I've been flying for about 7 months.I soloed and took my stage I check and am working on cross country navigation.I'm 16 and a sophomore in highschool.I plan on getting my private pilot and maybe my instrument.Anyone here fly when they were my age and find that it helped getting into the academy,college,ocs, or nrotc?Has it helped you in your flight training?thanks for helping.
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Flying in Highschool
- Thread starter Charlie
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Charlie:
I was flying at that age, and had a great time. I worked at a local flight school as a lineman and traded labor for flight instruction. I did the solo at 16 thing too, which is pretty cool. Actually I soloed before I had a driver license.
I unfortuneately ran out of time in HS before I could finish my private, so I never could check that box on my apps, but I did make a reference to working on the ticket. I finally got it after my freshman year in college. I would say that it's helpful in the flight pipeline, but as it's been said endlessly here, you have to go in w/ an open mind and plan to relearn some things the Navy way.
Interesting side note: My civilian flight instructor was a retired AF fighter pilot and knew how to put a plane through it's paces, smoothly. He was a great instructor and taught me a lot, especially how to be smooth. Then I learned from the Navy, and smooth is still important, but it's a different kind of flying. I went back home a couple of weeks ago and snagged a flight w/ my old instructor and, for the life of me, could not fly a regular FAA pattern. Square, nope, not a chance. It's amazing how well the Navy drills stuff into you in such a short time. It's also important to remember that fixed pitch planes don't slow down like the good old Turbo Weenie did when you would pull it to idle!
Anyway, useless acedote...sorry for going off topic.
I was flying at that age, and had a great time. I worked at a local flight school as a lineman and traded labor for flight instruction. I did the solo at 16 thing too, which is pretty cool. Actually I soloed before I had a driver license.
I unfortuneately ran out of time in HS before I could finish my private, so I never could check that box on my apps, but I did make a reference to working on the ticket. I finally got it after my freshman year in college. I would say that it's helpful in the flight pipeline, but as it's been said endlessly here, you have to go in w/ an open mind and plan to relearn some things the Navy way.
Interesting side note: My civilian flight instructor was a retired AF fighter pilot and knew how to put a plane through it's paces, smoothly. He was a great instructor and taught me a lot, especially how to be smooth. Then I learned from the Navy, and smooth is still important, but it's a different kind of flying. I went back home a couple of weeks ago and snagged a flight w/ my old instructor and, for the life of me, could not fly a regular FAA pattern. Square, nope, not a chance. It's amazing how well the Navy drills stuff into you in such a short time. It's also important to remember that fixed pitch planes don't slow down like the good old Turbo Weenie did when you would pull it to idle!
Anyway, useless acedote...sorry for going off topic.
Charlie~
Keep on going, your doing the best thing now by flying and getting experience. I always wanted to fly for the Navy. When I was 19 I figured I'd at least get my private license. I loved flying so much I got all my licenses up to CFII and Multi. Sure the Navy may show you their way of flying and that's fine, but nothing can beat flight experience, and that's an edge that you'll have where most people won't. I flew into Corpus Christi a few weeks ago and ran into a Naval Acad. grad who just got the P-3. I told him about my background, he just said he hated guys like me, with alot of experience, 'cause we eat the program up and get the best grades.
If I were you I'd at least get the Instrument after your Private. I like to think that my flying experience helped me get selected, I know it didn't hurt me.
Good Luck
Keep on going, your doing the best thing now by flying and getting experience. I always wanted to fly for the Navy. When I was 19 I figured I'd at least get my private license. I loved flying so much I got all my licenses up to CFII and Multi. Sure the Navy may show you their way of flying and that's fine, but nothing can beat flight experience, and that's an edge that you'll have where most people won't. I flew into Corpus Christi a few weeks ago and ran into a Naval Acad. grad who just got the P-3. I told him about my background, he just said he hated guys like me, with alot of experience, 'cause we eat the program up and get the best grades.
If I were you I'd at least get the Instrument after your Private. I like to think that my flying experience helped me get selected, I know it didn't hurt me.
Good Luck
Charlie:
All of that will be great, but the most important thing will be your grades. They open and shut doors and someone once told me that and I didn't listen. I have a 2.57 gpa from college and it is crippling me. I have a ppl, and instrument rating and just over 100 hours flight time. I'm still waiting to hear if I get in, but the odds are low simply because my gpa is sub par. So doing all this stuff is great and will definately help, but do not think that any of it will take place for bad grades. Just a friendly tip.
"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."
All of that will be great, but the most important thing will be your grades. They open and shut doors and someone once told me that and I didn't listen. I have a 2.57 gpa from college and it is crippling me. I have a ppl, and instrument rating and just over 100 hours flight time. I'm still waiting to hear if I get in, but the odds are low simply because my gpa is sub par. So doing all this stuff is great and will definately help, but do not think that any of it will take place for bad grades. Just a friendly tip.
"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."
Grouch, here is something for you to chomp on, if the Navy says no I am going to AFROTC next fall for two years to work on my masters and try to get a pilot slot that route. Among my top four colleges that I'm looking at is Baylor and UMHB (because my parents live near Temple so even though the high tuition cost the lack of other cost would make it pretty cheap) Any thoughts or advice on financial aid? I met some of the Baylor ROTC guys when I was there taking my test, nice guys. I'm still loyal to Tech though, this college tour will be strickly business.
"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."
"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."
Negative, you were very correct with the hotties being at Tech, but DEFINATELY incorrect with Tech being the Aggies. There is a junior college by the name of a&m that has a mascot of aggies that Tech Red Raiders will administer an annual beating. [
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"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."
]"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."
Baylor's ROTC is top flight. You could do a lot worse. As far as finacial aid goes I would try to get all Fed Stafford loans or Texas College Access Loans (CAL). Their intrest rates are lower and you can generally get more money for school. Baylor and UMHB are both expensive but I think Baylor is a lot more. But hell, you are only talking two years of school. I went down to Temple a whole lot. I fished alot in lake Belton and Stillhouse so I know the area well. Best wishes buddy. How did you do on the AF test?
79 pilot, 61 Nav, rest 40's so needless to say AF won't be picking me up, but that is pretty competitive for rotc pilot slots. I ski Belton all the time, that is my favorite lake by far. I figure Baylor is like all the other private schools and has extra financial aid like UMHB and SMU have. It's weird, we are expensive as hell, but we'll give anyone scholarship money.
"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."
"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."
Charlie, I just remembered, something else you might want to do at your age is join Civil Air Patrol. One it will allow you to fly inexpensive, and two it is an auxilary of the Air Force so that would probably look good.
"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."
"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."
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