Should i join the air force to be a pilot or not?

Question

I'm wondering if i should join the air force to be a pilot, and i wish to be a cargo pilot and have a commercail air line licnese. Or should I learn how to be a pilot in flight school and spend $15,000 to have a commercial pilots license. What way am i more likely to get hired as a ups pilot or fedex?

Answer 1

Having goals is great, but at this point you're just wishing. You'll have to work HARD to make it happen, and you'll need some luck too, whether you go for civilian or military training and experience. Aviation is not like medical school, where if you graduate you are pretty much guaranteed a pretty decent career.  

IF you are smart enough and talented enough to be selected for Air Force training, and IF you are smart enough and talented enough to graduate near the top of your class, only then you MIGHT have the opportunity to choose to go into large transport type aircraft, and this will only happen IF they have any openings for that at the time. Certainly the military is the best way to get heavy jet time prior to going to the airlines and yes, it can help you get hired by FedEx or UPS, but there are so many variables that no plan, however well considered, is going to guarantee that you get there. If you don't make it as a pilot in the Air Force, then you'll be set back at least 4 years doing a different job until you can pursue your goal of flying transport jets. Even if you do make it, you'll still need the college degree to be competetive and chances are you'll need to work other flying jobs after you get out of the Air Force unless your timing is perfect as far as the hiring cycle goes. Figure a minimum of 6-8 years from the time you join the AF to reach your airline career goal.

Pretty much the same thing is true by going the civilian route. It is a highly competetive business and there are thousands of applicants for every opening with a major carrier like FedEx and UPS. And then you'll have to get the right experience after flight school, have someone inside one of those companies give you a personal recommendation, and even then you will need luck, such as the economy being in an up cycle so they are hiring when you're ready to apply. I can guarantee that you are not going to be hired straight out of flight school. Even if you can get your commercial license for only $15,000 (highly doubtful, double that figure at least and then you might be in the ballpark), and are able to find a flying job right away to start building "quality hours", it is going to take YEARS of experience before FedEx or UPS will look at you. The average civilian new-hire has thousands of flight hours and at least some pilot-in-command turbine experience, and usually a 4-year college degree. You don't get those things over night. Figure five years on average from when you finish  flight training to become hirable material, not including the time it takes to get a college degree.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm talking REALITY here. Only a very small percentage of people find the "fast track" to where you want to go. Possibly the fastest way to get the job you want is the "inside track": take any job with one of those companies (preferrably one that requires you to wear a tie) while you get your college degree, earn your ratings and build your flight time. Then you might get preferential treatment.

Answer 2

One other thing to consider.  If you want to be a commissioned officer in the Air Force (required for all Air Force pilots) you absolutely MUST have a 4 year degree before you will get your commission.  You must be commissioned before you get flight training.  So to be an Air Force pilot you either need to get an appointment to the US Air Force Academy, or a degree from any other university.  Unless you get a scholarship, you will need to pay for your education first, then try to get into a highly competetive flight slot for Air Force flight training.  You can't just go to your local recruiter and "join up" to be a pilot.  It takes a lot more than that.  The Air Force rejects far more pilot applicants than they accept, so get your bachelor's degree first and make sure you have stellar grades.

Answer 3

Your quest to become a pilot is admirable. We need good pilots. Becoming a pilot is a lot more than $15k. You need to acquire flight hours which is costly. If you are young, I would consider the Air Force however be careful. If you don't score well enough on the entrance exam, you won't be flying airplanes.

I have a friend who started out taking flying lessons. He then went on to become a flight instructor at a flight school. The pay is anywhere from $27,000 to $40,000 annually. Keep in mind, you will have to keep your ratings current and continue to "climb" up the ladder in your training. He is now a pilot for an airline. He called me the other day to tell me he was in training.

So you can take many routes if your motivation within yourself is high. The Air Force will give you the best training if you get there. If the Air Force is not an option, you can try the flight schools. Many pilots have started out as flight instructors.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Okay I see that you are a little confused.There is no such thing as a commercial airline license , and getting to your commercial license(multi) will cost not $15,000 (you wish) but around$50,000.You meen ATP , well yes you could join the Airforce they give good expirience and training. BUT.....you must be in absoute health and physical condition. Must have 20/20 vision without glasses no exeptions , or have any other health problems whatsoever.

Answer 5

In aviation there are always many paths towards your goals, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. I think it is somewhat misleading when people say "just join the military" or "just go to your local flight school", as if you just sign up and a few easy months later you are a fighter pilot or an airline captain. Becoming a professional pilot will be the most challenging thing you ever do, and every option has many hurdles to overcome. There is no single best way that works for everyone, so it will be up to you to determine which path is best for you.

I would say that the advantage of the military is that they pay for your training and you always know that the training and experience is top notch. On the other hand, you will be making a commitment to them for several years, and getting a spot in flight school will be highly competitive.

The advantage of civilian training is that you have the flexibility to train on your own schedule, keep your job, and you can probably stay close to home. You won't have to make a commitment to uncle sam, and you won't have to compete with other people for training slots. However, civilian training is highly expensive (closer to $50,000 as Cessna Man pointed out), and the quality varies greatly among the various flight schools. In addition, your first civilian jobs will likely pay poorly while you build experience.

Please investigate each option very thoroughly. No one on Answers can tell you everything you need to know, and every pilot out there has a unique perspective. Talk to many pilots, both civilian and military, talk to recruiters, visit flight schools, join online aviation forums, and do whatever else it takes to get the information you need from multiple sources. Prove to yourself that the path you have selected is the best one before you start.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Yes. Join the airforce.

Answer 7

Go the military route only if you want to be a military pilot.  

If you want to be a cargo pilot for a carrier such as UPS or FedEx, get your certificates and ratings before and during college, instruct during college, and do some serious flying after that.

Getting a thousand hours of large jet captain experience will help to get an interview with FedEx or UPS for a copilot job.

Answer 8

do you want to be owned by the airforce

and you may go to war

and its a lot more than 15k 'ill tell you that

my advise is take a much much much bigger look in to what you are getting you self into i doubt you know to much about it yet there is no such thing as a commercail air line licenese . frozen atpl is what you need

Answer 9

Are you eligible to be appointed to the Air Force Academy?  Your congressman can do that for you.  Free education, but you have to give them 6 (I think) years after graduation.  Or, just go to flight school and do it that way.

Answer 10

yes join the air force