Flight Hours Toward Pilot Slot

[Davis]

Hello everyone,

I'm currently in AFROTC (I know, that's probably a sin on here). Anyway, I'm not exactly sure how getting a pilot slot in NROTC works, exactly, but I know the process of obtaining a slot in AFROTC fairly well. My question is, do you think it's worth the investment (time/money) to get a private pilot certificate and work on getting 100+ hours to try to give me the upper edge in getting the pilot slot about which I have dreamed? In the total score that the Air Force uses to decide who gets slots, number of flying hours counts toward a small number of points. It's not a lot, but it's still something. Personally, I think it's worth it because I want every advantage I can get. But what do you think?

Thanks for your time!

 

[Harrier Dude]

You'd get better gouge by asking this of our brothers in blue.

http://www.baseops.net

 

[Davis]

Thanks for the link.

 

[cameron172]

Hours/ratings are not considered in NROTC selection scores, so I've been told not to waste my money when the Navy will just pay for the training anyway. But I would take any advantage I could get in my score and make the $10k-ish investment for a ppl.

 

[KBayDog]

But I would take any advantage I could get in my score and make the $10k-ish investment for a ppl.

Or, since nothing in the military is guaranteed anyway, put that $10K away somewhere (preferably in my bank account).

 

[BusyBee604]

It's not a lot, but it's still something. Personally, I think it's worth it because I want every advantage I can get. But what do you think?

I'd say it depends on your financial ability to absorb a 5-figure investment in enough flight time to 'possibly' be a tie-breaker. If you have to go in hock for the flight time & you don't get selected, you'll end up starting your career with this & a probable student loan debt millstone around your neck.
If you or your family is well off & can/will absorb this expense OK, otherwise it's a costly long shot.
In my experience, prior flight time/ppl hasn't been much of a game-breaker in flight training, for you will HAVE to learn to do it the "Navy Way"! Sometimes, problems are encountered with breaking habit patterns learned in GA training.
Entering the Navy flight training with no prior time is, & has always been, a perfectly normal situation. In fact, I have often discussed this with primary Instructors. Many of them actually prefer new flight students with a "clean slate"...flight time wise, for the reasons mentioned above. JMO...
BzB

 

[jtmedli]

I'd say it depends on your financial ability to absorb a 5-figure investment in enough flight time to 'possibly' be a tie-breaker. If you have to go in hock for the flight time & you don't get selected, you'll end up starting your career with this & a probable student loan debt millstone around your neck.
If you or your family is well off & can/will absorb this expense OK, otherwise it's a costly long shot.
In my experience, prior flight time/ppl hasn't been much of a game-breaker in flight training, for you will HAVE to learn to do it the "Navy Way"! Sometimes, problems are encountered with breaking habit patterns learned in GA training.
Entering the Navy flight training with no prior time is, & has always been, a perfectly normal situation. In fact, I have often discussed this with primary Instructors. Many of them actually prefer new flight students with a "clean slate"...flight time wise, for the reasons mentioned above. JMO...
BzB

Somewhere along the line, they told us 100hrs was about ideal for entering flight school. No real bad habit patterns have developed yet, but enough stick time that you know what's up. Makes sense to me I guess. With that said, plenty of guys do it with 15hrs of IFS under their belt and do great. It's all relative and will come out in the wash.

 

[Gatordev]

Somewhere along the line, they told us 100hrs was about ideal for entering flight school. No real bad habit patterns have developed yet, but enough stick time that you know what's up.

That sounds really wrong to me. The second part, possibly, but the first part, I'm not buying.

 

[revan1013]

Navy takes a lot more people that have no prior time than the Air Force does. It's a difference of approach to training.

Most (read, nearly all) flight students in the Navy have little-to-no flight time. It's not gonna hurt you. And many of my friends who have prior time don't seem to be doing any better. It's not worth the money, in my personal opinion, if the only reason is to give you an edge to get in. It may not help you get a slot, and you'll have spent tons of money doing it for very little in return.

Obviously... if you love flying and are willing to shell out the dough. Go for it. Fly privately if you want to, but you definitely do not need it to succeed in Naval Aviation.

 

[KCOTT]

I'm currently in AFROTC

I know the process of obtaining a slot in AFROTC fairly well

In the total score that the Air Force uses to decide who gets slots, number of flying hours counts toward a small number of points.

I want every advantage I can get.

Okay if it helps a little and you want every advantage you can get then it sounds like you answered your own question. Asking here isn't going to do much, because everyone is going to tell you that it doesn't matter in Naval Aviation, which doesn't even matter for you because you're in AFROTC with different selection standards. I don't really get the question. Are you trying to get us to talk you out of it?

 

[Davis]

Eh, good point. I suppose I have answered my own question. I guess what I was getting at is, if I get a competitive GPA, do well on my fitness assessments, and get a high commander's ranking, I have a good (well, good in terms of military pilot slots) shot at getting the slot, even without the flying hours. However, if someone has very similar stats to me, but I have hours and he/she doesn't, then I suppose that would give me the edge I need.

So yeah, I guess you're right. I answered my own question and you made me realize it more. Sorry, and thanks!

 

[jtmedli]

That sounds really wrong to me. The second part, possibly, but the first part, I'm not buying.

Not saying its true. Just saying I heard it somewhere. Doing it the "Navy" way really isn't that big of a deal. Just read the books and do what they say. It really is that simple.

 

[Davis]

Not saying its true. Just saying I heard it somewhere. Doing it the "Navy" way really isn't that big of a deal. Just read the books and do what they say. It really is that simple.

Dunno about the Navy, but I know that in the Air Force, you need a lot of hours to get a small number of points awarded to your total score. About 100-200 hours will give you a few points, from what I've heard. Anything below that will barely scratch your score, if that.

 

[jtmedli]

Dunno about the Navy, but I know that in the Air Force, you need a lot of hours to get a small number of points awarded to your total score. About 100-200 hours will give you a few points, from what I've heard. Anything below that will barely scratch your score, if that.

Yeah, it's like 3 points or something gay. And yes, trying to assign a points system to everything is gay.

 

[KBayDog]

Yeah, it's like 3 points or something gay. And yes, trying to assign a points system to everything is gay.

+1

(D'oh!)