Expert: Rod Powers - 2/21/2007

Question
if you go to navy the colloge and apply to be a fighter pilot how long is training and how long is oblagation

Answer
Hi Axel,

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking? In order to become a Navy fighter pilot, you must first become a college graduate. Now, you can become a college graduate through the Navy (through Navy ROTC, or the Naval Academy), if you're good enough to get a position/scholarship, or you can get a college degree through your own means, then apply for the 13-week Navy officer training school (OSC), after you have your college degree.

In any event, getting selected for pilot training is tough. Ever since the movie, "Top Gun" came out, everybody and their brother (and sister) wants to become a fighter pilot. Unfortunately, there are more people that want to fly Navy aircraft than there are available slots. To get selected for flight training, you have to meet the physical standards of a flight class medical examination, you need a high college GPA (3.2 or above, at least), and you need to score high on the Navy's flight aptitude test.

If you make it through all of this (as well as Navy officer training), and are selected for flight training, you'll attend basic flight training (where you learn to fly an aircraft). Your class standing in basic flight training, along with your preferences, determine whether you go onto "jets," "prop planes," or "helicopters." Your class standings (and preferences) in these courses, then determine what type of aircraft you will be assigned to (for example, if you're selected for "jets," your class standing in jet training will determine whether you get jet-tankers (refuelers) or fighter aircraft.

Navy aviators (pilots) incur a minimum 8 year service obligation, upon receipt of their wings (graduation from basic flying training).

Basic flying training takes about a year.

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com