Expert: Rod Powers - 5/24/2007

Question
Hello Mr. Powers:

I am a sophmore in High School my name is Abbey, I was wondering if you go through the Army ROTC program how long does it take to become a Blackhawk pilot and how hard is it?

Answer
Hi Abbey,

First of all (in case you didn't know), the Army is the only service which allows qualified applicants to become helicopter pilots with just a high school education (although they prefer at least an Associate's Degree), under the Army's Warrant Officer Flight Training Program (WOFT).

The Army has two types of helicopter pilots: Commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers. Now, if you receive an ROTC Scholarship, you *will not* be guaranteed to become an Army Helicopter Pilot. You'll be able to give your preferences, but -- upon commission, your officer branch will be decided based on the "needs of the Army." In other words, you could be commissioned in any one of several branches (see: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/officerjob1/l/blaroffjobs.htm). No job guarantees for ROTC.

Now, if your goal is really to become an Army helicopter pilot, ROTC probably isn't your best bet. You're better off graduating from high school, then attending college, then applying through the WOFT program. You'll want to read the article at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/armytrng/ss/rotarypilot.htm

One final point: If you are selected for the Army Flight Training Program, whether as a Warrant Officer or Commissioned Officer, there is no guarantee about what kind of helicopter you will be selected for.

Your specific helicopter will be determined during basic helicopter training, based on (1) your class standing (2) your preferences, and (3) "needs of the Army."

In short, the higher your standing in the basic helicopter flight course, the better your chances of getting one of your top airframe preferences. The lower your standing, the less the Army will take your preferences into consideration.

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military Information Site at: http://usmilitary.about.com

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com