To crossrate to AW or apply for flight school, that is the question!

[Md15]

Hello, i've been in the navy for 4 years now, i still have 2 years left do to a 2 year extention...I'm currently a DC (not what i had originally chose) I was going to put in an Officer package to be a Pilot. I've always wanted to be a pilot, and my family is packed with them. I looked up all the requirements as far as school..height (i'm 4'11") and etc. i met them...it's just the fact of putting in my package..okay so to get to the point... My boyfriend, is an AW, i got a feel for the rating before i met him and when we started dating i found out a lot about the rate. It's something i KNOW i'd enjoy, so i'm thinking of cross rating to AW or AWR now.. instead of doing the pilot program, or going AW and then doing the pilot program (probably have a better chance then.) I go to the Pool just about everday i do some of the routines some friends put together and Run and workout every other day. What do you think the chances of me passing would be. My friends (also AWs) said i'd do fine, as long as i didn't give up. They said my personality (nevery want to quit, want to prove i'm best, push myself to the limit) i have a pride issue. When some one tells me i can't, i want to prove them wrong...Mainly because i'm a 4'11, 120 lb female... anyway, does my height and weight have anything to do with the difficulty it would be for me to pass the schools?...i'm not worried much, but i'd like opinions before i made my decisions. sorry this ended up being so long. thanks in advance.

MD

 

[fc2spyguy]

Couple of things to mention.

First, consider using a little better punctuation, it makes it easier to read.

Second, space out your post more, there are several different points where you could have used a space and, again, made it easier to read.



Now, on to the advice I'm going to give. Look at what your long term goal is, and start on it now. If being a pilot is what you want to do, then get the package in. If you have already taken the SAT/ACT then you have plenty of time, if not then you're going to need to hurry up.

The rate that you are currently in has no bearing on selection. Crossing over from DC to AW will not help/hurt your application. Pride, yeah, get over that, and no height/weight has nothing to do with passing flight school, unless you become overweight, then it becomes an issue.

Bottom line is this: If you want to be a pilot, start at it now, if you want to be an AW then also start on that. You can submit for both, and if you're selected for STA-21 it will trump the AW transfer.

 

[FMRAM]

Md15. What program were you thinking about applying for? What is your age? What is the highest math you have taken?

 

[Whitingorbust]

Just FYI, if your 4'11" you will most likely not fit the anthro measurements to get into flight school if your wanting to be a pilot. I know I am close to the cutoff at 5'4". Can't speak for the AW stuff.

 

[CommodoreMid]

Just FYI, if your 4'11" you will most likely not fit the anthro measurements to get into flight school if your wanting to be a pilot. I know I am close to the cutoff at 5'4". Can't speak for the AW stuff.

The min heights are different between men and women.

 

[Bevo16]

I am not going to say anything is impossible, but your physical stature is going to present you some problems in rescue swimmer school. There are certain tasks that you are going to have to accomplish that are hard enough for normal size people that are going to be much harder for you. I had 3 female rescue swimmers in my shop when I was an Aircrew Division officer, and each and every one of them had a tough time with the annual tests. They were all very good swimmers, very good runners, and could kick-butt on the PRT. Pulling people through the water in full gear or carrying a 200 pound man as a member of a GRE is a total different ball game. There are simply some things that you would not be able to do.

My best advice is to be a good self evaluator. Don't do something just because someone says that you can't do it. Identify your strengths and look for a job where you can make those strengths work for you.

I suck at math, so I take my taxes to a professional. If I was shy of 5 foot tall, and would was looking at a job where I would have to carry half my body weight in gear....well...I would look at something else.

Good luck.

 

[MAKE VAPES]

The min heights are different between men and women.

Why? Sounds sexist to me... calling the Navy EO folks.

 

[CommodoreMid]

Why? Sounds sexist to me... calling the Navy EO folks.

Don't know why, just is.

 

[MasterBates]

You either FIT or you DONT.

Sex has nothing to do with it..

I call shenanigans on NOMI again.

 

[CommodoreMid]

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/officerjo2/a/pilot.htm

If this is still current, it looks like the only major difference between male and female requirements is the overall height. All the other measurements are pretty much the same between the genders so it really doesn't make much of a difference. Those under the min overall height for guys are likely to anthro out of some platforms anyway. Maybe they figure more males than females are on the higher end of the standing height scale and as such are more likely to anthro out of certain platforms, so they compensate with allowing shorter females who would anthro out of certain other platforms. Just my uneducated speculation.

 

[MAKE VAPES]

ygtbsmp!

Lets go right into the gutter for arguments sake...

Given a male and female 4'11", the dudes wanker, doo-dads and lack of mammary glands are the game changers that anthro him out of "COCK"pits? Bullshit.

You either can reach the rudder pedals, or you can't.:icon_rage

Any NOMI flight docs on board want a flogging?

 

[torpedo0126]

Just FYI, if your 4'11" you will most likely not fit the anthro measurements to get into flight school if your wanting to be a pilot. I know I am close to the cutoff at 5'4". Can't speak for the AW stuff.

4'11" i believe is too small. you can try a waiver but you are pretty short.

besides not reaching the pedals, you might have a problem keeping good visibility over the instrument panel.

lastly, if you do get in, your not going to get a flightsuit for about 10 years because supply isn't going to know what to do with you

 

[Hozer]

My boyfriend, is an AW, i got a feel for the rating before i met him and when we started dating i found out a lot about the rate. It's something i KNOW i'd enjoy, so i'm thinking of cross rating to AW or AWR now.. instead of doing the pilot program, or going AW and then doing the pilot program (probably have a better chance then.)

1. "AW (R)" is not merely a stepping stone and being 4'11 it's going to be damn tough to get through ARSS.

2. Something more reasonable is a VP sensor operator, but just as tough in the academic sense.

 

[highside7r]

If you want to do the SNA/SNFO track then do it, officer life is way better than any AW rate. I had a few shorter female students in ARSS and they made it through, of course we had a double standard that I hope has been resolved by now. At least get out of the DC rate, although I have met some DC's that made rank very quick.

For ARSS what you are saying you do now will help, but what I can't tell you (nor can you) is how you will react in the water with a fellow male student pushing you under the surface??? I've seen many hardcore PT guys that can't hack the water.

 

[utak]

Are you sure being an officer is way better then being an AW rate? By the words of this hard manly man, AW's have more responsibility and respect then any one of us officers ever, ever, ever will. :tongue2_1

Seriously md15, do whatever you want to do. Don't use something as a stepping stone. I know dudes who went undesignated seaman just so they would go into the flying CWO program (their recruiter told them so). You want to fly as an officer, AW is probaly not in the right direction. Very important job yes, esprit de corps yes, but does being one or not being one have any bearing or effect on being an officer flying a plane? Probaly not.

I know of an aircrewman in San Diego (mutual friend of a friend) who already had his degree and trying to get into OCS, guess what ... he got a DUI. Just made the promotion list for E-5, but wasn't officially promoted . . . so he got busted down from his official rank from E-4 to E-3 . . . and his chances for a commission is screwed. You think just because he's AW, they're just going to waive his legal troubles and put on butter bars?

Being a good sailor will get you on the right path to becoming an officer if you so desire, note that I did not say "being an AW".

Good luck to you.