Afghanistan was already slow and then was drawing down before Kabul happened.

August of 21 was the first time and last time I stepped foot into that country. Four of the most rewarding missions of my career so far were into that place.

It's wild sitting at the bar in the squadron with bright eyed Lts looking at the junior Capt (me) listening to stories about Kabul the same way I listened to the crusty majors talking about the early 2010s.

It's a different force than I joined 5 years ago and we're asking more from younger everyday.

It's only by a year.

If you're ever through SEA drop me a line. Though I'm about to make my 5th and hopefully last pilgrimage through Altus OK for a few months.

Raj

OldArmyCT said:

---

Pirate04 said:

---

bigtruckguy3500 said:

---

If I'm not mistaken the Army does not teach all pilots to fly fixed wing like the Navy/Air Force does. Most pick up their fixed wing later, after learning rotary. At least that's what a former black hawk pilot told me.

---

As of right now, pilots can leave Rucker as a fixed wing pilot. They first have to learn rotary, then may be given the option to select fixed wing based on two criteria: there are slot available as per congressional allotment for that class (selection is every two weeks and it changes from each selection which airframe is available) and two, they have to be high enough on the OML (Order of Merit List) to get a top selection.

When I was at Rucker (2016-2018), the slots were only for Active Duty. However, the Reserves still have and will retain fixed wing units. Active duty may be phasing their fixed wing assets out or maybe already have.

The active duty, flight school selection route is very tricky but works out for some people.

---

What's the plan when the Army starts phasing out the Blackhawks?

---

The Army won't be phasing out Blackhawks anytime soon...and when it does, we will have the Long Range Assault Aircraft, currently in the works. It could be that we have a mix of both as we transition over many years.

- Lots of good dialogue here. I couch it all with careful who you listen to. Flying is fun no matter the airframe. There is a path to the airlines is different for each large category...but the missions are very different. I wanted to be a fixed wing pilot early in my 20s, but later decided I wanted to fly with the ground force. That's not for everyone. Some folks like to fly cargo around. That's not for everyone...but flying is like the Corps. Everyone eventually is biased in favor of the airframe and mission they fly.

Fly Army 97 said:

---

OldArmyCT said:

---

Pirate04 said:

---

bigtruckguy3500 said:

---

If I'm not mistaken the Army does not teach all pilots to fly fixed wing like the Navy/Air Force does. Most pick up their fixed wing later, after learning rotary. At least that's what a former black hawk pilot told me.

---

As of right now, pilots can leave Rucker as a fixed wing pilot. They first have to learn rotary, then may be given the option to select fixed wing based on two criteria: there are slot available as per congressional allotment for that class (selection is every two weeks and it changes from each selection which airframe is available) and two, they have to be high enough on the OML (Order of Merit List) to get a top selection.

When I was at Rucker (2016-2018), the slots were only for Active Duty. However, the Reserves still have and will retain fixed wing units. Active duty may be phasing their fixed wing assets out or maybe already have.

The active duty, flight school selection route is very tricky but works out for some people.

---

What's the plan when the Army starts phasing out the Blackhawks?

---

The Army won't be phasing out Blackhawks anytime soon...and when it does, we will have the Long Range Assault Aircraft, currently in the works. It could be that we have a mix of both as we transition over many years.

- Lots of good dialogue here. I couch it all with careful who you listen to. Flying is fun no matter the airframe. There is a path to the airlines is different for each large category...but the missions are very different. I wanted to be a fixed wing pilot early in my 20s, but later decided I wanted to fly with the ground force. That's not for everyone. Some folks like to fly cargo around. That's not for everyone...but flying is like the Corps. Everyone eventually is biased in favor of the airframe and mission they fly.

---

I like to hear more on the Army's plans with regards to the new airframe from Bell. I flew Huey's in Vietnam and was the 2nd commander. of the Blackhawk course at Rucker and an S-3 when our brigade got the Apache, <1 year before Iraq.

You are truly old army.

I attended General Moore's Funeral at what is now Fort Moore.

The Huey flyover after the 21 gun salute is something I'll never forget. Words can't explain the feelings

Thanks for all of the info. I don't understand alot of what was said and will have to decipher but it looks like there are multiple pathways to fly.

