Whats it like to fly an f-14 or any other military jet? Describe your experiences and feelings.?

Question

just wondering cause i want to be a fighter pilot cause you guys have no idea how much i love aviation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is awesome...oh and space stuff like nasa

Answer 1

I was an F4 WSO for several years. Frankly, I can't think of a better job for a young man or woman. I didn't like the 0330 showtimes (heck I still don't like gettin' up early 21 years later), but when we would take-off, on departure I could see the walking-dead commuting to their dull desk-jobs. I really felt sorry for them. This probably sounds arrogant, but frankly I don't care-I was doing EXACTLY what I wanted to do since I was a kid.
Like any profession, there's good and bad. You will make less than your civilian equivalent. My Bachelor's was in CS, and my com padres were making almost twice what I was.
Here's what you need to do:
Have a bachelor's from an accredited institution.
Go through some form of commissioning program (academy/ROTC etc)
Pass the flight physical. For pilot you need: 20/20 near/far vision uncorrected with no astigmatism, color blindness, or depth perception issues. You also cannot have any congenital health problems. Your sitting height cannot be more than 48" I THINK it's been a while since I had to worry about this stuff. For Nav/RIO it's pretty much the same, although the Navy doesn't require depth perception.
Be selected for Pilot/Nav training. The best way to be accepted is to have a Private Pilot's license. Instrument time would also be a benefit, as all military flights are IFR (there's exceptions, but for our purposes IFR is how we fly).
There's no assurance you will get assigned to a fighter (F15/16/22/35) unless you are the top of your class. However, if you apply and are accepted for "ENJJPT" "Euro-Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training" and survive (washout rate's about 50%) you will get your weapon system.
Right now, your best way to prep is to stay healthy (no drugs, smoking, alcohol abuse), and get good grades to make you competitive for an Academy/ROTC program. Also read up as much as you can on aviation, especially military aviation. Finally, start working on that PPL.
Good luck, hopefully I'll see you on the ramp in a few years. (I'll be the retiree critiquing your pattern work :) )

Answer 2

After you go through the start-up and taxi routine, you get clearance from the tower, pull onto the runway centerline, and bring in the power. Often you hold the brakes on while the turbines spool up, and when you get close to 100% military power, you shove the throttles past the detents into afterburner. I'll speak of the last type I flew, which was the F-111A. Sitting there in 5th stage ab, the plane is trembling under the force of close to 40,000 horsepower. Anyone on the ground beside the plane would feel the ground shaking and see two plumes of flame shooting back close to 50 feet behind the plane. Release the brakes and get shoved back into the seat. Your nosewheel steering is in the rudder pedals, so you keep the plane centered on the runway with your feet. At about 170 knots, pull back on the stick and watch the ground fall away at a serious rate. Fold the gear into the wells and point her nose up. Clean up the wings and sweep them to 26 degrees. Maximum rate of climb for the 111 was 50,000 feet per minute. You couldn't go straight up like the later F-15, but it sure didn't take long to get to altitude. After that, you follow the mission profile, whatever that may have been for that particular flight. That's a rough idea of the beginning of any flight, and Jim above me gave you very good information you should listen to. Clear skies and the best of luck to you.

Answer 3

I had a good friend of mine who was a RIO in an F14. He said it was a dog when they did exercises against the F16's. Not that he would have ever wanted to be grounded.