The Great Debate

[Burger]

Alright guys,

i am currently a civilian pilot and have come to realization that I will be bored doing the same thing till i'm 65. I have been applying to Guard/Reserve squadrons in the mean time. 

Anyway, I am curious if the AF or Navy has better chances of tracking fighters in the training pipeline? This seems to be a AF heavy forum group so if there are any Navy bros/broettes out there that have some insight that would be great. Calling recruiters to set up the AD process this week. I understand it comes down to luck and the needs of the branch but besides that does the Navy or AF have better chances of tracking fighters in training?

Thanks

[hindsight2020]

2 hours ago, Burger said:

Alright guys,

i am currently a civilian pilot and have come to realization that I will be bored doing the same thing till i'm 65. I have been applying to Guard/Reserve squadrons in the mean time. 

Anyway, I am curious if the AF or Navy has better chances of tracking fighters in the training pipeline? This seems to be a AF heavy forum group so if there are any Navy bros/broettes out there that have some insight that would be great. Calling recruiters to set up the AD process this week. I understand it comes down to luck and the needs of the branch but besides that does the Navy or AF have better chances of tracking fighters in training?

Thanks

 

Statistically speaking, the USAF has higher density of fighter availability. Navy is very helo centric when compared to the proportion of non-fighter flying billets in the USAF side. It's all a gamble.

On the ARC side, Navy Reserves do not do off the street hiring. USAFR and ANG do. So there's that option as well. Timing and luck in general is a good baseline to start from. Caveat emptor. Good luck.

[N730]

Alright guys,
i am currently a civilian pilot and have come to realization that I will be bored doing the same thing till i'm 65. I have been applying to Guard/Reserve squadrons in the mean time. 
Anyway, I am curious if the AF or Navy has better chances of tracking fighters in the training pipeline? This seems to be a AF heavy forum group so if there are any Navy bros/broettes out there that have some insight that would be great. Calling recruiters to set up the AD process this week. I understand it comes down to luck and the needs of the branch but besides that does the Navy or AF have better chances of tracking fighters in training?
Thanks

If you get picked up by a guard/reserve fighter squadron, you will track fighters unless you can't make the grades.

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[tarheelaviator]

The Navy is having a major Strike Fighter shortage as well.  They recently followed the Air Force in raising their age limit (to 32 now) and the application process is much faster (have heard of guys showing up at Navy OCS with an aviation contract within 6 months of talking to a recruiter).  The active duty recruiters for the Navy or Marine Corps actually get things done whereas the active duty AF recruiters it is like pulling teeth.  Downside is there is no Reserve option for off the street people.  You have to fill your active duty service commitment in the fleet before being eligible to transfer to an aviation reserve squadron.  I've had my feet in both processes so feel free to DM if you have any detailed questions.  

[InTheBreak]

I have a bro that did A LOT of digging on this discussion. He worked assignments for the Navy and knew someone who worked assignments for the Air Force. I'm not an expert, by any means, but I trust his judgment.

Right now, tons of dudes are tracking strike in Navy pilot training due to their shortage. Like the Air Force, about 1/4 of the fighter pilot slots in the Navy are not filled.

Approximately 42% (it's a dumb Navy joke, but pretty accurate) of Navy pilots are Fighter Pilots. HOWEVER, most students in the Navy pipeline track helos (approximately 50%). So if you want a fighter, but want to fly fixed wing if you don't track strike, go Air Force. In addition, Navy pilot training is roughly the same hours (I think), but it takes much longer to get to the "winging" ceremony.

Approximately 18% of Air Force Pilots are Fighter Pilots. VERY FEW Air Force pilots are helo pilots. Sometimes, you have to be the top in your class to get helos. In addition, the Air Force pipeline is much shorter than the navy pipeline, and tracking is done with only 1 checkride counting for most of your grades in the T-6. The Air Force syllabus at UPT (not ENJJPT) has also been changing A LOT in the past 1.69 years...

There are probably tons of T-6 and T-38 instructors on this board that could give you better numbers than me, but it seems that sometimes the top 1-2 guys in an entire squadron roughly 6 flight rooms or "classes" track T-38's, and sometimes the top 7/20 guys in a given "class" track T-38's. Not all guys that track T-38's go fighters, either.

As for the Navy numbers, I agree with going to AirWarriors. Probably a great deal of T-6 and T-45 instructors that can give you better numbers, but the Navy doesn't like to give out "drop/assignment night" information like the Air Force bros do. It seems that sometimes only the top guy in the class tracks strike while sometimes half the class tracks strike and half the class tracks helos.