Quote:

---

Aggies looked out for other Aggies!

---

Agree that Aggie Corps/ROTC is a good path.

Agree that Aggies look out for each other.

But Academy grads are very tight, as well.

Alpine said:

---

Thanks for all of the info. I don't understand alot of what was said and will have to decipher but it looks like there are multiple pathways to fly.

---

Yup and I wandered through most of them it seems. If you score me on the past, I failed.

Perseverance is the quality that saved the day for me.

By the way, if any of the pilots here ever have room to take a wanna be pilot (with an up to date Navy flight physical), give me a holler. Haven't gotten to fly in over 2.5 years. Miss it.

You never mentioned where you are?

Jetpilot86 said:

---

You never mentioned where you are?

---

East Coast, Norfolk area. Willing to travel for cool stuff though.

Also pending PCS soon.

I did ROTC at A&M then 8 years flying Heavies and now 30 for Delta. That was the way to go back then.

My son in law was an Army Combat Medic. Finished college at age 28 and got a F2F DOT scholarship to complete his tickets thru Commercial then got hired by the Texas Guard in Fort Worth. Covid hit and all Guard slots were cancelled so he went out to west Texas and flew pipeline for a year and got hired by SkyWest flying RJ700s. He hated that and left for Air Transport International flying 767s for a year. He's currently applying for a Legacy carrier.

Many ways to get it done. I still think the best is to find a Heavy Guard/Reserve Unit.

Quote:

---

Many ways to get it done. I still think the best is to find a Heavy Guard/Reserve Unit.

---

Have we ever been told what "it" is? I'm not sure the OP ever indicated whether his son wants to fly airlines, or fighters, or helos, or sailplanes, for that matter.

He really wants to fly for the military and is open to anything at the moment (but he is interested in fighter jets). If the academies dont work out, he still wants to fly and we are just trying to determine other paths. And if the military works out or not, he would ultimately like to fly commercially.

He has been accepted to Embry Riddle and Letourneau as a back up plan. Waiting to hear from A&M.

CanyonAg77 said:

---

Quote:

---

Many ways to get it done. I still think the best is to find a Heavy Guard/Reserve Unit.

---

Have we ever been told what "it" is? I'm not sure the OP ever indicated whether his son wants to fly airlines, or fighters, or helos, or sailplanes, for that matter.

---

Canyon, didn't you see the latest Honda commercial?
He probably wants to fly battery powered green planes. (couldn't resist)

I just figured he posted this on the Military board so that's what he wanted.

"Maybe it's a bad sample size…but I've never been impressed by a riddle grad"

Was talking to My Favorite Pilot over Thanksgiving. She was similarly unimpressed by E-R. And she spent a tour as a T-6 FAIP, so she probably had a few of them.

I recently graduated from A&M with a degree in geology, and I'm currently in an airline sponsored flight training program by Southwest Airlines out in Phoenix. I originally wanted to fly anything for the military but my sitting height became a limiting factor for all branches. Smart folks will tell you to try and find a way into the air national guard as an old trade secret, but nowadays those flying slots are even more competitive than the traditional commissioning process. A single fighter opening easily sees over 500 applications. Checkout Bogidope.com for better info than I could give.

Like most would say, you don't need an aviation degree to get a spot in the industry, and it's often discouraged due to how easy it can be to lose your medical certificate for seemingly small things.

I started flying between my classes out at Easterwood and the additional workload is very manageable, should your son want to split his time if the service academies don't pan out. The airline sponsored flight training academies often have a few different arms between university partnerships, military partnerships, and off the street training programs. You'll still need to be a competitive applicant, but the airlines are hiring like crazy at the moment. Even kids fresh out of high school are in my program and succeed.

I was geography at A&M and now have my multi, instrument and commercial license while flying heavies for the USAF.

A degree you enjoy and can drink heavily while earning is the way.

I got accepted as a MECH E and dropped that while I was signing up for classes before freshman year. Definitely enjoyed life more than my friends with engineering degrees

Southlake, where are you based? Currently in 717A upgrade in Atlanta but DTW based.

