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Is this true? Flight experience necessary?

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JoeAE2005

Registered User
I got in touch with my recruiter finally. He didn't tell me anything new, except one thing:

You HAVE to have some flight experience in order to get a Navy Pilot slot. Basically he said that is currently the requirement. Is this true?

If so, how much flight experience are they looking for? My recruiter said they didn't tell him how much, just that the applicants had to have flight experience. I can get my private pilot license by the end of August (which is when my eyes will be healed after I get PRK), and this is when I'll be applying for a pilot slot in BDCP. Will this private pilot license be enough flight time?

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

-Joe
 

geerst

Registered User
Joe,

Flight time is a competitive requirement for pilot; it is not mandatory. The only requirement to get a commission is a 4-year degree with a 2.0 GPA. Competition determines the rest. With a limited number of pilot slots this year and a truckload of qualified applicants like yourself, you can understand that the GPA goes up, the History degrees get overlooked for the Physics degrees, 5 hours of flight time beats 2, etc. What you want to do is make your application better than the next guy's. If you scored well on the ASTB and have a good GPA, then submit your application without the flight time. You can always resubmit later.

Good luck.
LCDR Geers
 

JoeAE2005

Registered User
My recruiter actually told me that is was REQUIRED (flight time, that is).

How competitive do you think I would be without flight time?

-3.909 GPA in Aerospace Engineering at ERAU
-Val of high school
-2 scholarships
-Captain and Coordinator of the Paintball tournament team

I haven't taken the ASTB or the PRT yet, but I think I will do well on those. Is flight time really necessary for me?

It looks like I'm going to be getting my private pilot license over the summer (as well as my PRK). So much money...

-Joe
 

geerst

Registered User
Joe,

Your GPA is excellent and you have extra-curricular activity. Great, now score well on the ASTB. Again, flight time is just one more attribute to pare down the stack of pilot applicants. With a 3.9 GPA and with a hopefully high ASTB score, you might go up against a guy/gal with a 3.7 and the same ASTB, but with a few flight hours. So what? Your application is on par with that other fellow's. Now the board might look at your extra-curricular activities. It is all subjective.

If you can get flight time, go for it--your competitive level will be that much better. If not, submit your kit as is. Let your GPA and test scores speak for you.

LCDR Geers
 

EA-6B1

PLC Jrs 1st Inc. Kilo-3
Wow! If having a 3.909 GPA, being the valedictorian of your high school class, and being on a couple of scholarships is just up to PAR, then I need not apply for OCS then? Maybe I'm missing something but I dont have near that good of grades or academic excellence. Someone clear things up?

Maverick: "Slider... (sniff sniff)... you stink."
- Lt. Pete Mitchell, Top Gun -
 

Ray

Registered User
I think your recruiter is full of it. I had zero flight experience before primary. But my commissioning source was USNA so I don't know if that makes a difference.

VT-22 T-45A TS
Currently: Phase 1/Mod 1
 

geerst

Registered User
EA-6B1,

I guess I did not explain myself well. I did not mean to imply a 3.9 GPA and the other activities constitutes a "par" performance; that is, if one has less he has not a chance at selection. My point is, the selection boards examine each application, looking at a variety of things: GPA, ASTB scores, age, physical readiness, extra-curricular activity, flight time, etc. The selection board will compare one person's application to that of another. Expounding on my example, if you have a 3.9 GPA but no flight time and the selection board is comparing you against an applicant with a 2.8 GPA with 500 hours, who will get selected? Hard to say, as I have seen them both get in. I submitted an application in November on a guy with a 3.7 GPA, excellent ASTB scores, and 3000 hours of commercial time in the big ones. He did not get selected. Anyway, having good grades and good ASTB scores can be competitive without flight time.

LCDR Geers
 

EA-6B1

PLC Jrs 1st Inc. Kilo-3
Thanks LCDR. Good to go.

Maverick: "Slider... (sniff sniff)... you stink."
- Lt. Pete Mitchell, Top Gun -
 

JoeAE2005

Registered User
Also, my application will not be turned in until the beginning of September, when I get back to school. (This is because I will not be able to take the MEPs until my 3 months is over after PRK surgery, which won't be until late august). Do you think it will be too late by then? Will there still be pilot slots available for FY05?

Thanks for the help Geerst, I really appreciate it!

-Joe
 

EA-6B1

PLC Jrs 1st Inc. Kilo-3
I want to know how old everyone who has had PRK was when they actually had the procedure. Please Respond cause I need to know how much longer I'll have to wait. I've heard it' somewhere between 22-25 years of age? Thanks.

Maverick: "Slider... (sniff sniff)... you stink."
- Lt. Pete Mitchell, Top Gun -
 

tali264

Registered User
Go talk to your doctor or a PRK surgeon. Nobody on here knows your eye history, how much they have changed, etc. Are you really going to go get surgery at a certain age simply because somebody else has????
 

geerst

Registered User
Joe,

Yes to pilot slots in FY-05. I say that based on several reasons: 1) As of today, 15 pilot slots have been filled for FY-05 out of 304. Now, when you apply this Fall some more slots will have been filled, but not likely all of them. 2) Most applicants (maybe 70-80%) wait until close to graduation to start thinking about the military. So, next Spring a June 2004 grad from UW will call me and inquire into flying go-fasters. We will work his kit to selection, and he will get an OCS class in FY-05 or -06. You, on the otherhand, know you want to fly or drive ships at 18 knots, and you apply now, not only getting an FY-05 seat, but more than likely you can time it to leave for OCS one week after college graduation. Your planning ahead, as we say in the cockpit, is a "good call."

LCDR Geers
 

jthomps1

Registered User
Just as another example, I was accepted into OCS with an SNA Pilot slot with no prior flight experience. I've heard arguments from both sides: saying prior time is a huge competitive edge, to it's "just icing on the cake", to "it actually doesn't help much at all." It all depends on how competitive you think your package can be without prior time.
I fortunately was selected for an SNA slot, and(Especially being so expensive) I am just going to wait for the fully-funded 25 hours in IFS after OCS for some flight-time. (See the IFS topics under the "Primary" section for more info.) Hope it helps! -JT
 
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