Flying for Navy, Marines or Air Force?

[TurnandBurn55]

Even if you're in the AF, you can still get sent to Pensacola for flight training with the Navy, there's quite a few of those guys here.

Even if you're in the Navy, you can still get sent to Vance or Moody for primary. I know as an SNFO, you can get sent to Randolph for advanced.

Point being there's so much joint training going on now-- and it's going to become even more joint as times go on, that choosing a service based on their training pipeline can bite you in the a$$.

I'll echo the sentimonies of the other folks here-- choose the service you think you'd feel best with when you're actually out there and operational...

Good luck!

 

[NeoCortex]

This is from a friend of mine that was an AF pilot. "The Air Force teaches you what you can do. The Navy teaches you what you can't."

 

[Demento]

A perspective on Navy versus Air Force

hey im debating which service to join upon graduation, personally i like the navy better. but i have been reading a lot of these post here and i realize most people here are navy, but what is so bad about the airforce way vs the navy? i was always told airforce was much easier. please help me out, thanks
QUOTE]

I will let this gentleman answer your question.

United States Navy or US Air Force? by Bob Norris

Bob Norris is a former Naval aviator who also did a 3 year exchange tour flying the F-15 Eagle. He is now an accomplished author of entertaining books about US Naval Aviation including "Check Six" and "Fly-Off". Check out his web site at <http://www.bobnorris.com/>. In response to a letter from an aspiring fighter pilot on which military academy to attend, Bob replied with the following.

12 Feb 04

Young Man,

Congratulations on your selection to both the Naval and Air Force Academies. Your goal of becoming a fighter pilot is impressive and a fine way to serve your country. As you requested, I'd be happy to share some insight into which service would be the best choice. Each service has a distinctly different culture. You need to ask yourself "Which one am I more likely to thrive in?"

USAF Snapshot: The USAF is exceptionally well organized and well run. Their training programs are terrific. All pilots are groomed to meet high standards for knowledge and professionalism. Their aircraft are top-notch and extremely well maintained. Their facilities are excellent. Their
enlisted personnel are the brightest and the best trained. The USAF is homogenous and macro. No matter where you go, you'll know what to expect, what is expected of you, and you'll be given the training & tools you need to meet those expectations. You will never be put in a situation over your head. Over a 20-year career, you will be home for most important family events. Your Mom would want you to be an Air Force pilot...so would your wife. Your Dad would want your sister to marry one.

Navy Snapshot: Aviators are part of the Navy, but so are Black shoes (surface warfare) and bubble heads (submariners). Furthermore, the Navy is split into two distinctly different Fleets (West and East Coast). The Navy is heterogeneous and micro. Your squadron is your home; it may be great, average, or awful. A squadron can go from one extreme to the other before you know it. You will spend months preparing for cruise and months on cruise. The quality of the aircraft varies directly with the availability of parts. Senior Navy enlisted are salt of the earth; you'll be proud if you earn their respect. Junior enlisted vary from terrific to the troubled kid the judge made join the service. You will be given the opportunity to lead these people during your career; you will be humbled and get your hands dirty. The quality of your training will vary and sometimes you will be over your head. You will miss many important family events. There will be long stretches of tedious duty aboard ship. You will fly in very bad weather and/or at night and you will be scared many times. You will fly with legends in the Navy and they will kick your ass until you become a lethal force. And some days - when the scheduling Gods have smiled upon you – your aircraft will leave the flight deck of a steel gray carrier and lift into a glorious morning over a far-away sea and you will be drop-jawed that someone would pay you to do it. The hottest girl in the bar wants to meet the Naval Aviator. That bar is in Singapore.

Bottom line, son, if you’ve gotta ask . . . pack warm & good luck in Colorado.

Banzai

PS Air Force pilots wear scarves and iron their flight suits

The only real cultural difference between a Navy Pilot and an Air Force pilot is that if it's not in the book, the AF says you can't do it, whereas in the Navy, unless it's prohibited by the book, you can do it. But there is no substitute for good judgment in either case.

Both services somehow manage to train some pretty darned good pilots who blow up bad guys.

