American_Ace
AFROTC
So I take it none of you played sports or got good grades?
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Chances of becoming a fighter pilot?
- Thread starter Aarkh
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American_Ace
AFROTC
Ok, this kid is in middle school. My advice primarily pertains to high school. What everyone is saying is that playing sports and/or flight time will not help him at all when on the road to a pilot slot. Why the hell didn't I just get drunk every night and coast by through easy classes.
American_Ace said:
The point was is playing sports and getting good grades doesn't have anything to do with directly becoming a fighter pilot. It is a beginning to the end I suppose. As a high schooler, that will definitely have an impact on achieving your goals of getting an NROTC scholarship or being accepted to the boat school. Getting good grades in college will help with the selection process, meaning being selected for the flight program.
well, in a way i guess getting good grades and playing sports will help you in the flight program... you need good study skills in flight school and thereafter. also, if you have good physical stamina you might be less prone to mental errors if you're stressed. plus the team skills you develop in sports might help you to "fit in" with other students/IP's. I personally feel that aviation is a big fraternity.. having been in one in college.. many similarities.
American_Ace
AFROTC
Thank you, that was my point, sorry about the misunderstanding. I guess I should've said something to the extent of: work hard in high school, get good grades and play sports, it will make you more competitive for ROTC (which pays for college) or the academy (free college, great education). You can do OTS, but you have to find a way to pay for school.
but tuition = rape
but tuition = rape
akamifeldman
Interplanetary Ambassador
closed mouth, open mind
Exactly. Ace, sometimes its better to just shut up...especially when there's guys who have actually been there and done it. Let the real officers have their say.
American_Ace said:
Just curious, where'd you find this info? I did very poorly in high school, failed several subjects, almost didn't graduate on time and downright hated it. Is it because a lack of noodle? No, more like a serious lack of self discipline and drive. Whole different story at College, I actually enjoyed learning ( had to work a little harder because I 'refused' to learn while in HS) choose a pretty tough degree and did well.
Not doggin ya or anything, but I feel that your quote is misleading. Just because someone sucked at high school, doesn't mean that person will suck at everything else.
Example, (I posted this in another thread), a Marine SNA I went to API (which is kinda like aviation high school, more like aviation kindergarten) with came very close to attriting out of API. Several folks looked down on him for it and didn't even think he'd make it through Primary............well, he's at Meridian now and I have no doubt that he'll earn his wings.
Anyway...
One more thing to add...just like Bunk and 46Driver said, all that civilian flight time doesn't garuntee anything. Another SNA I went to Primary with had all his ratings and xxx amount of hours and got helo's and yes there was jet slots that week. Knowing him, I think his attitude hurt him. He thought he was just gonna 'walk' into a jet slot plus he would do things his way and not per the FTI. There's a few of you on here who'll now exactly who I'm talking about.
For those of you with little or zero flight time, don't be intimidated by those with flight time. Like Patmack said, I've seen it go both ways.
For those of you with little or zero flight time, don't be intimidated by those with flight time. Like Patmack said, I've seen it go both ways.
For those with no civilian flight experience, what are the ways to go about getting some? Would it be beneficial to try to get in some flight hours in between API and Primary, or not worth it at all? Is there a high cost involved? I've got some fraternity buddies who fly, but what's considered "experience?" How do you get your license? Any info. will help.
46Driver
"It's a mother beautiful bridge, and it's gon
I would get as many hours as possible, not necessarily to learn how to fly (although being able to land is nice) but to get comfortable with the course rules at Whiting as well as making radio calls. The best place to do it is at the Milton T (Santa Rosa) airport which is just about 5 miles south of Whiting.
1.Be an NFO
2. Prior flight time
These two are the most common denominators I've noticed among the students that wound up at Meridian.
Even though there are are not too many former NFO's in the pipeline, I remember noticing that a huge number of them got 70+ NSS's.
I was in the last TBS company to go through the program without the benefit of IFS and 15 of 70 got jets, and 7 of them had prior flight time. There we 4 people that had prior flight time that didn't get jets.
Above is pretty unscientific research, but may explain why the Navy and Marine Corps are paying for IFS- they have noted a relationship between civilian time and comfort level in primary, which translates to ease of learning and grades.
2. Prior flight time
These two are the most common denominators I've noticed among the students that wound up at Meridian.
Even though there are are not too many former NFO's in the pipeline, I remember noticing that a huge number of them got 70+ NSS's.
I was in the last TBS company to go through the program without the benefit of IFS and 15 of 70 got jets, and 7 of them had prior flight time. There we 4 people that had prior flight time that didn't get jets.
Above is pretty unscientific research, but may explain why the Navy and Marine Corps are paying for IFS- they have noted a relationship between civilian time and comfort level in primary, which translates to ease of learning and grades.
American_Ace
AFROTC
E5B, my physics teacher had a packet at the front of the class that explained that kids who don't do well in high school usually ahve trouble in college. It had different data tables with high school GPA in one column and % with college diplomas in the other, followed by an explanation of the data. If I remember right, only like 50% of people who start either a 4 or 2 year college finish... I'm probably wrong, but it was some really shocking number.
You didn't try hard in high school but you did well in college? You're a lot better than I am then. I don't think most kids could do that, though. I haven't started college yet, but I have a bunch of friends who are there and after talking to them I'm terrified. From what I've gathered you have to go from having everything spoon-fed to you in high school to 'you either sink or swim' in college.
I hate making excuses, but the reason I hit the roof is because when I was a soph I talked to a ROTC cadet for a couple hours. He said that I shouldn't work so hard or I'd burn myself out. I took his advice to heart, and I'm convinced my grades that semester cost me an appointment to the AFA. So now I couldn't imagine telling a high school kid to relax, I mean, to me (until my jr year), working hard meant staying awake in class and doing an hour of homework while watching the simpsons. Relaxing meant doing less than that, so now I don't want anyone to sabotage themselves the way I did, so that's why I got all pissy and kept telling that kid to get good grades and play sports.
You didn't try hard in high school but you did well in college? You're a lot better than I am then. I don't think most kids could do that, though. I haven't started college yet, but I have a bunch of friends who are there and after talking to them I'm terrified. From what I've gathered you have to go from having everything spoon-fed to you in high school to 'you either sink or swim' in college.
I hate making excuses, but the reason I hit the roof is because when I was a soph I talked to a ROTC cadet for a couple hours. He said that I shouldn't work so hard or I'd burn myself out. I took his advice to heart, and I'm convinced my grades that semester cost me an appointment to the AFA. So now I couldn't imagine telling a high school kid to relax, I mean, to me (until my jr year), working hard meant staying awake in class and doing an hour of homework while watching the simpsons. Relaxing meant doing less than that, so now I don't want anyone to sabotage themselves the way I did, so that's why I got all pissy and kept telling that kid to get good grades and play sports.
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