cavpilot58d
New Member
Hello and greetings. Let me tell you about how I became a pilot and hopefully I will be able to help you. I will be brief and if you have any questions, either e-mail me or PM me. If it could help anyone else, I will post it.
We all have had the dream to fly and I can say that here I am 35 years old, failed my flight physical, YET I AM a pilot. I grew up in Tuskegee, AL and of course met plenty of Tuskegee Airmen (I have a uncle who is a decorated Tuskegee Airmen and retired Lt Col). My first flight was with Chief Alfred Anderson (read the story about how he became a pilot), the African American who took Eleanor Roosevelt on a flight which helped begin open the door for minority aviators. Ever since that flight, I always wanted to fly, but my parents didn't have the money.
I got older, went to college, drank, partied, chased women and after 3 years of wasting my time, I decided I needed a little direction and joined the Air Force as a crewchief. My plan was to work my way up to become a flying crew dog, then a flight engineer while I finished my degree. Once I finished, I planned to apply for OTS, get a pilot slot and compete for fighters. However, life at that point had other plans. I went through a divorce (not ashamed to publicly admit it) and during that time, my mother died. I actually gave up being a crew chief to take an assignment at a base that was close to home to be with her last year of life. After that, there was no way I was mentally ready to complete my degree. By the time I got myself together, I wouldn't be able to complete my degree in time.
Nevertheless, I finished my degree to include a Masters, but I still wanted to fly. The air force told me no ( I was 32). I talked to an Air Force Major who told me to try to go to the Army and see if they would give me a age waiver. I could fly for them and once I did my time, if I like the Army, I could stay. If I didn't I could apply for Air Force, Navy or Coast Guard and there would be no age limit since I was already a military pilot. I would attend a fixed wing qualification course and then advanced aircraft training.
So I went to the Army and they told me no. But one night I felt like God awaken me and told me "DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER". That next morning, I got up, got on the internet and happen to find an e-mail address to a person who has been a blessing in my life. I told him my story and that I would need an age waiver. He told me to send him my information and he would see what he could do. Well of course I got the age waiver, got to my commission, went to flight school and here I am.
There is more, but I will rap it up for now by saying I like the Army guard. They have been great. Would I leave it to fly fighters? heck yes, who wouldn't. I still do have that dream, but the Army is some fun flying and with the Navy and AF either downsizing or getting rid of pilots, you should give the Army a try. Ask me anything you want. I am here to help.
We all have had the dream to fly and I can say that here I am 35 years old, failed my flight physical, YET I AM a pilot. I grew up in Tuskegee, AL and of course met plenty of Tuskegee Airmen (I have a uncle who is a decorated Tuskegee Airmen and retired Lt Col). My first flight was with Chief Alfred Anderson (read the story about how he became a pilot), the African American who took Eleanor Roosevelt on a flight which helped begin open the door for minority aviators. Ever since that flight, I always wanted to fly, but my parents didn't have the money.
I got older, went to college, drank, partied, chased women and after 3 years of wasting my time, I decided I needed a little direction and joined the Air Force as a crewchief. My plan was to work my way up to become a flying crew dog, then a flight engineer while I finished my degree. Once I finished, I planned to apply for OTS, get a pilot slot and compete for fighters. However, life at that point had other plans. I went through a divorce (not ashamed to publicly admit it) and during that time, my mother died. I actually gave up being a crew chief to take an assignment at a base that was close to home to be with her last year of life. After that, there was no way I was mentally ready to complete my degree. By the time I got myself together, I wouldn't be able to complete my degree in time.
Nevertheless, I finished my degree to include a Masters, but I still wanted to fly. The air force told me no ( I was 32). I talked to an Air Force Major who told me to try to go to the Army and see if they would give me a age waiver. I could fly for them and once I did my time, if I like the Army, I could stay. If I didn't I could apply for Air Force, Navy or Coast Guard and there would be no age limit since I was already a military pilot. I would attend a fixed wing qualification course and then advanced aircraft training.
So I went to the Army and they told me no. But one night I felt like God awaken me and told me "DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER". That next morning, I got up, got on the internet and happen to find an e-mail address to a person who has been a blessing in my life. I told him my story and that I would need an age waiver. He told me to send him my information and he would see what he could do. Well of course I got the age waiver, got to my commission, went to flight school and here I am.
There is more, but I will rap it up for now by saying I like the Army guard. They have been great. Would I leave it to fly fighters? heck yes, who wouldn't. I still do have that dream, but the Army is some fun flying and with the Navy and AF either downsizing or getting rid of pilots, you should give the Army a try. Ask me anything you want. I am here to help.