You can't lose, either way. Just work your tail off while in flight training and you'll get to do the same some day. :icon_smil

Demento

 

[loadtoad]

Its not if "I am a pilot" or I am a "Naval Aviator" its "I'm a FIGHTER PILOT" or "I'm a pilot"

 

[phrogdriver]

No, they had it right the first time. It's "I'm a naval aviator." Saying "I'm a fighter pilot" is like twirling a BMW keyring in the bar. No one who actually has a BMW has a the silly little keyring with the checker logo on it. No actual fighter pilot says (imagine nerd voice here), "I'm a fighter pilot." Most of those people are poseurs, the rest are dorks. Besides, real men drive American cars, much like real men fly 200' and below. Anyway, most pilots will say what they fly, as in, "I'm a (insert a/c here) pilot." By this I mean by model, like F-18s, F-14s, or, if they truly have balls of steel, CH-46Es.

 

[trt23]

amen brother

 

[evolross]

Air Force flying versus Navy flying...

I was just curious... why is Navy flying so much more sought-after and competitive to be accepted into versus Air Force flying.

Is it the whole taking off and landing from a carrier, or maybe the fact that the Navy it usually the first to be active in a real conflict...?

I was reading something that said the Air Force still has a pilot shortage and will continue to because of the solution they used to reduce the amount of pilots in the Air Force in the 90's... which was to reduce the number of new pilots coming in through UPT, which explains the present and future shortages.

Does the Navy not have this going on? Does anyone know if the Navy talks of needing pilots or having too many, or what the current situation is?

I'm a computer engineer with an interest in flight (currently close to completing my private certificate) and I would probably fare better trying to fly in the Air Force (because of my family and experience... LORs, internships) but flying in the Navy seems just a little more interesting.

I just wanted to throw this out to see if anyone had any thoughts about the reasons why Navy flying seems to be much harder to get into (from a civilian application point of view).

 

[virtu050]

i'm not sure if it's harder to get into.. it's just different. air force pilots are just that.. pilots. they don't have collateral duties and the opportunity to lead like the navy does. their deployments are shorter and their bases are in the middle of nowhere, though air force bases are generally nicer. training is different too.. the navy trusts that as an officer you have the time management skills to study on your own, whereas the airforce will keep you on base all day whether you're flying or not. the air force seems to be more into memorizing math formulas and precise flight planning where the navy is more concerned in your ability to perform under pressure and being flexible. Navy is unique in that we land on ships... though not all navy pilots land on ships. Air force does have some cool planes though... B2, F117, F22.. etc.. navy wings are gold. air force wings are silver.. and they wear those gay scarves too.
if you want jets it's totally dependent on the needs of the navy.. they may not have any jets when you select after primary training... not sure about the air force..

 

[Pags]

It's also kinda cool to be in a service that has 200yrs + of traditions. Nothing like speaking whole sentences, that while technically english, can hardly be understood by a lubber.

"Where's the head?"
"go down the pway and up the ladder. it's on the next deck up, port side."

 

[evolross]

Something else I remembered... I was talking to an F/A-18 Hornet pilot at a recent Air Show (Dayton, OH) and he said something like....

"The Air Force tells you what you can do in your airplane. The Navy tells you what you can't do, everything else is fair game."

 

[kevin]

actually, deployments for the air force as of late have been rivaling those of the army...especially if you fly tankers.

 

[Punk]

Something else I remembered... I was talking to an F/A-18 Hornet pilot at a recent Air Show (Dayton, OH) and he said something like....

"The Air Force tells you what you can do in your airplane. The Navy tells you what you can't do, everything else is fair game."

NATOPS vs Dash 1

 

[Jaxs170]

While I was incarcerated at Vance Prison, the AF folks kept talking about them needing more staff officers who are pilots, meaning guys who are more of the O-4 and above type. I believe they are doing fine on pilots going through UPT to fill the regular you fly and only fly spots.

 

[American_Ace]

Here's my gouge:

An admiral in the navy (SWO) told me it was easier to get a navy slot than AF pilot slot b/c more AF guys go career, whereas most naval aviators leave after their first commitment is up. Also, 60% of the navy/USMC's fleet is rotor-wing. Just something to consider. Talk to ROTC instructors. They'll probably give you the best, non-biased info (if they know they can't recruit you ;D ). And since it seems like you already graduated, a Col who went through OCS told me that the AF does not give many pilot slots through OCS anymore.

 

[evolross]

a Col who went through OCS told me that the AF does not give many pilot slots through OCS anymore

I think you may be onto something. I checked at the Air Force's Personnel Center website (http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil) and as of June 2002:

There are 7002 personnel members in the active duty Air Force rated as "Pilot" (of those who are actually flying.... who knows?)

Out of those 7002 only 643 were acquired through OTS. 3109 came from AFROTC and another 3204 came from the AF Academy. The remaining came from other sources.

So the percent of current Air Force pilots from OTS is only 09.1%. That's pretty slim.