How can Army Pilots get more hours?

Josh Smith — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 22:44:44 -0500

Can 153A Army Pilots volunteer for deployments? Is there any way to get more flight hours for AD? How long does it take to get 1000 hours or to WO2?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2022 12:36 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 00:36:35 -0500

In the USaR/ARNG we could go inside our Armory and use the government Nipr computers to go on tour of Duty or mobcop and put in for a short tour or long tour which included Aviation.

I'm sure you could look at this as a reference but I don't know if active duty can apply for a mission and be temporarily attached to a unit and then come back to the the home unit once the mission is over.

https://acaptainslog.com/tour-of-duty-a-little-known-way-to-exercise-control-over-your-career/

Tour of Duty: Exercising Control Over Your Military Career - A Captain's Log

Tour of Duty is a website that lists individual job vacancies for soldiers in any of the Reserve Component entities: IRR, IMA, USAR, ARNG.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2022 12:37 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 00:37:32 -0500

https://bdteletalk.com/mobcop-tour-of-duty-login/

Mobcop Tour Of Duty Login

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2022 12:41 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 00:41:29 -0500

I think you should be thinking about getting through Warrant Officer Flight Training, Flying Duty Medical Examination and SERE before you worry about deployments.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Nov 17 at 2022 6:48 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 06:48:44 -0500

Your first goal is to be accepted and graduate the program. Then you get to your unit listen, observe, learn not only to fly but all of the other requirments associated with being a pilot and a military leader.

Once you have embraced the totality of your mission you will be able to identify ways to earn additional flight time.

It does sound like you have a plan post military even before you are in the military. Make sure you know as much about military service and it’s requirments as well as obligations before leaping. It is both a challenge and an honor to serve, it is tough and rewarding. So if you think I join, I rack up flight time, I apply for a civilian job you may have the wrong motivation and the challenges associated with service may be more than you are looking for.

Response by COL Randall C. made Nov 17 at 2022 7:33 AM

COL Randall C. — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 07:33:25 -0500

Couldn't agree with CSM Darieus ZaGara and MSgt Private RallyPoint Member more. While it is laudable to have goals for the future, you still have to live in the present and give that your focus.

Everyone joins the military for their own reasons. Some are shared with a large majority of those serving (such as duty), while others are more unique to themselves (money for education, build up flight hours, etc). None are wrong.

During my career, I've met a few along the way that had the opinion, "If you're not going to make the military a career, then why bother being here" (usually expressed when someone was coming up for their reenlistment ... like THAT approach was going to help someone decide).

I have another view - It doesn't matter to me what the reasons are that brought you into the military or what the reasons are that might take you away. As long as you give your all, don't try to 'get out' of anything because 'I only joined up for the G.I. Bill' or such, you're golden in my book.

Be present. Be dutiful. Be professional. Above all, watch, learn and strive to go beyond any goals you set for yourself (always aim for excellence).

You might surprise yourself and find that the military is a calling for you and end up like many of us did (although, after 32 1/2 years I still couldn't decide if I want to make it a career or not). If not, then may all the blessing in life come your way and good luck on your future endeavors.

Just remember not to sacrifice the present for the future. Keep the future in mind as you wind your path though life and the military, but if you keep your eyes firmly fixed on the horizon, you may trip on the path before you. Better to keep one eye towards the future and one eye fixed on the present.

Specific to your future goals of building more time. Be the best at what you do and you'll always be in demand.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Nov 17 at 2022 7:49 AM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 07:49:24 -0500

You are putting the cart way ahead of the horse. Focus on passing training and getting through the pipeline. Aviation operations are constantly ongoing and the potential for getting hours in won't be an issue but 1,000 hours is a long term goal.

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Nov 17 at 2022 9:19 AM

MAJ Ronnie Reams — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 09:19:53 -0500

The Army used to be quite strict on flight hours. I remember at IIFFV flight detachment in 1967, 144 hours a month was it, even in a combat zone.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Nov 17 at 2022 12:48 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 12:48:54 -0500

Flight hours are controlled by budget. You can see if anyone is deploying and request to join them, but your unit will have to agree

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 20 at 2022 7:30 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 19:30:57 -0500

It's my understanding even the civilian aviation industry is hard up for pilots that one has options towards employer sponsored flight training without going down the military path.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Nov 28 at 2022 12:57 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 12:57:11 -0500

Josh Smith, your profile lacks any usable details, so I'll provide a generic answer.
First, concern yourself with getting accepted into the Army, then applying and being accepted into Flight Warrant Officer (WO) training. The requirements to become an Army Aviator are on the Army webpage. Make sure you can pass those requirements before attempting to apply.
It might be easier if you find a program that allows you to apply direct from civilian life to the Flight WO Program. If you enlist, complete basic training and technical training (AIT), and move to your first active-duty assignment, then you can apply for Flight Warrant Officer; however, your chain of command gets a say as to your application being sent above the unit level.

With regard to flying time, my experience in the USAF during lean times for the DoD--Carter years for example--shows that all the services cut back on training flight hours to divert hours to "real" missions. In the Army Helicopter world, real missions would include direct and indirect support for troops in combat zones. That's one answer on how to get more flying time, volunteer for those types of missions. Special Operations Forces often are excluded from funding cuts, so there's another area to look at. Stay away from research & development programs and schoolhouse assignments. Those areas are perceived as easy cuts without impacting combat capability.

I started my Air Force Pilot career during the post-Vietnam drawdown. Our C-130 unit was cut training flying hours every year for my first 4 years of flying. It took me over 3 years to reach 1,000 hours and upgrade to Aircraft Commander. Flying time accrued most quickly when the unit was deployed supporting operational missions. We could fly as many hours during one 3-month deployment as we would for the rest of the year. The pilot truly hungry for hours and upgrade opportunities volunteered for back-to-back deployments. One of my friends stayed deployed for 9 months his second year with the unit. He returned to the unit with nearly 1,000 hours and was the first 1st Lt to upgrade to Aircraft Commander outside a war zone in a very long time. It helped that he was unmarried and had no personal or family obligations in the States. He put his personal stuff in storage and moved out of his apartment during his second deployment. I had a wife and three little kids. One deployment a year was enough for my family.

Response by CW4 Bob Monroe made Feb 9 at 2023 9:20 PM

CW4 Bob Monroe — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 21:20:44 -0500

There are two easy answers to obtaining more flight hours. First: hang out with the maintenance folks and volunteer for test flights. Test flights are excellent ways to get time and learn way more about the aircraft than you will ever learn from the -10. Do preflights with them and ask questions, be on standby for any and all flights they need to do. This includes Friday afternoon and weekends. Those folks work long hours and often when others aren't. Plus, they often get an aircraft that is close to a hourly inspection so they need to burn some time. Hours are hours.

Second: the simulator. Yeah it sucks but those are still hours and you can practice EP's, day/night, IFR, VFR, whatever. Ask the sim operators to throw random EPs and you. A few hours of those and you'll be grateful to flight maintenance flights (with aircraft that works, kinda). Do deck landings, do mountain (high altitude) with big winds flights, do max take offs, do heavy lifts (max out aircraft weight), do lots of entry into holding (oh joy), like all the different ways to enter holding. Those sim operators are highly experienced pilots that have seen it all. Ask them to throw theirs worst at you or even ask them to copilot with you. Practice ATM maneuvers (react to small arms, react to surface to air, slopes, pilot controlled lighting, all those things).

All those things add up to a more experienced pilot and makes those situations when real things happen easier to handle. An engine failure at 100 feet is much different in real life so no time to pull out checklist, practice them in the simulator.