Posted on Sep 8, 2018
What factors lead Army pilots to choose between fixed wing or rotor wing aircraft?
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When it came to decided which route you wanted to take: (IE fixed wing or rotor wing aircraft). What went into this decision beside the obvious “You were deadest from the beginning”
A little background, I was talking to my MTP and we went into a long talk about from his first time as a W01 till now and that if I wanted to be a pilot that I could also be a fixed wing pilot. So with that being said lay you wisdom on me?
A little background, I was talking to my MTP and we went into a long talk about from his first time as a W01 till now and that if I wanted to be a pilot that I could also be a fixed wing pilot. So with that being said lay you wisdom on me?
Warrant Officers
153A: Rotary Wing Aviator (Aircraft Nonspecific)
155A: Fixed Wing Aviator (Aircraft Nonspecific)
15A: Aviation Officer
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 7
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Army Fixed Wing is an option that you may be selected for when you do your Aircraft Selection at Rucker (assuming you're RA, it’s a different process in the USAR & ARNG). 2LT Isley is correct that it is challenging to get. Usually the first few folks on the OML will be given the chance to select FW.
I recommend doing the one that you will enjoy the most and will take you where you want to be in the future. I’ve done both RW and FW, and I will confess I am preferential to the FW side. A Headset and a coffee cup beat hauling around helmets, vests, and body armor. The VIP mission is much more interesting than the MI/ISR (flying in circles thing). At least the VIP mission gets you out in the airspace, flying international, seeing different places, collecting hotel points, and building a pretty exciting coffee table picture book. Most Helicopter Pilots will fly 100 (96 min) to around 200 hours a year. Some of your IPs and deployed folks will do more. FW Pilots can get much more. 300-500 is not out of the realm of possibility. It’s a lot of time in a tube, but your best flights are when everything goes smoothly and you have a sizable entry into the old logbook.
Lastly, what do want to do with all this Aviation expertise? If you want to fly Helo’s for a living in the civilian world, try to get out of the Army with 2000 hours. That could take you a decade if you are mashing the pedal. If you see yourself as an airline pilot, you could do an RTP (Rotary-Wing Transition Program), spend a few years making peanuts at a regional and pray for a flow through to a major someday. As an Army FW Pilot, you are flying a turbine ME, so you are getting the time you need to take to a major. You might need a “touch and go” at a regional to sure up your ATP, Jet Type, and some 121 time... but you’ll be getting sized for your new uniform at a major in less than a year. Several colleagues of mine went straight to American, United, Southwest, and FedEx with no Regional time required.
OR
If you could care less if you ever fly in chapter next (post Army), then just enjoy the ride. Any and every Army Aircraft Platform has a unique niche and most Pilots love what they fly.
Simply: It’s a great career either way.
I recommend doing the one that you will enjoy the most and will take you where you want to be in the future. I’ve done both RW and FW, and I will confess I am preferential to the FW side. A Headset and a coffee cup beat hauling around helmets, vests, and body armor. The VIP mission is much more interesting than the MI/ISR (flying in circles thing). At least the VIP mission gets you out in the airspace, flying international, seeing different places, collecting hotel points, and building a pretty exciting coffee table picture book. Most Helicopter Pilots will fly 100 (96 min) to around 200 hours a year. Some of your IPs and deployed folks will do more. FW Pilots can get much more. 300-500 is not out of the realm of possibility. It’s a lot of time in a tube, but your best flights are when everything goes smoothly and you have a sizable entry into the old logbook.
Lastly, what do want to do with all this Aviation expertise? If you want to fly Helo’s for a living in the civilian world, try to get out of the Army with 2000 hours. That could take you a decade if you are mashing the pedal. If you see yourself as an airline pilot, you could do an RTP (Rotary-Wing Transition Program), spend a few years making peanuts at a regional and pray for a flow through to a major someday. As an Army FW Pilot, you are flying a turbine ME, so you are getting the time you need to take to a major. You might need a “touch and go” at a regional to sure up your ATP, Jet Type, and some 121 time... but you’ll be getting sized for your new uniform at a major in less than a year. Several colleagues of mine went straight to American, United, Southwest, and FedEx with no Regional time required.
OR
If you could care less if you ever fly in chapter next (post Army), then just enjoy the ride. Any and every Army Aircraft Platform has a unique niche and most Pilots love what they fly.
Simply: It’s a great career either way.
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Also it depends on if your course instructor allows you to pick you might just get assigned an airframe without choice
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2LT (Join to see)
C-12. That's it. Once you get in the C-12, you can possibly get follow on courses to the MC-12, RC-12, or -10.
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CPT Nicholas D.
The Army also has the UC-35 Citation V, the Dash 7, a few Dash 8's, the C-26E Metroliner, and the C-37 Gulfstream. Everyone starts with the C-12 course, and then it can get interesting.
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