stearmann4 Posted June 9, 2015 Posted June 9, 2015 Just put out to the SWOs today (folks at Rucker may already know); effective immediately, there will no longer be competitive selection boards for rated aviators to at for fixed wing training. Fixed wing will now become its own track during aircraft selection and be populated by IERW graduates based on a selection OML like any other airframe. Aviators who select fixed wing will spend their entire careers in that field and will be eligible to track specialties as is the case with R/W platforms (standards, safety, maintenance, etc) I'm sure there's going to be speed bumps to be hashed out, but this is probably a good thing for the Army.Mike- Quote
akscott60 Posted June 9, 2015 Posted June 9, 2015 That is going to break some hearts. Dave L told us this months ago, but yea, its getting much more official. Oh well. I joined the Army to fly helicopters. Quote
Yamer Posted June 9, 2015 Posted June 9, 2015 More incentive to not be at the bottom of the OML... Lol 1 Quote
zaurus Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 Interesting new concept. I would think the Army will have an above average loss rate to the commercial industry after the aviator's initial 6 year fixed wing commitment. The regionals will pick them up in a heart beat. Not that many slots anyway. Dual qualified in multi engine UH-72/C-12 not bad. The only downside I see is for the senior AWOs in wanting the fixed wing experience prior to retirement for commercial gain. Quote
USCav19D Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 If the Army got to keep the Spartan I might actually have been tempted to go don that route. For a cargo plan that thing sure is a hot rod. Quote
zaurus Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 USCav19D Basically of the 21 new C-27Js in the bone yard, 14 were given to the Coast Guard and 7 to the Active Army Special Ops Command at Ft Bragg. This happened back in 2014. What's interesting, the AF is retiring all their twin engine 1970 vintage UH-1N helos for old Army UH-60A models. Of course the AF will spend millions in updating the helos to AF standards.. Quote
StockTrader Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 Maybe if someone asks the Air Force nicely, they will give us the A-10's? (I know, I just want to hold on to hope at least) 1 Quote
MichaelRyanSD Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 I wish... http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/02/25/army-not-interested-in-taking-a10-warthogs-from-air-force.html Quote
Creep0321 Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 Had the opportunity to jump a C-27J from 24,999' MSL... that was fun. Quote
USCav19D Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 USCav19D Basically of the 21 new C-27Js in the bone yard, 14 were given to the Coast Guard and 7 to the Active Army Special Ops Command at Ft Bragg. This happened back in 2014. What's interesting, the AF is retiring all their twin engine 1970 vintage UH-1N helos for old Army UH-60A models. Of course the AF will spend millions in updating the helos to AF standards..That's what my understanding was as well. Who flies the ones at Bragg? Quote
Eaglegrad07 Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 Too bad we couldn't get something for CAS like the Textron Scorpion or maybe something like the YAK-130. That would be impeding on the Air Force mission. Regardless, I'm just happy to get the opportunity to become an Army Aviator. Quote
brackac Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 Maintenance track in FW? Are they creating that program? Quote
Hotdogs Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 The regionals will pick them up in a heart beat. Who the hell will want to goto the regionals anyways?... for $25k-30k a year? Yeah right. 1 Quote
brackac Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 The regionals will pick them up in a heart beat. Then why do we have so many former commercial pilots in Army FW? Plus, who wants to make 28k a year? Quote
USCav19D Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 I'm sure that for some people the life and experience of flying FW just has a greater appeal. I can't imagine how flying a racetrack at 25,000 ft for 5 hours would be half as rewarding or challenging as flying helicopters, but to each their own. 1 Quote
Velocity173 Posted June 11, 2015 Posted June 11, 2015 Who the hell will want to goto the regionals anyways?... for $25k-30k a year? Yeah right. Exactly. In order to bypass the crappy pay / conditions FO regional, you'd have to have significant experience to go straight to CPT. That ain't gonna happen. These guys are gonna have to stay in longer than a 6 yr commitment to get their "dream job" and not have to put up with the BS of regionals. Never understood why someone would go the airline route anyway. Yeah, let's take an aircraft that barely needs one pilot to fly it, stuff two people in the cockpit to push buttons on an FMS, fly a boring A to B route with no yanking and banking, along the same route over and over again. Basically a taxi in the sky. No thanks. 1 Quote
akscott60 Posted June 11, 2015 Posted June 11, 2015 My father makes around 300k a year flying his 777 from DFW to all corners of the planet. And he works 9 days a month or so. Who the hell wouldnt want that job? 2 Quote
Velocity173 Posted June 11, 2015 Posted June 11, 2015 (edited) Not me. Honestly I wouldn't do it today if they offered it to me. Only FW I'd ever want to fly is a fighter and it's way too late for that. I'd rather fly single pilot helo for a fraction of the pay than be a systems manager on an airliner. I'm home every night and not spending my time in terminals around the world during layovers. I like that. I fly FW on my days off but that's for me. A FW is far more efficient at taking me on trips than a helo. It serves it's purpose. Flying for work, I'd take the flexibility and ever changing environment in RW than FW any day...but that's just me. It's not some competition though. Do something that pays the bills and allows you to do what matters in life; being with family. Edited June 11, 2015 by Velocity173 Quote
akscott60 Posted June 11, 2015 Posted June 11, 2015 (edited) 9 days a month affords a lot of time with the fam bam. Ive been a fixed wing guy since 1998, and I know they are boring as hell. Hence the reason I fly Chinooks. But quality of life? Yea. Not Army. Just my .02. The rum is starting to talk Edited June 11, 2015 by akscott60 2 Quote
DavidMH47 Posted June 11, 2015 Posted June 11, 2015 Austin, who likes there family enough to be around them that much? Quote
Creep0321 Posted June 11, 2015 Posted June 11, 2015 http://ciceromagazine.com/features/the-armys-fixed-wing-future/ Interesting read. Quote
akscott60 Posted June 11, 2015 Posted June 11, 2015 The author of that article is a friend of mine. 1 Quote
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