so you guys might remeber me from awhile back, i wanted to go to the naval academy but not sure if im going to be able to yet. im a sophmore so i wont know for a little while but what my question is what branch would be better for me to fly for. i know marines have open recruitment right now for pilots but i was looking at navy and possibly even airforce.

one more question i am currently earning an associates degree right now in aircraft mechanaics and if i sign up and say i dont get a pilots spot how would i fall back and "switch proffessions" and go into design and mehcanics because no matter what i want to do some thing with planes, specifically jets but im not entirely sure on things and there is no recruiter in my area atm with out me having to go into town and i cant at the moment. excuse the spelling and thank you for your help!

You will need to get a 4 year degree to become a pilot no matter what branch of service. The selection of what branch to select will depend entirely on you and your comfort level.

By the time you actually make it into military avaition, the Marines, Navy and Air Force, the F-35 will be the standard. Granted, the F-18, F-15, F-16, AV8B, V-22 and helio's will still be around. The F-35 will be replacing (2012) most of the current jets in use today.


The comfort level I spoke of.... revolves around several factors: as you indicated a goal of being a jet pilot, have you considered what is involved in landing one of those things? Air Force is generally landed on long, wide concrete, well maintained runways. Navy, they land on postage stamps way out in a very unforgiving sea, and Marines, well they operate in the dirt...literally. So just how comfortable does any of that make you?

The other end of that choice is the types of folks you will be working with and for. A good example of this would be something you can possibly relate to, an engine change in a jet.
Air Force takes around 35 to 45 technicians to change out a jet engine. The Navy will generally use a minimum of 10. The Navy way is also in very tight confined spaces that is also rolling rapidly from side to side. Having an engine in a sling, on the hoist and the ship takes a good roll to port and you'll understand. The Marines can do it with 2 to 4 Marines, but we generally follow the Navy's guidelines the majority of the time. There's pro's and con's to each way of doing things.

Hope I haven't made things fuzzier for you. Myself, were I to be a pilot, I would go for the Marine Corps. But then again, the Air Force lives way better than the rest of the services. The Navy? those guy's do things with jets that I couldn't ever do and thats take of and land on a carrier. Thinking of life in the Navy?, then you really need to sign up for a TIGER Cruise. San Diego to Pearl or the other way around.

hmm well i want to fly on the boats as a prefernce i really like navy but im just not sure. who takes care of the people the best, while deployed i should say and what would the some pros and cons of each be?thank you very much for your help o and what is that tiger cruise you were talking about?

Tiger Cruise is where family memebrs and or sponsered civilians get to ride the carrier from Pearl harbor to San Diego or from San Diego to Pearl. This would really answer just about all your questions concerning Navy life on board a carrier.

Air Force takes better care of thier people all the way around. Probably why its so hard to get in the Air Force?

Skelieman, my recommendation: give it a try to become a pilot in the USAF. You will quickly learn that your background isn't good enough for the job. Sorry, but I'm a guy who gives you the straight poop. First, you forget that the mental and physical demands for a pilot (especially fighter pilot) are so high that few people meet them and those that do are glad when they reach the time to retire from flying. Second, you forget that all pilots are commissioned officers with U/Coll./ Academy degrees (except for Warrant Officers in some Services who have the same mental and physical demands but need not have a degree. Commissioned Officers can command things, Warrant Officers can not). Third, everything in life, including the most glamorous job, becomes routine after a while. After you've landed on a pitching carrier deck in the dark a hundred times, it isn't a big deal any more.

some one told me that it's easier to be a naval pilot also doesnet nasa do a lot more with naval pilots?

Mastertanker...I'm not sure who you talked to about night landings "not being a big deal...". I made 421 night landings..that's right, I counted every one. Talk about pucker time! Even the most natural pilots among us,including a couple of Blue Angels whom I flew with,hated night quals. For me, dodging flak over 'Nam was not as fearful as the return flight when I had to land in the dark...but given all that, I was NOT "glad" when I had to give it up due to failing eyesight.