Military vs Airline Pilot

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eitilt@reddit

I flew fixed wing for the Coast Guard and fly for the airlines now. It was an incredibly rewarding mission and I got to fly a lot more than my peers in other services (about 3500 hours in 9 years after flight school). I went straight to flight school from the academy but what’s cool about the CG is that you can apply for flight school from other jobs as an officer. Also multiple of my flight crews ended up getting commissioned and getting flight school spots, age is really the only limiting factor.

The flying is challenging and diverse, incredibly bad weather, 1500 miles offshore low over the water, counter-narcotics missions, logistic missions all over the world, and you’ll be a naval aviator. It was certainly one of the coolest and most rewarding things I’ll ever do.

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TxAggieMike@reddit

The stories you must have. If you ever commit them to written form, let us know.

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eitilt@reddit

You know I’ve thought about it, but I’m more of a math type and not sure I’ve got the touch for getting a story out in words, but there’s a lot that still lives with me today.

Getting to meet the family of fishermen we rescued in Micronesia while we’re sitting on the beach of an Atoll that I didn’t even now existed was a new view of humanity and the common goals we all share.

Then there’s the moments where you’re celebrating dropping extra pumps to a sinking fishing vessel in the Bering at 2am, only to realize there’s so much icing that your flaps have frozen down and it’s now time to come up with a new plan of where we’re going to go land.

The Coast Guard is truly a hidden gem.

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TxAggieMike@reddit

You can always hire a ghost writer to put your stories to paper.

Like Christian Slater to Brad’s Pitt in Interview with a Vampire

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Adventurous-Grab-141@reddit (OP)

Can I PM you with some questions?

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eitilt@reddit

Absolutely!

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juuceboxx@reddit

Since you're still in college, you should look into the BDCP program while it's still active with the Navy. The TLDR is if you get accepted you'll get college paid for, and E-4 pay along with BAH+BAS for the remainder of your time in school and you get to go to OCS upon graduation and flight school after that. I heard about this from my recruiter but since I already have my Bachelor's I couldn't participate, so hopefully this helps you out.

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Perfect_Big_5907@reddit

Military is a good route but you are spending about 8 yrs after college doing it. That being said you may like it and stay longer. I was Navy but i would probably go Coastie now.

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RaptorO-1@reddit

Minimum 10 unfortunately and (at least for the Air Force) that doesn't start till you graduate pikot training

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Perfect_Big_5907@reddit

yeah back in my day it was about 6 years after getting wings but i know it is longer now.

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JT-Av8or@reddit

Military first, skip the acceleration. Take some instrument lessons and spend time with a gaming sim, then let Uncle Sam pay for all your ratings and give you a decade of experience no regional pilot will ever see. After that, do the FAA written to get your FAA CFI-MEI conversion done, knock out a quick ATP/CTP with that GI Bill, then roll over the TSP and direct hire to a major airline. You get all the VA stuff too (no origination charge for home loans, better rates) and free healthcare which is highly dependent on where you wind up, but can either be cheap crap or state of the art. Either way, things like eyeglasses are free for life.

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Warking2015@reddit

Depending on which college you go to once you hit 60 credit hours you become eligible to apply for a navy flight spot through bdcp. Airwarriors reddit and forum website are going to be best bet for navy application info.

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trollisme_iamtroll@reddit

If you want to go the military route, I would highly recommend trying to get into a guard or reserve unit. That way you can actually get hired when your hours are good enough, instead of having to wait for an active duty commitment to run up.

Easier said than done. I was an active duty guy so I can’t speak to how the process works exactly, but it’s not uncommon for a guy who wants a UPT slot to join a unit as a maintainer/load master/boom operator, and then “earn” the UPT slot.

Active duty is a hard sell unless you’re gung-ho about the military going into it. You’ll burn out fast if you don’t start out super excited/motivated.

Either way, that’s your college, flight training, and flight hours all paid for. And you’ll get to see/do some cool things. Going civilian is going to be a lot more expensive.

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blizzue@reddit

I wasn’t in the military so I don’t know how it works. What’s the plan for finishing college and then “try for the military?” If you have a plan for how that works, great, my only suggestion would be why not do both? If you have your PPL now, do some time building in your free time and get a CFI to do some lessons towards IFR training. You’ve got a few years either way and if your shot at the military doesn’t work out, you’re on your way hopefully towards a commercial in a few years from right now.

If you’re serious about the military I would start working on it now. Not when you graduate.

Regarding accelerated flight training programs: not my recommendation. Expensive. Poor training. Timelines are purely imagination.

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PropToThePeople_FMY@reddit

Nothing is guaranteed in the military as far as becoming a "pilot" is concerned. A lot of those guys are coming out as drone pilots these days.

So, if you 100% want to fly real airplanes then I think you probably know the answer on which route is best.

Cheers!

Chris S.

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BakerHasHisKitchen@reddit

Finish your degree anyways. If airlines is your end game, just get there as fast as you can. The military will tack on an extra decade before you can do that, but for some the experiences are worth it.

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CowboyAndIndian@reddit

Join the ROTC, get the Navy to pay for school

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MehCFI@reddit

Accelerated flight programs are horsecrap. Absolutely avoid- you’ll be paying twice as much for no reason and not any faster. Search this sub about ATP, CAE, etc. avoid avoid avoid.

Military flying isn’t bad at all- but only join if you want to be in the military first and pilot second. If you are considering military as a means to an end to pay for training to get to civilian airlines, then don’t enlist.

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Glass-Editor3220@reddit

If youre going into the military to fly, DO NOT go army.

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

Hi all, currently going into my sophomore year in college, and have had the goal of either flying for the military (Coast Guard or Navy) or going to the airlines. I have my private pilot's license and have been considering just going straight to an accelerated flight training program... any thoughts on doing this or keep finishing my degree and try for the military?

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