in terms getting what you want out of the basic flight training? (I want jets of course)

 

[zippy]

Hey all, I am new here. I have been reviewing a lot of the posts and I can't seem to find the answer to a bunch of questions. So I decided to post them in this place because it seems like the most appropriate place to post them.

I am interested in both the Navy and the Marines and from what I gather, both programs are similar. I will have a degree before I join either.

1. What are flight contracts? (I think I know but I just want to be sure)
2. How do I get a flight contract?
3. What are any negatives about a flight contract that I need to watch out for?
4. Can someone post a list of things which would have to be completed prior to flight school? (no need to provide a lot of detail about what each item is)
5. How long in the pipeline?

Thanks for all your help in advance. If you can only answer one question that is fine, I will take whatever I can get.

BONUS QUESTIONS
1. What is family life like in terms of the Navy or the Marines?
2. What is this gouge I keep hearing about?
3. Which service is better in terms getting what you want out of the basic flight training? (I want jets of course)

Bonus Answers...
Family life- work sometimes but its is doable... You will deploy spending significant amounts of time away from the family (workups, dets/deployments etc) and you will be moving them periodically.

Gouge- Maybe best way to describe it is heads up info that helps you understand whats comming next, or helps clarify whats going on, or what should be going on in... generally passed between friends and people who know each other.

Best service to get what you want- Neither... It all ebbs and flows... depends on grades, timing, needs of service etc. Can change in as little as from one week to the next.

 

[Chubby]

Try here ... http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11043 I think the Senior Chief's got you pretty well covered.

 

[HH-60H]

Well, I will try to answer some of your questions.

1. A flight contract is a situation where you are guaranteed an aviation billet. It is most common in the Marine Corps. Typically at TBS all 2Lt's request/compete for all the various MOS's that are available at any particular time, however some of them have flight contracts before they start TBS meaning they don't have to compete for anything. The only way I know of in the Navy to get a guaranteed flight billet is OCS. I guess STA-21 is like that too, but you have to enlist and put in several years before you can apply.

4. I am not sure what you are asking here. If you mean what you need after you pick up a flight billet, then the answer is nothing. They will send you to IFS, API, medical etc. If you mean prior to aviation selection then it depends what program you are working towards.

5. Depends on a million factors. I believe the Navy target is 2 years street (actually comissioning source) to fleet, but for some people has been much longer.

BONUS
1. Your family life depends on where you are in your career. During flight school you come home every night, but you have lots and lots of studying to do. On your sea tours, you won't see your family much. My first sea tour/year of marriage I saw my wife for about 3 months, daughter was born on cruise, and I missed my 1st anniversary. Shore tours, you come home every night (maybe a little travel), hours are great, very little work to do/worry about at home, etc. BUT then you go back to sea.
2. Gouge is a Navy (military?) term basically meaning "the scoop" All the important info someone needs to know, the hints and tips, etc.
3. The Air Force. But if you want Naval Aviation and all the pride and responsibility that comes with it, then it depends on a million factors, but I think it is closely related to the phases of the moon.

 

[mo7stanley]

What I intended to ask on #4 was: What are the things I need to do prior to getting a flight contract? For example: that test you have to take (ASBO?) and the PFT. I know with the Air Force you have to take two tests: AFOQT (Air Force Officer Qualification Test?) and the BAT (Basic Attributes Test). Actually I probably don't need this question answered because the recruiter should have all that info.

Does the Navy offer flight contracts? I have heard that they have an over abundance of pilots right now.

Who will fly more, the typical Navy pilot or the typical Marine pilot? (I am thinking of the strike/fighters naturally.

How long does a sea tour usually last? When would be the best time to get married during all of this? (No prospective yet just wondering when would be the optimal time, during or just before flight school or after I complete all the training or somewhere in the middle.)

Thank you all for your responses so far. Sorry posting the wrong section.

 

[skidkid]

naturally

 

[phrogpilot73]

What I intended to ask on #4 was: What are the things I need to do prior to getting a flight contract? For example: that test you have to take (ASBO?) and the PFT. I know with the Air Force you have to take two tests: AFOQT (Air Force Officer Qualification Test?) and the BAT (Basic Attributes Test). Actually I probably don't need this question answered because the recruiter should have all that info.