In regards to the OP, like everyone else said, if he really wants military flying, go to a school with a good ROTC program (bias on TAMU CoC) or an academy. If he can get accepted to ERAU I'd be surprised if he couldn't get into A&M or an academy. It's a shame TAMU doesn't have an aviation degree with fly school included like others do. Id love for my daughter to do that one day.

Gig 'Em!

History degree here. For some reason the let me fly Blackhawks for the Army.

Should be taking my commercial SEL the week of Christmas.

Regarding degrees, I have a friend who, while I don't know his whole story, I believe he left A&M due to poor grades, and became a Warrant Officer, flying Chinooks in Vietnam. Came back to school, and got his DVM, stayed in reserves until he hit WO5, which unfortunately saw him called back to Iraq to fly Apaches in 2005.

So he's a Vet and a Vet.

Tells stories of putting his first wife in a flight suit, and sneaking her onto the Hueys based at Easterwood for a flight. Allegedly flew them up to Calvert once to give his parents a ride.

USMC PLC/OCC
https://officer.marines.com/docs/oso/aviation/Aviation_Information.pdf

For a document labeled path to becoming a marine aviator there's about zero actual information but hey you can get FLIGHT PAY $$$$$$

CanyonAg77 said:

---

Regarding degrees, I have a friend who, while I don't know his whole story, I believe he left A&M due to poor grades, and became a Warrant Officer, flying Chinooks in Vietnam. Came back to school, and got his DVM, stayed in reserves until he hit WO5, which unfortunately saw him called back to Iraq to fly Apaches in 2005.

So he's a Vet and a Vet.

Tells stories of putting his first wife in a flight suit, and sneaking her onto the Hueys based at Easterwood for a flight. Allegedly flew them up to Calvert once to give his parents a ride.

---

In the Vietnam era it was easy to get into OCS, even with minimal college. I was in Vietnam flying Hueys at 21 and was the same age as some of the 1LT's flying with us, I even had more college than some of them. My PL was a CPT, he stayed in until 20 but got passed over for Major, reverted to CW2. I got out, took ROTC and by the time I got back to Rucker he was in my flight at Lowe. So he wrote me an OER and I wrote him one. 2 Warrants in my Vietnam company retired from the reserves as O-6's.

SpiDer2008 said:

---

Southlake, where are you based? Currently in 717A upgrade in Atlanta but DTW based.

In regards to the OP, like everyone else said, if he really wants military flying, go to a school with a good ROTC program (bias on TAMU CoC) or an academy. If he can get accepted to ERAU I'd be surprised if he couldn't get into A&M or an academy. It's a shame TAMU doesn't have an aviation degree with fly school included like others do. Id love for my daughter to do that one day.

Gig 'Em!

---

ATL A350

My dream job would be to start a flight training program at Easterwood Field. I'm amazed that we don't already have a program.

Southlake said:

---

SpiDer2008 said:

---

Southlake, where are you based? Currently in 717A upgrade in Atlanta but DTW based.

In regards to the OP, like everyone else said, if he really wants military flying, go to a school with a good ROTC program (bias on TAMU CoC) or an academy. If he can get accepted to ERAU I'd be surprised if he couldn't get into A&M or an academy. It's a shame TAMU doesn't have an aviation degree with fly school included like others do. Id love for my daughter to do that one day.

Gig 'Em!

---

ATL A350

My dream job would be to start a flight training program at Easterwood Field. I'm amazed that we don't already have a program.

---

We had a club there in the 80's. It eventually lost it's University endorsement sometime after I graduated. I was going to buy a plane to put in the club. The problem is that the only formal University based flight school is TSTI in Waco. We would get CFI's from there that would "JUCO" there through CFI then finish College at A&M using the CFI as a side job.

That data is old, but the closest thing to the old Aggie Flying Club is the Texan Flying Club @ CFD. Nice folks.

UPS 747 CA SDF

Love seeing any 747 that's still around

Hey Chief,

Navy guy here looking at potentially transferring via WOFT route. 60's my first choice airframe. If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to email you and you questions being that your knowledge is probably more current than what I've found. TIA!

- Sean