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private pilot license

bunk22 said:
Since my days, it has never been the case.
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Just repeating what was put out by the StanO from two stand-downs ago (the last one at NPA). I'm not saying it can't and doesn't happen, just that it's not guaranteed due to the "needs" right now. Hell, it might have changed in the last 2+ months.

Also, just because one is number one in their squadron or even wing doesn't mean they're number one in toto. It's out of both (and perhaps the third, not sure) wings. Again, doesn't mean it won't happen, just a possibility.
 
gatordev said:
Just repeating what was put out by the StanO from two stand-downs ago (the last one at NPA). I'm not saying it can't and doesn't happen, just that it's not guaranteed due to the "needs" right now. Hell, it might have changed in the last 2+ months.

Also, just because one is number one in their squadron or even wing doesn't mean they're number one in toto. It's out of both (and perhaps the third, not sure) wings. Again, doesn't mean it won't happen, just a possibility.
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I was agreeing with you....it just didn't come out the way I had hoped. I knew a number one overall, all five squadrons, who didn't get what he wanted. Way it goes sometimes.
 
I've read a few discussions regarding this subject and have had many questions answered. It seems to me that the following seems to hold true.

1)PPL - good for familiarization, but probably won't be the deciding factor in primary.

2)If you choose to get your PPL do it because its something YOU want to do, not because you think it boosts your chances.

3) Getting your Instrument Rating, or at least some solid instrument time is a sound investment.

Right now I'm working on my instrument rating, mostly just cuz I want to... hoping it'll help later. Can any instrument pilots out there share how this rating helped them?
 
Ok, Ok.....the statement about being number one and almost always getting what you want is a little bit of a broad statement. If you factor in every choice, (like C-130s, Ospreys, and other limited pipelines on the Navy side)the stats are probably accurate that the number one guy that week may not get what he wants. IMO you could interpret those numbers however you want, though. I've seen weeks where there were no jet slots given, not because there literally weren't any, but because no one had the grades. Did some guys that week still put jets down #1? yep. That would mean that the number one guy that week didn't get what he wanted. I've also seen plenty of guys not want jets and put Ospreys or C-130s down and not get them because there weren't any slots.

For the sake of making my point :icon_tong, lets assume (i know, i know) the OP wants jets at decision time. The Marine Corps is at least 35% jets and with the Navy doing the tailhook pipeline, the odds of getting a seat to advanced jets has increased. Now take in to consideration that only about half of the people going through primary will get above the cutoff, meaning there will be weeks where people select and no one has above a 50 or 52. I don't see there being too many weeks where there won't be ANY jet slots available. Hell, since the beginning of the fiscal year, I saw roughly 4 Marine jet slots a week and 7-8 Navy Tailhook slots being given out every week! My point is that your odds of getting what you want drastically improve if you are the number one guy that week.

Being the number one guy doesn't guarantee you what you want, but it sure as hell doesn't hurt;)
 
invertedflyer said:
I've read a few discussions regarding this subject and have had many questions answered. It seems to me that the following seems to hold true.

1)PPL - good for familiarization, but probably won't be the deciding factor in primary.

2)If you choose to get your PPL do it because its something YOU want to do, not because you think it boosts your chances.
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Again, just MHO

1) PPL is good for familiarization (FAM flights) and those grades can definitely be a deciding factor in primary.

2) Get your PPL because it is what you want to do and because it most likely will boost your chances!

Do most people get their Master's degree because they love school or because they think it will give them a better chance at finding the job they want? I believe the latter. Is that bad? No. Why wouldn't you do something if you thought it would help your chances.
 
TheGreatWaldo said:
Again, just MHO

1) PPL is good for familiarization (FAM flights) and those grades can definitely be a deciding factor in primary.

2) Get your PPL because it is what you want to do and because it most likely will boost your chances!

Do most people get their Master's degree because they love school or because they think it will give them a better chance at finding the job they want? I believe the latter. Is that bad? No. Why wouldn't you do something if you thought it would help your chances.
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I'm not gonna say that I disagree... its certainly possible. I think that if its something that you've dedicated a serious amount of time to it "could" boost your chances, I suppose that coincides with the "If you've got it, you've got it" comments. I'm hoping to avoid getting into bad habits by training in T-34As through a military flying club and logging instrument time. My previous post was pretty much a reflection of various AW opinions I've heard ad naseum (they tend to reflect a wide range of experiences). Its those experiences that I give credit, I haven't had exposure to the tracom. Thanks for your perspective though, I hope you're right!:D
 
I was agreeing with you....it just didn't come out the way I had hoped. I knew a number one overall, all five squadrons, who didn't get what he wanted. Way it goes sometimes.
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Gotcha

Being the number one guy doesn't guarantee you what you want, but it sure as hell doesn't hurt
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I totally agree w/ that. All Bunk and I are saying is that there has been an active policy change that even if you're qualified, it's not a guarantee right now (drug deals aside).
 
insanebikerboy said:
Saw it happen the week I selected, #1 wanted jets, was fully qualified, got helos. Just the way it goes.
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No, that's not "just the way it goes." I understand the whole timing issue, I have read about it 1000 times here on AW and I have been through. Gatordev is referring to a specific policy change and I was wondering if he was able or willing to provide details.
 
gatordev said:
All Bunk and I are saying is that there has been an active policy change that even if you're qualified, it's not a guarantee right now (drug deals aside).
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How's that? Does that mean availability or is there more to it then?
 
HH-60H said:
No, that's not "just the way it goes." I understand the whole timing issue, I have read about it 1000 times here on AW and I have been through. Gatordev is referring to a specific policy change and I was wondering if he was able or willing to provide details.
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Ah, ok, I see the difference. Policy change aside, I had always heard the phrase as "99.9% of the time, #1 gets his first choice". Maybe this is just an official wording of a similar mantra?
 
xj220 said:
How's that? Does that mean availability or is there more to it then?
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I don't know much more than what I posted. They have needs elsewhere, those needs might be in helo land (just an example). The whole thing might not even be in play anymore. Maybe they figured out they needed more of something else ("For the love of god, we need more Bort license plates!").

Or did you mean the drug deal thing? That's more a tool that the skipper has the potential to use to get a spot for a guy the command is behind when there is no spot. It's rare, but it happens. It's just a matter of moving the selection numbers around week to week.
 
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