camo4life Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 My question is what is the oldest person's age any of you have seen or heard about getting a WOFT accepted. I'm currently 38, in good phyiscal shape, no problems, no debt. I'm Army prior service with about 9 years active. Then did 2 years reserves. I have been totally out for about 11 years. Join the Police (Police work, swat, K9) My short story...police dept allowed us to purchase up to six years military time (I did). So 6 years bought + 13 years police, I retired from the Police dept. Now wanting a career as a Helicopter Pilot, what do you thank the chances are?? Thank you for any helpful information you can provide 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 That's really pushing it. I only see a handful of old guys, oldest is now 35 and that's after two years of training. You won't know until you ask and I recommend asking soon because time is not on your side. Here is a question for the forum. What is the oldest flight school student you know of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achfly Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 The oldest I've heard of was 37 but he was in a Guard unit and that was five years ago. With the army downsizing.... chances are bad now. And as for staff positions check your ATM!!!! Apache pilots coming out of flight school are supposed to be FAC1 aviators for the first two years. A commander might waiver that requirement in order to put you in a staff job, but you can appeal to higher commanders. I don't know about other airframes but I imagine its similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camo4life Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Also which doors do you suggest I start knocking on with my questions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBuzzkill Posted January 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 This isn't an advice or "what are my chances" thread. I'd rather you ask these questions in one of the numerous other threads on the site directed towards the application process. To answer your question though, you should talk to a recruiter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP4L Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I'll get this thread alive and on topic busting my post cherry on this forum. But first, before i get out of hand, everybody on here, just you guys posting about, really anything, is great, to me at least.. I appreciate it, more than I can express in text. This forum definitely brought me out of the dark, while I trolled here for the last year-ish, along with a few guys I pm'd with, who were awesome. My plan was to become active here AFTER I dropped my packet and hopefully make selection, but what the hell... I want to be a military aviator because, well one, I want to be an aviator, and two, I want to be in the military. Pretty simple for me. I'm such a cliche, its embarrassing, but honest, I saw Top Gun for the first time, when I was like 5 or 6, became obsessed. My excuse for not going that route is slightly unbelievable, but simply put, was sidetracked by fast cars for about 10 years. I blew my chances to fly jets. But lucky for me, as a kid AH-64's were also an obsession of mine... Ok, they still are . So one day in December 2008, during a temporary lay-off from the speed shop I was a tech at, after browsing YouTube for a few days, and a couple AWESOME Apache gun-cam montages, it just hit me, "the Army fly's helicopters, duh".. So I switched from YouTube to Google (seriously) and that was the start to the unbelievably difficult quest to find information about how to get into Army aviation. Somehow made some friends with guys that wear a set of wings on their ACU's, eventually took some flights, both in fixed wing and those things with the rotors spinning every which way, loved it. Funny how flying a Piper around at 100 knots is actually more fun than raging around Road America in a modified Z06, that I don't own And going up in a MD500 was even better than both. So yeah in case you forgot, after all my rambling, I want to be a military aviator because I want to fly and shoot stuff, get yelled at, do stuff I don't want to do, wear camo without people looking at me weird, collect a paycheck on the 1st and 15th, and I want do it until they wont let me do it anymore. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Go guns! 30mm to the face! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP4L Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Go guns! 30mm to the face! I'd love guns, definitely my choice if I get one, but honestly I'll be grateful with anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njsorrell1 Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 I'll try to be brief...In a nutshell I spent about 8 years after Highschool pursuing a career that I really was only following because it's what everyone had always pushed me towards, and when it almost cratered my life and my marriage I realized I had to hit the reset button. We moved back to our home state and I remembered how I'd felt about watching the guys from the 160th in Black Hawk Down and realized for the first time I could actually do something that I wanted instead of what everyone thought I was supposed to do. I was told I was too old (27) and with too many dependents (married, 2 daughters) to join the military so I took out a 20k loan and went into private rotor wing flight training. I'm really not an arrogant person I swear, but I've never been so good at anything. From day one flying that R-22 felt like breathing. I knew without a shadow of a doubt I had never wanted anything more in my entire life...until I learned about WOFT. So, why Army aviation? Not joking here, because I want my kids to be more proud of their dad than anyone else, not just because I'm a pilot, or even a good dad, but because they know that I'd do anything for them and I'm not afraid to do whatever it takes to do what I love for the best reasons. Also, and this may sound political or corny, but it's the honest to God truth. I want to save people. American or not, military or not, I want to fly right into the sh*t and be there for someone who thought that no one would be. I want to see that look on their face, not to feel awesome about who I am, but to know that they have another chance to go home to their family because I did whatever it took to make sure of that, and then to tell my family someday about that experience, and see the pride in their eyes because dad, husband, was willing to do that. Lastly, have you seen We Were Soldiers? Black Hawk Down? Any of those kinds of films? Those guys on the ground are in the middle of Hell sometimes and they deserve someone who is willing to go there and get them. I swear to God, I'd do whatever it took to get those guys home safe, I have HUGE respect for what they do. I'd fly a Blackhawk into a sh*t storm 100 times over before I'd fly a strike fighter Mach 5 half a mile over a fight. No disrespect to what those pilots do, it's just not what I want, the greatest rush for me isn't the speed of sound at 20k feet, but 100+ knots at 80 feet. It all sounds dramatic and romantic, I know, but it's all a culmination of a CRAZY love to fly helicopters, some insecurity and needing to do something big to feel like I'm someone my family can be totally proud of, wanting to know my family is safe and wanting to save any life I can, even if it means I can't save them all, I can put myself in a position to, God-willing, save some. That's not my essay I swear, it's why I really want to do this. And big deal, I got LOR's from a CW3 and CW5 today, sweeeet. