Navy Helos

[Butta]

I am interested in both a SNA and SNFO slot. If I get selected for a SNA slot rotary would be one of my top choices if not the first. Most people would like to fly jets but I am more impressed by helos. Anyway, once in flight school how hard is it to get selected for rotary pipeline? Also, what kind of career opportunities would one have( promotion vs other pipelines, and assignments)? No one hardly posts here, so I hope some helo studs will offer some of their knowledge.

 

[Squid]

not in helo land, but I'll chime in. jets and helos have the most "oppertunities for command", if only by sheer numbers. how many helo squadrons are there versus how many E-6 squadrons, etc, etc? the heirarchical pryamid is much more forgiving in helo land. The navy is-a-changing. Helos will soon probably be the easiest to get considering said direction of the navy.

That's what I've gathered from the bottom of the food chain.

 

[Butta]

So will it be wise for an aspiring naval aviator who wants to do 20+ years to go helos or not?

 

[phrogdriver]

It didn't used to be so, but navy helo drivers are going to be just as competitive for advancement as TACAIR guys.

 

[Butta]

phrogdriver,
I assume you fly 46. If so how is it(missions, assignment choices)? Also what are the breakdowns for for filling helo slots(rough % who get 60's,46's etc.)?

 

[Bevo16]

Nobody gets 46's in the Navy anymore. We finished the phase out about 5 months ago. Roughly 60% of Naval Aviation is Helo's, so if you want to be a helo pilot the odds are good. I don't know of any Navy SNA's who wanted to be a helo pilot who did not get it. I do know of some Marines who wanted to them and got forced to fly jets.

If you are not in the Navy yet, the chances of you ever flying something other than a variant of the Seahawk are pretty slim. We are moving toward an all 60 Navy, and the move is fast. Right now, 53's are the only other option and they only get about one or two guys a month.

If you dig around on this thread a little, there is a lot of good information on the options and missions for helo pilots (HS, HSL & HC). Advancement in the helo community is extremely competitive right now. Retention is extremely high right now, and if you want to screen for department head and command, you had better have your stuff together. There is no such thing as a "terminal O-4" right now either. If you are a LTCDR with 14-16 years in and you don't screen for command it is very possible that you are going to be told to pack your bags. Do not pass go, do not collect full retirement. Who knows what things will be like in 8 years, but that is the nature of the beast right now.

 

[bch]

The missions are also changing and becoming more important than in generations past. I would highly reccomend the helo side of the house! As far as promotion... I don't know numbers so I am not gonna guess at odds... that being said, helo guys can command large deck amphibs now too.

 

[Fly Navy]

I would highly reccomend the helo side of the house!

Don't listen to bch. [whisper]He's crazy.[/whisper]

 

[petescheu]

If you want helos, you'll get them, don't worry, that's pretty much a guarantee, esp if that is your first choice.

 

[Fly Navy]

If you want helos, you'll get them, don't worry, that's pretty much a guarantee, esp if that is your first choice.

Not always. I knew some Helo wanna-bes who got shoved into P-3. It happens. Not usually, but it happens.

 

[46Driver]

Retention is extremely high right now, and if you want to screen for department head and command, you had better have your stuff together. There is no such thing as a "terminal O-4" right now either. If you are a LTCDR with 14-16 years in and you don't screen for command it is very possible that you are going to be told to pack your bags. Do not pass go, do not collect full retirement. Who knows what things will be like in 8 years, but that is the nature of the beast right now.

I would bet that you are going to see changes like this across DoD. There was a RAND Corporation report that said the same thing - have an augmentation board (for lack of a better term) at around the 12 year mark. Keep about 35% of the people and ax the rest. It was in the Navy Times last week where it was shown that every 10,000 GI's cost $1.2 Billion per year. How else could you cut cost? Reserves do not get retirement until age 60, active duty gets it after 20 years service. Last report that I saw said that the Pentagon spends 84 cents on retirement pay for every dollar it spends on active duty pay. You decrease active duty and increase reserve forces (and contractors) and you save more money. Going to be lots of changes and Transformation with Rumsfeld as a powerful SECDEF.

 

[petescheu]

Not always. I knew some Helo wanna-bes who got shoved into P-3. It happens. Not usually, but it happens.

Very true... gotta love those draft weeks.

 

[rare21]

yup the P-3 draft happened in 27. Got me worried when i selected. Many folks that wanted helos coming in to the program got stuck with P-3s, it does happen but not often.