Training Piplelines

[vanity]

I'm facing the very debatable question of Air Force or Navy. I'm not going to ask which is better because I know that question has been beaten to death. What I am going to ask is "What are the AF pipelines?" I want to fly fast movers but I need to know what I'll be flying if i dont receive jets. Nothing against the helo bubbas but helicopters is something I dont want to end up doing and would much rather fly something fixed wing.

From the research I've done the navy pipelines are...

-Helo (Which I've heard is what most students recieve)
-Jets
-E2/C2 and P3

Now basically what are the AF pipelines. I know this is a Navy forum but any info would be great. Thanks

 

[Fly Navy]

From the research I've done the navy pipelines are...

-Helo (Which I've heard is what most students recieve)
-Jets
-E2/C2 and P3

Close....

Helo
P-3
E-6
E2/C2
Jets

 

[FLY_USMC]

Aren't V-22's a Navy option now??

AF pipelines out of UPT are Fighter/Bomber, Heavies, T-44's, and Helo's:
Fighter/Bomber guys will fly the T-38 Talon and have follow on assignments in the A-10, F-16, F15, B-1B, B-52, or you could get a first assignment instructor pilot(3 years) tour in a T-6 or a T-38. And very soon this year from what the T-38 side of the house has said, you will be blessed with a UAV tour! YAY.

Heavy drivers will fly the T-1 Jayhawk and have follow on assignments in the C-130 and all it's variants, C-5, C17, KC-135, RC-135, or essentially any Boeing 707 variant, E-3's, they also could be FAIP'd in the T-1 or T-6, plus I think they can pick up C-12 tours as well, which is a LearJet.

T-44's are the Air Force's C-130 pipeline and all it's variants, from the MC-130to the AC-130 to the EC-130, etc, etc. A big note is out of T-1's you can still get C-130's, but out of T-44's you will not get anything but C-130's, BUT, and it's a big but, only the T-44 studs get AC-130 Gunships and the Spooky Gunship, whatever it's designator is.

Helo pipeliner's will fly the UH-1 Huey somewhere in Kentucky or someplace that I could care less about, and will be driving SH-60's and all it's variants as well as CH-53's and all it's variants, and I believe they can select Osprey's eventually as well.

I'm sure I missed SOMEONE's favorite platform on their, but honestly, you hit the nail on the head, this is a Navy/USMC page, who cares?

While we are at it, a typical track select out of a class of 23-28 in the Air Force is 3-4 T-38's, 1 Helo(usually they want it), 3-4 T-44's, and the rest T-1's.

 

[vanity]

Nice info usmc, thanks. I guess no matter what servise you pick Jets will be hard to get haha

 

[Fly Navy]

Helo pipeliner's will fly the UH-1 Huey somewhere in Kentucky or someplace that I could care less about, and will be driving SH-60's and all it's variants as well as CH-53's and all it's variants, and I believe they can select Osprey's eventually as well.

I believe it's Fort Rucker, AL. The Air Force doesn't fly SH-60s, they fly MH-60s (and maybe one of the other variants). SH-60 is Navy specific. Yes, there is a huge difference.

 

[Lawman]

Ok, let me spell out what Ive learned from frequenting this site. This question gets asked a lot actually. Usually its one of the first 4 posts a new member makes. Now this is so far what Ive learned about the selection process as to how you end up in your particular platform.

You see it starts out with Santa Claus....thats right the fat guy in Red. See apart from delivering toys to all the children of the world and his endless battles to stem the invasion of the spiders from space, Santa's other job is to bestoy wings and selections for all the good little Navy/Marine Aviators in training.

At the end of every primary class group Santa readys his sleigh for the flight to grant those boys and girls in school their respective place amonst the Naval Aviation communities. Jet pilots are selected on the grounds of their good looks and justified "better then you" egos. They are granted gold wings by Santa as well as jet spots to fly fighters. Though a few of these less fortunate winners end up in slow and seemingly unimportant aircraft like the Prowler.

Meanwhile Prospective Helo pilots are forced to perform acts of Sodomy on Santa before they are permitted to go to thier next stage of training. This is to better prepair them for their new lot in life of being the gizz rag of the Naval Aviation community.

Finally Santa takes pitty on the slow and seemingly dimwitted of the class by bestowing the position of P-3/E-6/E2/C2 slots on them. The remaining selection amonst these students is limited to the number of slots available. The left overs who do not recieve these pathetic lowely positions in the aviation totem pole are later Shot as an example for the next Primary class.

And next week Ill tell you where babies really come from.

***Seriously if you dont think I was joking you need a sense of humor***

Look dude if your getting into the running on the idea that you want to fly ____ over everything else then your setting yourself up for a disappointment that could very easily have nothing to do with your performance as an aviator. There are helo guys that probably wanted jets and vice versa, they are happy doing what they do because they are aviators first. Fact of the matter is their is only one sure way to get the position you want and thats for you to study hard, bust your ass, put it down on your dream sheet as number 1, have one of those slots avialible, and have every other person in the running with you die/attrite right before selection. In other words, you get what you get and you deal with it and you be happy that you are one of the few people that will ever get to call themselves a "Winged Aviator."

 

[Chubby]

Nothing against the helo bubbas but helicopters is something I dont want to end up doing and would much rather fly something fixed wing.

Much better chance of fixed wing in the Air Force. If you are fixed wing or bust it's something to think about. But like Lawman said ... I wouldn't get too wrapped around the axle about what you fly, it's all good.

 

[FLY_USMC]

What I am often quick to remind my Air Force counterparts and they are often quick to complain about, is that when the Navy/Marine Corps guys select jets.....they're getting F/A-18's or AV-8B's or possibly EA-6B's, whereas when the Air Force guys select T-38's, it's GUARANTEED that at least 1 in their class is getting BUFFS, and at least 1 is going to get FAIP'd, and possibly 1 B1. I'll take my odds anyday and twice on Sunday.

BTW, you're pretty much guaranteed your first choice after your 3 years of hell gets handed to you, heard the first to select the F-22 minus fleet guys will be FAIP's.

 

[vanity]

at least 1 in their class is getting BUFFS, and at least 1 is going to get FAIP'd... your first choice after your 3 years of hell gets handed to you, heard the first to select the F-22 minus fleet guys will be FAIP's.

By BUFF you mean B-52? and By FAIP you mean First Assignment Instructor Pilot?

 

[gregsivers]

By BUFF you mean B-52? and By FAIP you mean First Assignment Instructor Pilot?

He does.