Lets be honest now.....

[phrogpilot73]

I know you always hear from everyone "no matter what you will fly you'll love it" and do believe it to a certain extent, but have any of you or know someone who just wasn't happy with the community they got "stuck" in? More specifically, guys who really wanted jets and got selected for helos? I know low and slow sounds pretty damn cool, but was just trying to see if there are exceptions to the rules. BE HONEST NOW!!!!!

Just for the record - I wanted jets (specifically Harriers) before I started flight school... After flying for a couple of months, I wanted helos (and I had a very good on-wing, got me a ride in a helo before I solo'd in the T-34), then I wanted 53's... Well, I "got" Phrogs... Never looked back, and those '53 homos can keep their big ugly beast... If that gives you an idea...

 

[E5B]

Zotak,

Happens all the time. When I selected there were quite a few Marines that were die hard Helo and hit the jet draft at the right (or wrong) time. Then my neighbor while I lived in Milton (he's on Airwarriors, maybe he'll tell you his story) was a die hard helo guy but got jets and just recently winged for Harriers.

I wanted jets out of primary, had the grades for them, and the Marine Corps gave me helo's. Now I haven't been out to the fleet yet, but I wing in about a week, and I can HONESTLY say I will be MUCH happier in a helicopter than in a jet. For what the mission is now over in Iraq and where we're headed, there isn't a better job out there than being a helicopter pilot in my opinion.

If you're lucky enough you'll get to fly BIG IRON!

 

[BigIron]

..... those '53 homos can keep their big ugly beast... If that gives you an idea...

Where's the love?!!!? :icon_smil

 

[pilotvmi]

I know two guys here at meridian who put helo's first on their dream sheet. One of them still wishes that he got helo's.

 

[Lawman]

I know two guys here at meridian who put helo's first on their dream sheet. One of them still wishes that he got helo's.

Theres just no helping some people. :icon_bigg

 

[AllAmerican75]

Where's the love?!!!? :icon_smil

Hey, I like the MH-53. Does that make you feel better?

In all seriousness, if I get helos I would want to fly the -53. I have an appreciation for big, powerful things.(No not like that you sickos!:icon_rage)

 

[Zotak]

Guessing by your interservice transfer post and this one that you didn't get what you wanted out of primary and want to go looking for other ways to get it. Am I close??

I can totally see why you would think that, but that's really not the case. I'm not going to lie, helos were not my first choice out of primary, and all my buddies who were basically in the same boat as me said anything from "Yeah this s#@! is great" to "Yeah, I still want _______ but this is also cool". I just keep hearing those same words coming out of everyones mouth and it almost sounds like a broken record or something. I just wanted to feel things out from you "vets" to see if this really is the norm, or if some people just aren't as happy as others that got what they wanted.

You can't help but wonder by seeing a fair amount of guys in my old squadron either putting in transition packages or straight up just getting out altogether. I know a primary IP tour isn't exactly career enhancing and all of that, but do you know what I mean?

 

[Spin]

A guy here in Meridian DOR'd as he hated Jets and got caught up in the Jet draft. There will always be exceptions to the rule.

Peace,

-Spin

 

[A4sForever]

A guy here in Meridian DOR'd as he hated Jets ....

Oh yeah ??? What were his grades ??? How was he "handling" life in the "fast lane"?? Just curious ...

 

[Gatordev]

I can totally see why you would think that, but that's really not the case. I'm not going to lie, helos were not my first choice out of primary, and all my buddies who were basically in the same boat as me said anything from "Yeah this s#@! is great" to "Yeah, I still want _______ but this is also cool". I just keep hearing those same words coming out of everyones mouth and it almost sounds like a broken record or something. I just wanted to feel things out from you "vets" to see if this really is the norm, or if some people just aren't as happy as others that got what they wanted.

You can't help but wonder by seeing a fair amount of guys in my old squadron either putting in transition packages or straight up just getting out altogether. I know a primary IP tour isn't exactly career enhancing and all of that, but do you know what I mean?

I'm a bit confused. Are you saying you're hearing IPs *****ing about their choice or other studs? If it's studs, keep in mind you're still in the training command, where you can't always see the forrest for the trees. If it's IPs, it's probably something a little bigger than whether they got jets or helos. Usually it's community specific. I knew a guy in my last squadron who wanted jets, got helos, still wanted jets, put a package in, got denied, and eventually became easier to hang around with. But he still likes to fly helos. You'll also hear guys *****ing/wanting to get out because of their community, but that's different than what they got out of Primary. Ask a random sampling of HSL guys on their opinion of the community, and it isn't always positive. But ask how many of them enjoy flying helos, and it's usually very positive (just picking an example I know of).

I hear lots of *****ing about the VP community from VP guys, but I don't think most of them regret their choice in getting loads of multi time and some of the flying they got to do. My $.02 anyway.

 

[Spin]

Oh yeah ??? What were his grades ??? How was he "handling" life in the "fast lane"?? Just curious ...

I only stood duty with him a few times and then he left so I didn't really "KNOW" him so I am just going off what he told me.

He said he was progressing through the program with no problem grade wise but that he felt sick a lot in the plane. He also didn't like being cramped up in a tight cockpit. He had told his Primary CO about the airsickness thing as he puked a bunch in Primary and that Jets wouldn't be a good fit for him but his CO told him he was getting jets whether he wanted it or not. The Marines woudn't give him a lateral transfer to Helos .... I don't know why the Marines won't do lat transfers in cases like this ...

Peace,

-Spin

 

[rare21]

I heard plenty of IPs in primary complain about their selection and their community.

 

[Brett327]

I heard plenty of IPs in primary complain about their selection and their community.

Might that have something to do with the fact that, for better or worse, the TRACOM isn't exactly where you send your fleet water-walkers for their shore tours (present company excluded, of course). Malcontents in the fleet = malcontents in the TRACOMs.

Brett

 

[Gatordev]

Might that have something to do with the fact that, for better or worse, the TRACOM isn't exactly where you send your fleet water-walkers for their shore tours (present company excluded, of course). Malcontents in the fleet = malcontents in the TRACOMs.

Brett

I won't take it personally... Actually, and I don't mean this to argue your point because, generally, I understand what you're saying. However, in the last year plus, Primary has been VERY hard to get into and the HTs has been pretty competitive. I'm sure the VP guys will tell you any flying billet is hard to get, and TRACOM even more so. Don't know about the Jet losers.

That said, just like everything else, it's all cyclical and I'm sure we'll all be dirtbags in another 2 years.

 

[Bevo16]

Before I started flight school I wanted jets, but one of my best friends was a former SEAL and he had a bunch of stories about helo ops, and thought I should try to go that route. I did, and I love it.

However, in the last year plus, Primary has been VERY hard to get into and the HTs has been pretty competitive. I'm sure the VP guys will tell you any flying billet is hard to get, and TRACOM even more so.

Gator, that may be the case for HSL, but not the HS world. VT/HT is not in demand for us, and very few go that route.