The real reason i want to join is so i can fly. I dont care about fight, as long as im in the air, hehe turn off radio and stuff, have some fun and freedom, but i forget about freedom as long as i get to fly the F-22 Raptor. Unfortunately, they plan to phase out planes that require humans and put in UAVS, such a pity. No more flying. I believe that flying is great. Im a wimp however, i dunno i want to go through all that stuff before i actually get to fly, and probably by the time i earn my wings, ill be flying supply carriers and helicopters. All the best roles been taken up by UAVs. Screw stealth for all i care, i want to experience the G forces and fly as well as any bird can. Im 16, i dont want to be a soldier, just an aviator...
2007-08-29 18:48:36 · 12 answers · asked by JN 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
You can't "join" the Air Force in the traditional enlistment sense and fly. Air Force enlisted fill support jobs that keep the pilots in the air. If you want to fly you need to start considering the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The following text was copied straight from the Air Force Academy website and addresses the requirement for eyesight:
Visual Acuity
Distant: correctable to 20/40 in one eye and 20/70 in the other, or 20/30 in one eye and 20/100 in the other, or 20/20 in one eye and 20/400 in the other.
Refractive Error
Farsightedness (hyperopia) no greater than +8.00 diopters and nearsightedness (myopia) no greater than -8.00 diopters spherical equivalent.
The link I have provided below is the actual Air Force Academy website.
2007-08-30 09:25:23 · answer #1 · answered by zengunner8 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Odds are if you join without 20/20 or better vision you'll never fly. They still should let you in, but in a support position of some kind. The training for the Air Force is about the easiest that there is. If you want to fly, I'd say save up some money, take some lessons at your local small airport, and see if you can't get your ultralight license and go from there. There are demilitarized fighters selling for less than $100,000 if you know the right places to look, and that might be just the ticket.
I was in the Army, and I was a combat engineer at Ft. Leonard Wood. While there we did run into some of the Air Force guys and girls in blue, and their training didn't seem to compare to what we were doing. Granted, it's still harder than most jobs out there.
2007-08-29 18:53:42 · answer #2 · answered by fishtrembleatmyname 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Air Force has the most opportunities for women of all the branches, and by far is the most safe. Unless you are on an air crew (pilot, etc.) you will most likely NOT be deployed to a forward location, but will either be stateside with an office job, or at a base far away from the action. (They have to guard those multi-million $$ planes, you know.) Like the other military branches, they have excellent benefits such as decent insurance coverage, tuition assistance, etc. The big thing I would tell you is that if your husband is active duty also and you have children, you really need to have a contingency plan in mind of who would care for them long term should you both end up deployed at the same time. They used to try to keep that from happening, but with the longer deployments and shortages, they can't promise that anymore. But you are right that the deployments in the USAF are shorter and less scary/safer. It is an excellent career if you are cut out for it--you need to be in good physical condition with a high fitness level, and willingness to comply with the rigid discipline of training and military life. Your husband should be able to help you know what to expect and get used to it. The other downside is the frequent moves--they generall expect active duty troops who are progressing up the career ladder to change duty stations about every 3 years. Hopefully if you are both in together, you would be able to put in for transfers at the same time when necessary, but it could get problematic if there weren't openings for both of you and one got transferred & the other didn't. One other option I guess would be for you to join the USAF Reserve. You would receive the same training and some of the same benefits, but you would only drill once per month on weekends and about 2 weeks during the summer (unless you get deployed.) Reservists move around a little less than active duty, but getting to stay in the same job at the same base is by no means guaranteed--they expect you to advance, and often that still means moving. Good luck whatever you decide!
2016-04-02 06:58:15 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Humans will never be replaced all the way it's not feasible due to errors in those drones it won't occur in our lifetime. Think about all the branches before you just pick one and stick to it if you wanna be a pilot no matter what you fly USAF is your best bet won't be Top-Gun(Navy^USMC) but you have a better chance of flying. Secondly your gonna have to get in gear in school you have ground hours of flight school and you need a degree although some recruiters may get you into the program like the army has one for helicopters they make you an officer without a degree a warrant but still an officer nonetheless. As for working your way thru as enlisted without any written guarantees it's a fool's choice statistically speaking. college is gonna be interesting for you your gonna need a degree in avionics etc... Which in turn mean tons of physics/mythical math which will help you get thru ground school. only thing is while your studying your gonna need to get Lasik surgery if you don't your not gonna be a pilot it's cheaper for them to hire someone that has good vision then correct them unless you have an amazing resume you might want to consider flying a Cessna now at least get your pilot license now join the C.A.P.(civil air patrol) get some schooling in and get amazing grades in math and sciences.
2007-08-29 20:08:23 · answer #4 · answered by @ndres 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can join the Air Force, but your chances of becoming a pilot are extremely slim. You need to have 20/20 vision.
And, if you don't want to be a soldier - don't even bother going to see a recruiter. Fly commercial planes for a living if you just want to be an aviator.
2007-08-29 20:14:46 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Here's the corrected vision standards for enlistment. Anything worse than this is disqualifying:
20/40 in the better eye, 20/70 in the other.
20/30 in the better eye, 20/100 in the other.
20/20 in the better eye, 20/400 in the other.
Refractiver error cannot exceed plus or minus 8.00 diopters (that's waiverable).
The standards for flight duty are much more stringent.
2007-08-29 18:58:17 · answer #6 · answered by desertviking_00 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The airforce does not need people, so your chances of getting in the be a pilot is almost none. (check with a recriuter, things seem to change every day). The navy and marines have the best pilots. the navy would be the best route to try. they also have guidelines on the severity of the nearsightedness, so if your eyes are really bad you should attempt to get the eye surgury done.
2007-08-30 03:26:06 · answer #7 · answered by corpsmanlove1! 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have to have perfect vision and not be colorblind to be a pilot. Remember, you have to be an officer, not enlisted, which means you have to graduate from college. Then you do flight school. This is a long-term commitment, and you can't be a cowboy out there, like Tom Cruise in Top Gun, you'll be on a tight leash. But ask yourself if it's worth the wait for ultimate bragging rights and an experience of a lifetime.
2007-08-29 18:58:57 · answer #8 · answered by carl b 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes contact the Air Force
2007-08-29 18:53:11 · answer #9 · answered by mikeinbidd 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, you cannot fly with nearsightness.
But as of may 2007, the Air Force does allow pilot candiates to have had PRK or Lasik eye surgery to correct their vision.
So take college prep courses in High School,
Major in Math, Physics or Engineering in college.
And give it your best shot.
2007-08-29 18:55:02 · answer #10 · answered by jeeper_peeper321 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