How do I decide which airframe to select, assuming I am fortunate enough to have a choice?

2019-03-24T10:14:10-04:00

I am currently getting ready to start WOBC and Have no idea which airframe I prefer. I come from a combat MOS with no aviation experience prior. I love the idea of all mission sets to include the C12. Will I get a better idea in common core? I am at the point where I almost prefer being the last on the OML and letting fate decide.

Response by MSG Frank Kapaun made Mar 24 at 2019 10:48 AM

2019-03-24T10:48:01-04:00

You are putting the cart before the horse. Stay focused on the 25 meter target, successfully pass WOC, then concentrate on flight school. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 24 at 2019 11:33 AM

2019-03-24T11:33:02-04:00

Depends on the type of mission you want...

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Mar 24 at 2019 12:23 PM

2019-03-24T12:23:06-04:00

In my very limited experience which only includes speaking online with candidates about 10-12 years ago a lot of students / pilots make their choice while in the flight school. Blackhawks and Chinooks are primarily troop and cargo transports, Apache - attack, and the Kiowa is Scout / Spotting. BTW, Aviation is a combat MOS, not sure if you know that but it has always been considered part of Combat Arms group of MOS'.

Response by CPT Nicholas D. made Mar 24 at 2019 5:04 PM

2019-03-24T17:04:57-04:00

Excellent question. The short answer: You can’t go wrong with any of them.

Your options will be UH60, CH47, AH64, or C-12.

The CH47 is an awesome piece of machinery. >50,000 Max GWT, gobs of power, lots of flying. It’s a beast.

AH64: Guns are cool. The culture is a little... different, but it’s a sexy aircraft. Flying around and shooting is a neat mission set.

H60: Swiss Army knife of the Army. A lot of diversity in your mission. I flew for 60’s for 5 years and loved them. 3900 horsepower, and the M model is pretty sharp.

C-12: I’m a fixed wing guy now and HIGHLY recommend the FW stuff. MI/ISR stuff might get a little boring, but VIP is a blast.

I’m happy to delve in deeper, but I never met a guy who hated his assigned aircraft. You can’t go wrong.

Good luck!

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Mar 24 at 2019 5:22 PM

2019-03-24T17:22:28-04:00

May want to get in on the ground floor of the newest helicopter...

http://www.duffelblog.com/2019/03/army-to-name-new-attack-helicopter-after-elizabeth-warren/

Army to name new attack helicopter after Elizabeth Warren

FORT RUCKER, Ala. — The U.S. Army will honor Elizabeth Warren and her Native American ancestry with the latest addition to its helicopter fleet, the AH-68 Warren, sources confirmed today. The Warren will join the Black Hawk, Kiowa, Apache, and Lakota in the Army’s impressive legacy of combat aircraft named after Native American tribes. The […]

Response by MAJ Matthew Arnold made Mar 24 at 2019 6:48 PM

2019-03-24T18:48:21-04:00

I graduated ORWAC way back in 1984. For the first 4 months or so, I was thinking guns, guns, guns, (which at that time was the AH-1 Cobra) because everything else is just a bus. But, learning to fly an aircraft and do the mission is much more difficult than it sounds, so by the time I graduated I did not want the additional stress of having to learn to fly another aircraft. It's a whole new -10 to memorize, a whole new set of EPs to memorize, and a whole new feel to procedures the you know, like autorotation. Hell, I just learned to fly the UH-1 and needed more time in it to become a proficient pilot. So, I stopped thinking about flying guns. As an RLO with minimum flight time it took me a couple more years to really feel like I knew what I was doing and I'm glad I stayed with the UH-1.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 24 at 2019 7:29 PM

2019-03-24T19:29:06-04:00

Honestly it’s too early for you to decide unless you have your heart set on one aircraft. If that’s the case don’t let the army decide by being last on the OML. No matter what you’ll love the aircraft you end up flying.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 24 at 2019 10:37 PM

2019-03-24T22:37:59-04:00

I've generally heard, and read, over a long period, purely from an engineering and aviation human factors standpoint, that if you can.go rotary wing first, as opposed to fixed wing, that changing over to fixed wing later on, if need be, tends to be easjer, as rotary wing, and the use of a collective, is more difficult to master, such that making the transition to slip, turn, and back indicators on fixed wing aircraft, while still involved, tends to be, from everything I've seen and heard, easier...beyond that, I can't tell you slecifics, though I've seen numerous YouTube videos on rotary and fixed wing flight that were quite detailed in takeoffs, cruising, and landing, that is very seriously encourage you to look at...also, where I was, there was a lil aero clhb, that I never made adequate use of, if one exists near you, you might possibly care to seek their advice, or possibly ask for an orientation ride in rotary and fixed wing aircraft, at installations near you, or possibly pay for such rides with f!right schools, if only to get a more coherent, detailed idea of actual flight reality, I went for a couple of lessons, in fixed wing, which I found hard enough to learn to control, in what little exposure I had, I could perceive the difficulty in flight handling quite readily, I assure you...also, are you associated level? Bachekors?.What specific STEM coursework and/or flight orientation have you had thus far, if any?.The more detail you can relate, the more I and others can suggest, honest, OK?.I'd be most interested to hear more whenever convenient, no rush....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 24 at 2019 10:39 PM

2019-03-24T22:39:08-04:00

And is C12 fixed wing?.I'll look it up if I get a chance, meanwhile....

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 25 at 2019 3:58 AM

2019-03-25T03:58:59-04:00

Guardrail is probably one of the few Army assets that runs missions 24/7, somewhere. Small group of guys and planes, but a massively huge/vital missionset.

Everyone wants to fly 60s, 47s or 64s...I get it. I’ve flown in the back of chinook when the pilots made it do stuff that shouldn’t have been possible, per the laws of physics. They’re awesome.

But R/C12 is awesomeer. The capabilities it provides can make the fight quite a bit easier. And besides...look at the thing. It looks like a Decepticon. Who doesn’t want to fly that bad Boy?

Best of luck.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 25 at 2019 8:00 PM

2019-03-25T20:00:06-04:00

First and foremost, don't not compete for position on the OML. It's like waking up and saying "I just dont want a variety of good choices." Always give yourself options.

If you're conflicted about the mission sets then I suggest you seek out some of the cadre and begin asking about their experiences in their respective communities. Look closely at how they affect the battlefield. What kind of direct or indirect influence you'll provide to any given fight. To me, mission set and understanding how the different aviation communities provide their forms of support allowed me to make the right choices.

Last, finish WOBC and BOLC and then focus heavily on the next steps. You have plenty to worry about in the mean time.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 5 at 2019 7:21 AM

2019-04-05T07:21:47-04:00

Your selection will be based on two things. Class rank and aircraft availability. Last few selections have been apache heavy with see a and a few Chinooks. A month ago, no apaches for two selections. So understand that while you can't control what the army will have available, if they only have 2 of something you want, you damn well better be at/near the top.
And to the original question, it's all about the mission. That should be your single deciding factor.what do you want to wake up everyday and do.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2019 10:17 AM

2019-05-05T10:17:04-04:00

Uh60 is the best airframe in my opinion!