Transition from NFO to pilot

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hi, this is my first time posting, heard about this site from a fellow NFO applicant while on a lil' field trip to Lemoore NAS to check out the Super Hornets. NEways...I was wondering if there's anybody on this forum who transitioned from NFO to pilot...what the process required, is pilot more fun than NFO...etc. Thanx for any help

Kris

 

[Phiman]

On that note, how common/attainable are lateral transfers and whatnot? The reason is I was talking to one of the Lt's at the local ROTC unit and he was telling me about a couple of programs for example law where if you had more than 2 years in and less than 6 you could apply for the program go to law school, and transfer over the the JAG Corps. I guess there are similar programs for medicine, etc. I guess it would be kinda nice to be the flight surgeon when I get too old to fly. Just curious anyways.

 

[Jeff29]

My understanding about the medical program is that for the Navy to put you through Med School, you must still be a junior officer. Additionally, they take away your rank (i.e. when you report to school, you start over as an Ensign).

 

[Phiman]

Ok, how about this, my eyes arent that great and I'll probably need PRK in order to meet the vision req's but I dont have the money. So in comes one of the Lieutenants at the local NROTC unit and tells me that the Navy will do it for me for free and gets my hopes up (Once I'm commissioned and actually in the service). Now here's my question how often/hard is it to get this done for you and how do I get it done before API in order to be a pilot? In other words is there any way I can delay my entrance into API until I get the PRK done or should I go NFO, do the PRK then try to transition to pilot? Thanks.

 

[Mahler]

get it in writing


James

 

[Jeff29]

I'm about 99% sure that Vicki had her eyes done by a civilian doc (A former Air Force doc, if I remember correctly).

Additionally, I'm about 99.9% sure that the Navy won't pay for a civilian applicant to have the surgery done. They're just barely starting to catch up on the back log of Acitve Duty people.

The only way I could see you getting the Navy to pay for it is get in the BDCP program as an NFO, get the surgery (not a guarantee), then try to transfer before you head to OCS.

 

[Frumby]

Just a note to the original topic, one of my former NFO's is currently a SNA at Corpus. By the way, all you SNA's who say you don't have time to study need to look at my buddy for perseverance. He has gone back to flight school with a wife and 5 kids who are all under the age of 9. Now that's MOTIVATED! SF, Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMC

 

[vicki]

Sorry I didn't look at the board for a couple days - Fams have been keeping me busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. I had my PRK done by a civilian doc (former AF flight surgean) to the tune of $3500. However, check with your health insurance company. Mine picked up 60%.

 

[Phiman]

Dang, was that $3500 before or after the 60% off?

 

[Jared]

I paid $3500 also. That seems to be about the going rate for quality docs.

Jared

 

[josejimmenez]

I paid 4500 for my PRK and it works great. Unfortunately my insurance let me take the full hit. By the way BDCP is a pay check to sepnd as you wish. They don't "pay" per say for the surgery but you can use the money for it if you wish. The Navy will not cover your PRK if you are still a civilian. And having called people down at PERS 43 yes they are doing "Retreads" but they are highly competative. Last stats I got from a commander in the fleet were about 2 dozen guys a year.

 

[NFOwife]

The Navy selects 10 NFO's each July to transition from NFO to Pilot. They then go through all of pilot training and are eligible for any platform after that. Most of the NFO's applying have recently had PRK surgery to make them eligible. Kind of a generic answer, but if you want more information email me and I'll give you the long answer.

 

[bunk22]

A current C-2 student at the FRS is a former F-14 RIO so like NFOwife said, they are doing NFO to pilot transitions.

 

[phrogdriver]

To go back up to the crash mentioned earlier, that was a F-14 crash at the hands of a former NFO. For awhile they required NFO-to-pilot transitions to go to aircraft with side-by-side seating, i.e. helo, P3, S-3, etc. That was perhaps the dumbest conclusion ever drawn from a mishap.

I guess there were some problems with the program, in that prior NFOs were treated with deference in training due senior pilots, even though they were inexperienced in their current positions. Personally, I think prior NFO experience couldn't be anything but a positive. Obviously, some will have problems, but some of any group will. The service just has to objectively monitor performance.

 

[wink]

NFOs "unstable" as pilots. What a crock! Phrogdriver has the correct analysis. Another major contributor to weaknes in the retread program was that NFOs used to pretty much go right back to the airframe they came from. OnN the surface that makes since because they were already tactically proficient in the warfare specialty. Problem was some guys weren't suited for F-14 pilot just because they were former RIOs. No different than any other SNA. Some guys apparantly weren't quite up to the monkey skills required of the plane they were sent back to. Now you get selected like all the other SNAs with a nod to the warefare specialy you came from. I imagine a guy that didn't make jets but was a Prowler NFO might end up in the EP-3/E-6, something like that. If he made jets he would likely end up in EA-6s as opposed to F-18s. I hope Michael Webb has aa NFO go "unstable" on him someday