What kind of college education do I need in order to become a fighter pilot, or bomber pilot?

Question

especially the rank of officer.

Answer 1

Got to have a degree to become a pilot. The abolute best degree would be engineering specializing in aviation engineering.

Any science or math degree would be excellent. You've got a chance with any college degree at all, but you need to score well on intelligence and spacial relations, and it would help (absent an engineering degree) to have a private pilot's license already, because that way you start out knowing what they are doing and understanding the basics of your basic and intermediate flight schools.

AVIATION officer's candidate school is rough -- they try to freak you out and get you to quit -- but at least you'll find out whether you want to fly or not. I made it through at age 30!

Answer 2

No self-respecting fighter guy/gal is going to go to bombers-ain't gonna happen; unless it's that or not flying at all. However in the USAF it IS theoretically possible to go from bombers/heavies to fighters: 1- Bomber's weapon system goes away. IF there's a current shortage in a fighter airframe, AND IF the person in question still needs to make gates; is otherwise qualified then it's possible. But more likely they would go to another heavy, 2- Unit re-equips. Happens in ANG units fairly often. 3- Bomber guy leaves active duty and finds a Guard unit willing to retrain-rare as there are a lot of crews getting out who are qual'd in Vipers and Eagles. 4- Bomber guy takes a job that guarantees choice of weapon system upon completion of tour. UAVs still kind of throw this out-though with the USAF pretty much ending careers for UAV crews right now I don't think anyone's really buying this. Despite what you might see on 60 Minutes, once you've got UAV stink on you-that's where you're probably going to stay. There are other unpopular rated jobs that will offer this up as incentives-not many but they are out there. AFA training, they will need LIFT, RTU and arrive at a squadron basically as a newbie 2Lt spinning up to be Mission Ready. Basically they start over. As a mid-senior Captain doing this-ain't gonna help your career any; another reason why it doesn't happen all that often. You might have surmised that in the USAF it is VERY rare, but it does happen.

Answer 3

A bachelors degree is required. They preffer something in engineering, but my friend is a pilot with a Bachelors in Psychology. Unfortunately the fighter pilot program is very selective and competetive (people will stab you in the back to get the position) so unless you have previous pilot experience, you may be assigned to cargo, bomber, or helicopter.

Answer 4

First to be a pilot in the airforce or military, you have to be a officer, they don't have enlisted pilots.

You will have to join the ROTC on campus and be selected for the pilot training program or be appointed to the Military Academy and be selected for the pilot training program.

After college you will go to the pilot training program.
In some ROTC programs the pilots will learn and earn thier private licence while in college

Answer 5

For the US Military, you HAVE to be an officer to be a pilot, therefor you HAVE to have a Bachelor's Degree (unless the Army is still running their Helicopter Warrant Officer Program).

IF you are asking what your MAJOR should be... engineering, sciences, math ??

I had pilots with a WIDE range of degrees... History, Art, Engineering, English Literature, Chemistry, Accounting...

Honestly, some of my BETTER pilots had degrees outside of aviation / engineering.

The Military is looking for intelligence, and an inate ability to fly !! They ACTUALLY prefer those who do NOT have civilian flight training... because there is LESS to un-teach.

Good luck.

Answer 6

You can get a pilots slot through AFROTC or the Air Force Academy. Neither is guaranteed however. Everyone wants to be a pilot.

Answer 7

I suppose people can go to college first and get a degree in physics, math, or engineering, but to really become a military pilot, you'd want to go to a military school (e.g, US Air Force Academy in Colorado Spring).

Answer 8

Bachelor of science usually from an academy like United States Air Force Academy in Colorado.

Answer 9

You need to be an officer to be a fighter pilot...ie college degree...

Answer 10

My husband is a fighter-pilot (F-16s) ... his undergraduate degree was in Spanish.

:)