Expert: James Bell - 4/11/2005

Question
Hey my name is Ben Graves I would just like to get some information on flying in the U.S. Air force. Just do the best you can and thanks.

How old were you when you first enrolled in the Air Force?

What all did you do when you were in the air force? (Your jobs)

What type of schooling did you go through before entering the military? (High school grad, college grad?)

Are you at a higher rank or level when you graduate from college? And are some colleges better then others? (Ivy League)

What type of schooling does one have to go through before becoming a pilot?

What are all the test that one has to go through to become a pilot, vision test, writing test, and any other tests one has to take?

What is the approximate salary for a starting pilot and what is it got a veteran pilot?

What are the benefits for being a pilot in the Air Force?

That's all I need, thanks


Answer
Greetings Ben -

You have asked a lot of questions, so I will answer them in the order you wrote them, as best as I can.  Realize that I was enlisted and, therefore, not a pilot.  But, having spent my entire 24-year career sitting right behind pilots, I have a pretty good idea of their training requirements and career progression.

1.  How old were you when you first enrolled in the Air Force?

I enlisted (you don't enroll) when I was 20.  I had my high school diploma, and a little college, but I was ready to go out and conquer the world, not sit in a classroom for another four years.  Looking back on it, however, it would have been a good idea to finish college.

2.  What all did you do when you were in the Air Force?

I initially enlisted as an aircraft loadmaster.  I was responsibile for the safe uploading, inflight transportation and downloading of any cargo the aircraft may carry, plus all the passenger handling.  I was also reaponsible for calculating the weight and balance of the aircraft to make sure it was balanced properly for flight.  I did this job for 7 years on the C-5 Galaxy, then retrained into the flight engineer profession.

As a flight engineer, I was responsible for calculating all the performance data for the aircraft (how fast we needed to be going to make a safe takeoff, how high we could climb, how fast we could fly, how far we could go with the fuel we had, etc.).  I did this job for another 7 years in the C-141 Starlifter, then transferred to the KC-10 aerial tanker.

3.  What type of schooling did you go through before entering the military?

I finished high school and had a little college.

4.  Are you at a higher rank or level when you graduate from college? And are some colleges better then others?

You don't get any rank based on your schooling.  You do get credit, however, if you attended ROTC either in college or high school.  If you enlist, you get promoted to Airman First Class (E-3) after Basic Training if you had three years of JROTC in high school, or two years of ROTC in college.

Some colleges are better than others, but it is hard to make a hard list.  The only one I can safely say is above all others is the Air Force Academy in Colorado.  That is the school that has more General's promoted than any other.  Also realize that anyone receiving a commission in the Air Force starts out as a 2nd lieutenant.

5.  What type of schooling does one have to go through before becoming a pilot?

To become a pilot, you have to be commissioned as an officer in the Air Force.  To get a commission, you need a four year college degree.  The degree can be in anything, as long as it is a Bachelor's degree from an accredited university.

6.  What are all the test that one has to go through to become a pilot, vision test, writing test, and any other tests one has to take?

The main test you need to take is the AFOQT (Air Force Officer's Qualifying Test).  It is administered through your college.  To become a pilot, you also need to take the AFPQT (Air Force Pilot Qualifying Test).  You also need to have 20/20 vision, without the need for corrective lenses.  You can go blind once you become a pilot, but your vision has to be no less than 20/25 upon entering pilot training.  You also receive a hearing test, color blindness test, depth perception test, and a slew of other tests that make up your flight physical.  There are too many to mention here.

7.  What is the approximate salary for a starting pilot and what is it got a veteran pilot?

Salary is based on rank, not whether you are a beginner or veteran.  Currently, the starting salary for a 2nd lieutenant is $2,343 per month.  By comparison, the salary for a colonel with 20 years of service is $7,763 per month.

8.  What are the benefits for being a pilot in the Air Force?

That is a very general question.  There are monitary benefits, such as flight pay, but there are the benefits of doing things that only a small fraction of the overall personnel in the Air Force do ... you get to fly.

I hope this answers most of your question.  Don't hesitate to write back if you have more.

Sincerely,
James Bell