Some career options are earmarked to be the finest in any country. To become a fighter pilot, the very first thing you need is dedication towards your country’s defense. Once you have made this commitment, you can start with the following tips to train as a fighter pilot.
Training leading up to a Fighter Pilot career
As a fighter pilot, you can only be enlisted with the National Air Force and the Marine Corps. However, you cannot become a fighter pilot directly. You have to start by enlisting your services in the Defense services and start training as an officer. Just before you gain your commission, you can put in a request to join pilot training. UPT or undergraduate pilot training will be your next step in the process. Even after you finish with this training, you would not know if you are a fighter pilot or field heavies and chopper flyer. Only after a few months of training with the Air Force or Marines, you will be split in to specialized categories that are trained for specific aircraft’s. This is when you will know for sure whether you are training for a fighter Jet.
Initial Training options
You have three main ways to train as an officer for the Defense services
- Service Academy
- Reserve Officers Training Corps
- Officer Candidate School
You have to choose your training course with either the Air Force Academy or the Navy &Marines (Annapolis). Apart from a rigorous training schedule, you will also earn a Bachelors degree in Science during this time. As a rule, a higher aptitude for Mathematics and Science can help you go farther than your competition in this field.
Licensing options for a better edge in the field
If you hold, a Private Pilot License (PPL) chances are you would have a better chance of being selected for Pilot training during your commission. If you hold an ATPL (Air Transport Pilot License), it can also work majorly to your advantage. However, do remember that the medical tests and training for a Fighter Jet pilot is extensive and far more rigorous than anything you can expect. These are essential because training takes a serious toll on the professional’s body.
Pre-training education preferences
You will need to finish your Bachelor’s degree to get a serious edge over your competition before applying for an Air force commission. You can also earn this degree at the Air Force Academy at Colorado. Your subject choices should be mostly Science oriented – Aerodynamics, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Chemistry or Computer Science are some of the best choices. A high college GPA (3.4 +) is also mandatory to make the cut in a fiercely competitive field.
Expected schedule during training
You should expect to put in a total of 54 week of extremely rigorous schedule during your UPT. It is downright stressful with 12-hour shifts for 5-7 days every week. You would further need to put in 2-3 hours everyday on your studies to keep up with the course work. Stand up interrogations to begin every morning and logging high flying hours would lead you to the final day when you receive your first silver wings set as a fighter pilot for United States.
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