What is the path to becoming a maintenance test pilot as an officer MEDEVAC pilot?

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 10:42:52 -0400

DA PAM 600-4 mentions that officer MEDEVAC pilots have the opportunity to apply for the Maintenance Test Pilot course following Aviation Captain’s Career Course at Fort Rucker. How difficult is this to do and what effect, if any, does it have on the pilot’s place in the Medical Service Corps? For background, I am just finishing up BOLC and will report to flight school in October. Assuming all goes well, I will be looking at going to CCC in 5 or 6 years. Maintenance Test Pilot sounds like a good way to get extra flying hours as an officer pilot.

Response by CW5 John M. made Sep 5 at 2018 11:30 AM

CW5 John M. — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 11:30:06 -0400

My response would be "dated", since I retired over 20 years ago, and much of my time was spent in the Guard. I went into the Guard as a former AH-1 Gunship pilot and ASO - with UH-1 and OH-58 ratings, and MAST (medevac) experience at Ft Carson. Since I had a civilian A&P, and desired maintenance, it was easy to "fall into" an open maintenance slot - which I eventually went to the UH-1 MTP course at Ft Eustis. When I began the MTP Phase II (UH-1), I got "bumped" due to an influx of a couple foreign nationals creating a shortfall in UH-1 availability, I was offered the OH-58 track due to my past qual, and State approved the "deal" since they had OH-6's and all I had to do was transition into an OH-6 when I completed the OH-58s. Fast forward a few years, and my AGR unit was being de-activated after Desert Storm. The State lost all its OH-6s and picked up OH-58s. My MTP in OH-58s sudldenly became vauable. Also, there was a newly activated Blackhawk medevac unit being formed in the State that needed an AGR MTP. I had both maintenance and medevac experience, so, much to my delight, they moved me into the slot - which sent me to Rucker for UH-60 qual, and back to Eustis for UH-60 maint qual. State also picked up some EH-60s that needed an MTP, so they also sent me to Ft Huachuca for the "Quick-fix (EH-60) qual. After I retired, my military experience helped me tap into the civilian multi-engine EMS program. In a nutshell, anything can happen depending on the needs of the service, and with enough funding availability. I'd say now could be a good time.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2018 12:17 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 12:17:22 -0400

My buddy is a CPT, UH-60M MTP, and a 67J. It’s possible to get it, but it will depend on your unit sending you or not.