Military or private Rotor

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kevinossia@reddit

The majority of helicopter pilots in the US train as civilians and there’s a reason for that.

If you join the military just to get your flight training paid for you will set your flying career back by over a decade.

If you train as a civilian you will be working as a pilot in a fraction of the time. Yes, it’s expensive, but so is the opportunity cost of losing 12+ years of your life to Uncle Sam.

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Delicious_Ice_3431@reddit (OP)

So lose 40 pounds and go private. Do they make any other trainers or is the 22 pretty much it

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kevinossia@reddit

At that price point it’s basically just the R22.

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x4457@reddit

Your military commitment is going to be a minimum of 6 years, probably closer to 10.

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Delicious_Ice_3431@reddit (OP)

10 year commitment after flight training. 🥲

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FastNefariousness973@reddit

You do have the option of national guard, but if you aren’t located near the unit it makes it a little challenging. Also balancing a civilian career with national guard aviation is a challenge

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Delicious_Ice_3431@reddit (OP)

I’m sorry, when I said military, I did mean national guard.

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Delicious_Ice_3431@reddit (OP)

Sorry I meant not active duty

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Ok_Violinist_8076@reddit

Going guard for the flight training equals a commitment to two jobs for the next decade of your life. Buyer beware..

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Physical-Program-509@reddit

Is going guard street to seat no longer a competitive program that tons of people apply to per slot?

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Vindicated0721@reddit

Has your department been hiring on pilots with just the commercial cert and the minimum required hours to get the cert? If not what is your plan after you get your commercial to build hours?

It would be crazy to hire on a commercial pilot with just 200 hours. But I know some police and fire departments do that.

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Mundane-Reality-7770@reddit

I could see a department make a nepo hire lile that.

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10 year commitment for Army (if that’s what you’re inferring) plus 2-3 years for school. So you’re really looking at 13 years. I’m assuming you’re talking about going guard, which is great. However, make sure you’re aware of the time commitment that being a guard aviator is. It’s a lot more than 2 days a month and 2 weeks out of the year. It’s more like fly at least 5 times a month, 2-3 day drill, simulator trips, and then your 2 weeks of annual training every year. And that’s if you don’t get activated for state missions/mobilization. So really it’s around 100 days of the year that will be purely dedicated to the army.

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Styk33@reddit

It is not 2010 anymore were flight training from the military is one of the options, if that is all you are looking for. Private is your only way, but an expensive endeavor! Looking at close to $55k for your commercial rotary, and that is withOUT your IFR, but if your department requires it, you will need to add another $15k or so.

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rFlyingTower@reddit

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

I work for a fire department and I want to become a helicopter pilot for the department. I’m torn on military or private route. Military, will be gone for 2 years, I have a young child so that factors in. Private. I’m 6’4” 240 pounds so I will have to lose weight to fly a R22. Departments minimum is commercial license. Money for private is not a huge issue. But i don’t have the money for flying a r44.

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