Gotch86 Posted August 24, 2016 Report Share Posted August 24, 2016 I'd like to start by saying I know this is a vague question and can potentially be seen as silly but, I wanted to ask. Are Army aviators getting a good amount of hours? Does it matter if your WO or Commissioned? Some of what I've read says the fleet is having difficulty meeting minimums. In the grand scheme of things I suppose any flight time is better than none, but I was curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted August 24, 2016 Report Share Posted August 24, 2016 My unit expects 250/year which is considered "good compared to many other units" which are just getting minimums. The thing is, these things change with time. At the peak of both wars pilots were getting stupid amounts of flight time on deployment (750+). The only thing I can tell you for sure is don't join the Army for the flight time. Make sure there is another very very good reason. My civilian counterparts have tripled or quadrupled me in flight time, and we started civilian flight school at the same time. Keep in mind also that you will not fly for at least a year during the first half of the pipeline (BCT, WOCS, SERE, WOBC, bubbles, etc). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBird Posted August 24, 2016 Report Share Posted August 24, 2016 A CW5 I've talked to also said the same thing about those annual flight hours. If you're joining because you think you're only going to be flying, I would reconsider joining the Army. Soldier, Warrant Officer, Aviator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akscott60 Posted August 25, 2016 Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 I fly in a CAB with an unlimited flying hour budget. In fact, my last one was too. I flew 450 hours in Korea in the 15 months I was there, and at Bragg I am averaging 40 hours a month as a 47IP. However, experiences will vary GREATLY. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extreme Recluse Posted August 29, 2016 Report Share Posted August 29, 2016 Whether you like it or not, your officer evaluation does not have a thing to do with aviation. Additional duties make a commander or platoon leader look good. Always keep this in mind. The time you are not spending on the flight line as a W/O, should be dedicated to additional duties, supply, comsec, alse, safety, motor pool etc... Flight time is OK if you want to be an IP. You want to be at the head of the pack on all OERs. Do not neglect your non-aviation duties or you will be looking at promotion pass-overs. Just some experienced words of Wisdom. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brackac Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 Whether you like it or not, your officer evaluation does not have a thing to do with aviation. Additional duties make a commander or platoon leader look good. Always keep this in mind. The time you are not spending on the flight line as a W/O, should be dedicated to additional duties, supply, comsec, alse, safety, motor pool etc... Flight time is OK if you want to be an IP. You want to be at the head of the pack on all OERs. Do not neglect your non-aviation duties or you will be looking at promotion pass-overs. Just some experienced words of Wisdom. Exactly, everyone is a pilot, it's what you do outside of aviation duties that separates you from your peers. I took the job of assistant S3 in a unit because my tracked job wasn't available. It wasn't my dream job, but it was what the unit needed, and it was a step forward in my career in regards to how my BC rated me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElJay Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 If there are any Guard medevac guys here, what are you getting in a year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaswhee Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 I'm not in the unit but I know that the Illinois Army National Guard is required to fly 48 hours every 6 months and they get an additional 72 AFTPs a year (36 full days or 72 four hour periods.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElJay Posted August 30, 2016 Report Share Posted August 30, 2016 72 is a lot, I think. TN used to get that when they had 58Ds. Would be nice if that stays the same with the transition to Blackhawks. That could add up to a lot of hours for a guard bummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootcamp Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Keep in mind also that you will not fly for at least a year during the first half of the pipeline (BCT, WOCS, SERE, WOBC, bubbles, etc). You won't fly during the bubbles, you say? ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tradewinds Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 You won't fly during the bubbles, you say? ;-) Nope, but make sure you keep studying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VelosiT Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 You won't fly during the bubbles, you say? ;-) Can confirm. Three more months until I start the Apache course. Maybe I should take up drone racing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akscott60 Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 He flew on his own time and dime. Hence the winky face. f**k, I have been on this site for too long. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VelosiT Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Well sh*t, I played myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudkow60 Posted September 1, 2016 Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 I agree... don't join any service just for the hours. All services have their pros and cons, so do your research. I will be happy to share my experiences as a Navy and Coast Guard helo pilot. I can tell you that we do fly a lot in the Coast Guard. I just looked at my log book. In my 9 years as a Navy pilot, and 10 years as a Coastie, I have been averaging about 260 hrs per year. Some years more, some less. But, staying in the cockpit now seems like an anomaly, and I am a bit of a dinosaur among youngins'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01CelicaGTS Posted September 14, 2016 Report Share Posted September 14, 2016 Since I got to my first unit, I have averaged 19 hours a month. Some months I've flown 0 and the highest so far has been 43. I'm also in a unit with a high flight hour/pilot ratio. We don't have a ton of flight hours, but we don't have very many pilots either. Based on all the other pilots at my unit, we (the pilots) fly more than many other units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaswhee Posted September 14, 2016 Report Share Posted September 14, 2016 That is crazy. Does any one know how much SOAR units are flying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brackac Posted September 15, 2016 Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 That is crazy. Does any one know how much SOAR units are flying? What is this "SOAR" unit you speak of? You mean like a glider company? I thought those went out after WWII? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kona4breakfast Posted September 15, 2016 Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 They are busy enough, I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stearmann4 Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 Kona, Averaged over a 5 year period, we probably only fly slightly more than a conventional aviator. The difference is the pace is always steady, there is no post deployment re-sets, etc. it's a continuous hi-tempo training cycle followed by a deployment, repeat. For the duration of your career. Mike- 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaswhee Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 Kona, Averaged over a 5 year period, we probably only fly slightly more than a conventional aviator. The difference is the pace is always steady, there is no post deployment re-sets, etc. it's a continuous hi-tempo training cycle followed by a deployment, repeat. For the duration of your career. Mike-Sounds awesome to me. How hard is it to go from Guard to SOAR? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kona4breakfast Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 I didn't mean they were busy just flying SOAR is recruiting from the Guard. They like the experience we have. However, you don't get in, no matter where you're from, without the right temperment, and that depends on whether you're a warrant or commissioned officer.... don't ask me how I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted September 21, 2016 Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 What units still have unlimited flying hour budgets? Some of our PIs aren't even getting 200 hours a year on deployments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBuzzkill Posted September 21, 2016 Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) Hmmm... Edited September 21, 2016 by SBuzzkill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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