Questions for becoming a pilot?

[GFTC]

Hi all. I've been reading a lot of the threads here and would like to get a little more info on becoming a pilot for the Navy. My record is clean and phyically I'm good to go. I'll be graduating in Dec. with a degree in General Studies with a GPA of 3.28 (give or take depending on how this semister works out). I'll be 26 in Jan. I've been enlisted in the Air National Guard for 7.5 years, 5.5 years of that has been on active duty. I've been flying for a little over ten years and just finished my IFR check ride. I have close to 200 hrs. of single engine land. I've been to the sandbox a couple times and have quite a few decorations, but nothing higher than an AF Achievement. All of my evals from my supervisors are 4's or 5's (5 is the max.). Lastly, I just started studying for the ASTB. Here are my questions. The recruiter I spoke to said applications are reviewed every third Thursday of every month and the turn around for test scores is about 30 days. With the new fiscal year coming up, and the end of the college semister (ie more people graduating) is there a better or worse time to submit my package? How much does prior flight time factor into things, and should I start working on my twin/complex? I'm assuming I should have a well rounded selection of letters of recommendation (immediate supervisor, commander, college professor, etc.), is this correct? What exactly is the "right" answer they want to see for the portion of the app. were I have to state why I want a commission? If I do get selected for OCS, what can I expect for wait time before I would start my school? This becomes a factor because I've got an opportunity to deploy to Iraq again for six months, but I won't go if that would jepordize me going to OCS. Also, if I get selected, would I need to terminate my enlistment right away, or wait until I ship for OCS? Any feedback would be great. Thanks in advance.

 

[Brett327]

Lots of questions, but I'll address a few. You generally don't gain any advantage by trying to game the timing of your package. Most folks will tell you that you should submit as soon as you have a good package put together. Previous flight training, while a marginal positive for the selection board, won't buy you much once you're selected. Don't waste your cash on advanced ratings beyond what you already have. You'll essentially pick up commercial once you're winged and possibly multi, depending on what you end up flying. Obviously, the higher rank on your letters of rec, the better, so if you can swing something above an O-5, that would help your case. Timing is impossible to predict, so I would continue on your normal routine once your package is in. If you're selected, an appropriate date will be given to you based on your circumstances. Hope that helps. Welcome aboard.

Brett

 

[TheBubba]

What exactly is the "right" answer they want to see for the portion of the app. were I have to state why I want a commission?

There is no "right" answer to this. That answer differs person to person. Best advice: don't put some overly patriotic BS in that block. Just write what got you interested in earning a commission in, a subsequently flying for the Navy. Just be honest with the passage. Make it truly reflect why you decided to call the recruiter and say "Hey, I want to be a Naval Aviator".

 

[HighDimension]

Make it truly reflect why you decided to call the recruiter and say "Hey, I want to be a Naval Aviator".

Make sure you start off with " I was drunk at the bar one night.. "

 

[RockyMtnNFO]

Your recruiter is smoking crack; not the good kind, but the junk that has been cut like a dozen times.

Your test scores will be available to you within 5 minutes after you have taken the test if you do it at the Officer recruiters office with computerized test; if you have to take the paper version, then your recruiter may not be smoking crack.

The boards meet when they meet. Ask AppleCello how reliable they are on posting results.

What Brett said; get your stuff together, run it up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes -(Lt Mitchell's new favorite crusty old-guy sounding phrase. Honorable mention to "That dog won't hunt" and "I ain't buying no pig-in-a-poke)

For letter of Rec, I would maintain that a letter from someone who truly knows you is better than a high level one that sounds generic.

On the motivational statement, if you have a phrase or paragraph that sounds especially sweet to you, get rid of it. Have a good writer look it over and re-write it several times till it captures your motivation and flows well; overly flowery language makes you sound like "that guy" and unfortuntely, that dog won't hunt (see above).

Welcome to the board and best of luck.

 

[TheDotster]

I have a quick question...Do you have to join the Navy first THEN apply for flight or can you apply first, then join?

 

[snake020]

All of my evals from my supervisors are 4's or 5's (5 is the max.)

No offense, but the AF EPR system is so inflated that a 5 is standard and anything below implies in most minds that you did something wrong.

 

[PU Grad]

I have a quick question...Do you have to join the Navy first THEN apply for flight or can you apply first, then join?

For becoming a Naval Officer, you apply to the different communities that you would like to join. They come back with either a yes or no, and then you get to decide from those which one you want to join, or you could decide not to join.

I hear however that choosing not to join at that point could hurt future chances of applying to the Navy. Won't hurt you anywhere else.

 

[TheDotster]

For becoming a Naval Officer, you apply to the different communities that you would like to join. They come back with either a yes or no, and then you get to decide from those which one you want to join, or you could decide not to join.

I hear however that choosing not to join at that point could hurt future chances of applying to the Navy. Won't hurt you anywhere else.

Oh ok, so I can apply for the flight program and THEN join the Navy if get accepted, but I don't have to join the Navy before applying right?

 

[scotty008]

Oh ok, so I can apply for the flight program and THEN join the Navy if get accepted, but I don't have to join the Navy before applying right?

Correct. You apply in the field(s) you are interested in, and accept your appointment to OCS knowing what you will be getting into. This, of course, is contingent on your passing all of the required schools and courses. Fail in flight school, for example, and you could be at the mercy of the needs of the service.