What is the minimum service requirement for a military pilot?

Question

What about a helicopter pilot? Also, if you have had laser eye surgery and have a corrected 20/20 vision are you able to be a pilot? Or do you have to have good uncorrected vision?

Answer 1

For a helicopter pilot, you must be either a warrant officer or commisioned officer, eyesight correctible to 20 /40, a US citizen, a GT on the asvab of 110 or higher, and meet Army height / weight requirements.

You also must take the AFAST test and score 90 or higher.
For Warrant Officer school, these are the requirements. http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/
Just look through the website. I am assuming you are a civilian? If so, you can still do it. The requirements are there. If you are already in the military, you need to put together a packet.

All the information you need should be on that website. If you would like any more, I would be happy to answer you. Just say so =)

Unless you have a college degree already, the Warrant program is an excellent way to go.
And I can't remember which, but you can be a pilot with either PRK or Lasix, like I said, can't remember which.

EDIT
Just read through the info, this is a quote
"You cannot have had Radial Keratonomy eye surgery."
I'm assuming this is PRK.

Answer 2

You have to be an officer to fly fixed-wing aircraft (planes), and a warrant officer (which is the step between enlisted and officer) to fly rotary-wing aircraft.

I know in the Navy (other branches could be doing this as well), there is a new program where, once you reach E-5, you can put in a warrant package to petition for promotion to Warrant Class.

The Army also has the "Flight School to High School" program, you need to be a High School graduate and meet certain ASVAB requirements and the Flight Aptitude Selection Test (they have books that you can study from on that). If you pass the requirements (see the source listed) then you can basically train to be a pilot instantly.

And then there's also the (N)ROTC programs for all branches, where they will pay your way through college, you get a Bachelor's Degree, and then you serve as an Officer for a minimum of eight years (four/six years active, four/two years reserve). If you use that time to get an aviations degree, then you'll be very likely to get into the Flight Schooling and become a pilot.

Basically talk to your location recruiters, they'll know information and most of them are looking out for you, not them (at least the ones where I live).

Answer 3

What I've heard about laser eye surgery is that you cannot be a fighter pilot. You can, however, fly cargo planes and the like. In order to be a pilot, you have to be an officer. in order to do that, you have to sign on for 8 years.

Answer 4

The last time i checked that info was in 2007, so it hasn't changed since. Commissioning source for flight school students: Air Force Academy - 45% AFROTC - 49% AF OTS - 6% Navy is not much different. So you still have a much higher chance of getting a slot from an Academy

Answer 5

the minimum sevice is 6 years for an Army Pilot for a RAAF Pilot its 7 years, because it''s more intense. Corrected vision is fine i believe, as long as your not colour blind.

Answer 6

It's 6 years from WINGING DATE for helo, 8 years for jets. This is usually about 7-8 years total because training can take from 1-2 years.

Answer 7

To fit the aircraft seat

Too tall/no job...... or short....