Expert: Howard Lorenz - 5/24/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hey Howard,
I am a high school rising senior and want to become a fixed wing pilot in the military. I would be happy flying fighters, cargo, tankers, you name it, but i really would prefer it to be any type of fixed wing aircraft rather than rotary wing. I have been researching quite a bit about ROTC, OTS/OCS, PLC, everything, but i wanted to get your professional opinion about what you would recommend to become a pilot. I am leaning towards PLC while in college because i heard if qualified (i have no issues with that) you are guarentee'd to fly (i recognize that could mean rotary aircraft). Is it common for pilots who do NOT want to fly rotary wing end up getting stuck flying with it? Or if you really want to fly fixed wing is that a definite possibility.(I realize military needs come before personal desire)

Also do you know anything about the Air National Guard? From different military forums and aviation websites many times ANG is brought up as a great way to fly, although getting a job is very tough.

I really appreciate any insight you have and thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.



ANSWER: Steve,

If you want my professional opinion, you need to steer towards the Air Force. Our fleet is 99% fixed wing aircraft. We only have two helos that I know of and those are the sikorski and the huey.

To get a flying position in the Air Force, you have to either apply to the Air Force academy or a college with a ROTC unit that offers Aeronautical Science. The PLC is ok, but its just a summer course more designed for combat officers.But its a great leadership tool if you are planning to go to the Marines.

The Air Force requires that you have an Aeronautical Science Degree. There is many ways that you can get this degree. You can jsut go to college...Embry -Riddle is the best college for the degree, Rocky Mountain college in Billings is another, and I believe North Dakota State is another....I am not trying to plug colleges, those are the ones that I dealt with primarily. If you are one of those folks that is strapped for cash...you might want to try a less expensive way. I have received a lot of rift about this method of becoming a pilot, but I know several who have achieved it. To get a degree on your own, its will run you 85K or more...thats alot of dough, or you can get a scholarship (ROTC,USAFA Etc.)

The longer route is to enlist as a crewchief and then utilize the Air Force education system to get your degree. THis has advantages although it takes a little longer. 1. you dont have to score as high on the AFOQT...this is the officer entrance exam. As a civillian, you have to have 80s or above across the board, as a military only 50s or above...the reasoning, is becasue you are already in the Air Force at this point. The one thing to remember is that the Air Force will allways hire from inside before they hire on the outside.....And you get first hand knowledge of how the plane functions....its kinda like learning how to work on the car be fore you drive it....another reason the highschools have automechanics class....not just becasue there is alot of guys that like to work on cars....

But  there a lot of folks that have to have it all now and will spare no expense in getting it. THe Air Force will only pay 10000 dollars toward a FEDERALLY sponsored loan. Which means if you go and get a loan from the bank.... the Air Force will not pay anything towards it, it has to be a federally sponsored student loan.

So there they are, you decide what you want...not what your parents want. You have to pay back the loans, not your parents. You have to do the time in the military...not the family.

I always throw that statement in there, becasue mostly the parents are driving the applicant is some way. If this does not apply to you then disregard.

HW

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for the insight,

I have considered AFROTC heavily for this whole past year as college is rapidly approaching, but the fact that getting selected for pilot is so hard and much more competitive these days im still wondering if its the best option for me.

You mentioned those colleges, and i also have thought about those alot. Im taking a solo flight course at embry riddle this summer and my first choice for school is the Professional Flight major at Purdue. Through this major i would get commercial licenses and instrument ratings. Is it true this would play no role in a decision about getting selected for UPT?

And is it common to be enlisted in the air force during college? Would this be too much of a hastle? And in the enlisted route what sort of careers would give me the best shot at getting a pilot slot through the enlisted route?

Thanks again for any help

Answer
They are a concideration, but your AFOQT will be another beig one. THe best way to get ALL the info you seek, is to contact the officer accession branch of Air Force recruiting and tell them what your plans/goals are and have them explain step by step what you need to do to get there. It is very do able, use the recruiting service to help you get there.