Expert: Aaron Shifferly - 1/6/2011

Question
My son who is 19 would like to become a helicopter pilot.  He is  a very bright young man and very good with mechanics and hands on.  He does not want to go to college.  My question is that if he enlists would there be a chance for him to learn to fly without a college degree?

Answer
There is a chance for him to fly without a college degree but he will have to really want it and work for it.  To fly, you have to be at least a warrant officer, and they do require he have an associate's degree but will waive that requirement in some cases. He would be far better off going to school, getting a degree, and studying for the AFAST (Army Flight Aptitude Skills Test) -- that's the test he must pass, and score well on, in order to be accepted to Army flight school.  He should also familiarize himself with the physical requirements to ensure he's physically fit, no disqualifying medical conditions, and mentally prepared for the challenges associated with learning to fly.  He can do all of this in the military, however, it will be more difficult than if he had gone to college and, perhaps, participated in ROTC along the way.