Does the Navy offer flight contracts? I have heard that they have an over abundance of pilots right now.

Who will fly more, the typical Navy pilot or the typical Marine pilot? (I am thinking of the strike/fighters naturally.

How long does a sea tour usually last? When would be the best time to get married during all of this? (No prospective yet just wondering when would be the optimal time, during or just before flight school or after I complete all the training or somewhere in the middle.)

Thank you all for your responses so far. Sorry posting the wrong section.

HH-60H had some good gouge, but if you're dead set on jets (which I get the feeling based on both your posts), don't bother with the Marines. Yes, we have jets but your chances of being a helo guy are better (which skidkid and I will tell you is WAY better than being a suck-and-blow guy). Something like 60% of pilots in the Marine Corps are helo guys. Second, you might want to look away from the Navy as well. Why? In both the Navy and the Marine Corps, wanting to be a leader of sailors/Marines is more important than flying. Only in the Air Force can you care solely about flying, and the platform you fly.

 

[openbah]

naturally

Why do I feel like I'm the only candidate that wants helos...

 

[mike172]

I think Helos are sick and way cooler than jets. Thats just me.

 

[skidkid]

I started out wanting to be a jet guy but slogging through swamps in Quantico I got overflown (by overflown I mean almost eye level) by a Cobra and that lifted my spirits so much at that point I fell in love, and it has lasted longer than any of my failed relationships.

My naturally was dripping wiht sarcasm by the way.

 

[mo7stanley]

I have heard about the officer before pilot thing and I totally understand that. Basically, right now I am checking out my options. Whatever service I end up getting into, I plan on being committed to it and their way of life. It seems that a lot of the programming (I know it is a bad word) that gives you a mindset of leader/officer first and your occupation second, comes as a result of the training one receives.

I want a job that is enjoyable to me. For me I know that aviation is enjoyable and I also no that being a leader of people is enjoyable to me as well as very rewarding. Whatever the job, whatever service, I will do to it to my full ability.

Thank you for the guidance and the "gouge" I really appreciate it and please keep it coming.

Sorry for saying "naturally" I know a lot of people would rather have something else; I am just fine with that. I don't know why, but I just have never had a desire to fly helos other than the cool ability to hover and land in a little circle.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Why do I feel like I'm the only candidate that wants helos...

Don't worry... There are others! Just don't let the guys who didn't get jets get you down at South Field. Give them time, pretty much up 'till FAM-1. After that, they'll be converts.

 

[HH-60H]

I don't know why, but I just have never had a desire to fly helos other than the cool ability to hover and land in a little circle.

Don't bother with the Navy and Marine Corps then, because you have a fairly high probability of getting helos (god forbid). As mentioned by Phrog above 60% of Marine pilots are helo pilots, and about 40% of Navy pilots are helos also. That doesn't mean the other 60% are Strike Fighter because we also have P-3's (which accout for a large number) and numerous other non-Pointy Nose jet/turbo prop aircraft.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Don't bother with the Navy and Marine Corps then, because you have a fairly high probability of getting helos (god forbid). As mentioned by Phrog above 60% of Marine pilots are helo pilots, and about 40% of Navy pilots are helos also. That doesn't mean the other 60% are Strike Fighter because we also have P-3's (which accout for a large number) and numerous other non-Pointy Nose jet/turbo prop aircraft.

Like the per-diem hog COD guys? Can't resist - my buddy is one, and I'm JEALOUS...

 

[Gatordev]

I have heard about the officer before pilot thing and I totally understand that. Basically, right now I am checking out my options. Whatever service I end up getting into, I plan on being committed to it and their way of life. It seems that a lot of the programming (I know it is a bad word) that gives you a mindset of leader/officer first and your occupation second, comes as a result of the training one receives.

I wouldn't say that it's the training that give one the "leader first" mentality. Instead it's actually being there and having to do it that makes it hit home. Sure, there's lots of leadership training as a Mid/OC. And you hear lots of parrots here saying "leader first" because it gets beaten into them here. But then when you actually are given a division, that's when you see that you can't just be concerned w/ how many hours and quals you have. What gets more frustrating is when you see other JOs who are only concerned with that, and show it in front of the troops. Makes your job that much harder.