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 I want to save people. American or not, military or not, I want to fly right into the sh*t and be there for someone who thought that no one would be. I want to see that look on their face, not to feel awesome about who I am, but to know that they have another chance to go home to their family because I did whatever it took to make sure of that, and then to tell my family someday about that experience, and see the pride in their eyes because dad, husband, was willing to do that. Lastly, have you seen We Were Soldiers? Black Hawk Down? Any of those kinds of films? Those guys on the ground are in the middle of Hell sometimes and they deserve someone who is willing to go there and get them. I swear to God, I'd do whatever it took to get those guys home safe, I have HUGE respect for what they do. I'd fly a Blackhawk into a sh*t storm 100 times over before I'd fly a strike fighter Mach 5 half a mile over a fight. No disrespect to what those pilots do, it's just not what I want, the greatest rush for me isn't the speed of sound at 20k feet, but 100+ knots at 80 feet. ... wanting to save any life I can, even if it means I can't save them all, I can put myself in a position to, God-willing, save some. This is exactly my sentiment. Every fiber of my being hums with the energy of what you just wrote. -From a fellow R22 pilot 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yakfishr19 Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 ABOVE ALL Army Aviation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Or, "Above the Best." In my mind, that is more intricate and significant than "above all," anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yakfishr19 Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 so Lindsey have you been accepted yet into WOFT? I do see that you have all the credentials Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 so Lindsey have you been accepted yet into WOFT? I do see that you have all the credentials I don't really want to take away from the intent of this thread, but my personal WOFT packet progress is posted in the Intro, Updates, Advice thread. Short story: in progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njsorrell1 Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 I don't really want to take away from the intent of this thread, but my personal WOFT packet progress is posted in the Intro, Updates, Advice thread. Short story: in progress. More like long story it's all good. It'll work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillips1 Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 Hello guys and girls, Just throwing out my quick story. Like many on here i've certainly been intrigued by helicopters my whole life.... how does something that looks like that even fly....how does it work, the lift the engines...blah blah... i tend to analyze stuff a lot. I've always flown rc Heli's and had a strong interest in them. I went to college out of high school and majored in mechanical engineering. I did that for two years and was just getting into the fun stuff (thermodynamics, calc 3, etc.) when I got a job offer for a local police department. Of course I was 21 years old and was offered a 80k a year job so I changed my major to CJ and took the job... went back to school eventually while working and I will be graduating in May with my Bachelors in CJ. I left the police department after 6.5 years. I had my fun and wasn't fully into the job anymore. I started another job that was equally interesting working with my father in the electrical engineering field building microwave RF test systems. which is where I am today. I've always had an interest in the military as well. My brother was (is) a marine, my grandfather served in the Navy, my best friend went to Iraq when I went to college and luckily returned safely after his time was up.I've certainly loved reading all the books talking about different aspects of military life as well (shooter was among my favorite). The long and short of it is, this WOFT program is the perfect jumping off point for me and I am going to give it my all and see what happens. I get my degree in May, i have already began my PT getting ready for the test, and I've always been a good test taker so the ASVAB and AFAST shouldn't pose much of a problem. I've taken two discovery flights in a robinson r44 as well. That only confirmed my thought that flying was what I wanted to do. I've already read through the AFAST study guides and the FAA rotorcraft book a few times. the only thing that has me a little worried is getting killer LOR's. I don't know any military aviators at all. A state rep lives on my street and my old lieutenant at the PD is a boatswain's mate in the CG. short of them i'm having a little trouble coming up with good contacts. any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry this was so long, i look forward to chatting with everyone, Fly safe, Jared Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 Jared, Write up an good resume and gather up some certificates of achievement and diplomas and create a LOR packet. Give a copy of this packet to the person who agreed to write your letter so they have some information and positive attributes to write about. Its easy for you to forget to mention something important in the interview and even easier for them to forget it all together Majority of my LORs were from people I didn't know, but was able to present myself in a favorable way. Someone you know, know an Aviator, you just have to search. It's amazing what you can get in life if you just ask. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillips1 Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 Yes that's a good point you make. My thoughts were do some networking, find someone that would be interested In talking to me then maybe do an interview with them and giving them that packet would certainly assist them in writing the letters. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yakfishr19 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 How far are you in your packet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillips1 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 At this point I have made the decision to go forward with everything and that begins with me working out and running, but at the same time I'm starting to reach out to people about lor's and stuff like that as well. While you mention it I guess I had a question. Does the apft happen the same time as the asvab and afast or is it a little later on down the line once I pass the class 1 physical? I don't have an actual packet per se but it will begin taking form over the next few months. I just need to get ready for these two tests and the apft... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t.o.n.y Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 You can do the APFT anytime before submitting your packet to battalion for the oral board. Keep working on improving your score while doing the rest of your packet. Or just do it now to know where you are, then again later before the board for a better score. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillips1 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 Thanks for the info....I have a pretty good idea of where I stand right now and its not good...haha. I am going to aim for a 300 so I can crush this thing and leave one less reason I may not get picked...no reason I can't get 280-300 with a few months of training. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBuzzkill Posted February 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 (edited) APFT is super easy to test yourself on. Just go out to a track and follow the guidelines. Time yourself with a kitchen timer or something (might as well buy one now you're going to need it for flight school). My official one was given to me by one of the NCOs at the recruiting station. Edited February 22, 2012 by SBuzzkill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillips1 Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 Yah I've been using this free app on my droid called mapmyrun ...it gives distance and pace and calories and elevation and all this other junk....works good for free.. As it stands now I would be just passing the run with 60 points so I've def got some work ahead of me...should be fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t.o.n.y Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 The run used to be my weakest event, now is my strongest. Keep with it, it will get easier and you'll get faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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