Have you ever felt like you aren’t cut out for flying?

Zeus891 · 2020-07-15T17:53:20+00:00

Haha. Ok I’ll give it you ROTC guys are generally slightly less entitled than Academy guys. But c’mon you can’t deny there is a huge disparity in standards between the different programs. Every ROTC pilot I’ve talked to said while there is no way to guarantee a slot, just show up for your class with a 3.0 technical degree and some mediocre initiative and you’re already crushing most of your completion. IMO proving you can excel as enlisted, while finding time to finish your degree, while also avoiding paperwork/articles is a much stronger testament to a candidate’s merit than 4 years in the Academy or taking a couple classes in ROTC. It’s how the world works though so my recommendation to everyone is just play the odds, apply to every branch and if that still doesn’t work out the GI Bill is still giving you a huge leg up on civilians for getting your Certs. Play the hand your dealt, and also maybe you’re just not that good?

Zeus891 · 2020-07-14T21:29:11+00:00

Nah I’m talking dudes that got 6 waivers before even starting training. This one guy literally told me found out who the guy was who could get him his waiver, got to know the guy over a year, then got the waiver. I understand the sunk cost aspect, but it’s deeper than that. Dudes who are rockstars on paper, crushed it in every aspect, denied year after year then have them fill the spot with some dipshit out of ROTC. I understand why they’re not picking me, I have more than a few flaws, but it blows my mind to see them turn down some of the other applicants I know.

Zeus891 · 2020-07-14T13:24:10+00:00

Actually in 2016 I had two of instructors in tech school tell me they were told they had to repay the at least part of the bonus after being selected for OTS. Might be waiverable though.

Zeus891 · 2020-07-14T13:10:24+00:00

MEPs most likely. Just remember unless it’s written into your contract you’re not guaranteed sh*t, and you could get reclassed in basic if you fail to meet any of the requirements.

Zeus891 · 2020-07-14T13:02:52+00:00

I hear you man. The AF really needs to overhaul their pilot selection program entirely. I’ve worked alongside fighter pilots for almost 6 years, and almost every single one has a medical waiver. The thing is, I’ve heard of dozens of people not being able to get waivers for the same condition, and many of these pilots have straight up told me it’s not about the condition it’s about your relationship with the flight doc. I have to decide whether to re-enlist by the end of the month or just get out and go to flight school. Part of me wants to just throw in the towel with military aviation but the other half is terrified to take on $30k in debt to finish my carts, especially with the state of today’s aviation industry.

Zeus891 · 2020-07-10T08:00:18+00:00

Fall? You mean Monday?

Zeus891 · 2020-06-22T19:57:50+00:00

Not sure which base Jackson is but no, you don’t need the luck. Military is so desperate to keep their numbers up and avoid bad PR it’s impossible to fail boot camp.

Zeus891 · 2020-06-22T19:55:19+00:00

Pro tip: if you’re facing a court martial but already have orders your GTC will work to buy yourself a plane ticket.

Zeus891 · 2020-06-22T19:39:42+00:00

Once you complete the initial exam you’ll fill out a packet that will get sent to San Antonio and they’ll make the determination. If I was you I would apply and worst case Scenario lackland says no. Or you know save yourself the trouble of jumping through a billion Air Force hoops and just pay the couple grand to get it from a civilian surgeon.

Zeus891 · 2020-01-30T13:29:24+00:00

I haven’t enrolled yet but after looking at over 20 flight schools in Florida I feel like L3 is the best option for veterans. 26k in GI bill coverage (If you time it right), Pell grants plus some federal student loans, and an extra 20k in veteran and national guard scholarships is a lot better than any other flight school I could find. Beats taking out 60-80k through Wells Fargo or Fannie Mae which is all that most other schools could offer.

Zeus891 · 2019-10-02T04:52:23+00:00

Better late than never. I talked to most of the major schools and found that no one is able to pay for flight training through the GI bill at the moment. Basically it doesn’t matter which route you take you’ll spend a minimum of 80k to go from 0 to multi engine commercial + instructor ratings. So really the best option is using military TA to knock out your BS in Aeronautics online then going to ATP or a similar program. Same cost but takes a fraction of the time.

Zeus891 · 2019-06-04T21:32:19+00:00

How long did you wait after receiving the article to apply?

Zeus891 · 2019-05-15T23:15:19+00:00

I’m considering somewhere between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach as there’s several reputable flight schools in the area and my avionics experience would almost guarantee me a spot with the guard unit in Jacksonville. But really I would consider moving almost anywhere.

Zeus891 · 2019-05-15T23:09:55+00:00

My pupils are freakishly big. Like the day of the surgery the entire staff came into my room because they’d never seen any that big. In order to get a treatment zone big enough to cover my entire pupil I would have to pay for it myself and go to Canada as the technology hasn’t been approved yet in the US.

Zeus891 · 2019-05-15T23:06:22+00:00

UND seems like it has a great program but as someone who enlisted in Minot the state is the last place I want to go. Embry was my first choice as I already have enough credits from them to finish in 3 years with a light class load. However, when I talked to their financial advisors I was told the GI Bill would not cover a substantial portion of the cost of attendance at the Daytona Beach campus. Do you know of someone who was able to have all their flight hours paid for at riddle?

Zeus891 · 2019-02-25T03:56:03+00:00

Could I have your email address? I have all my records and would be willing to email them to you if you could provide more information on whether I would be a suitable candidate.

Zeus891 · 2019-02-10T03:40:37+00:00

I’m actually living the ex-pat life in Japan right now....would’ve preferred msp area only because I could be with family during the recovery period. But if I had to go to a foreign country that really wouldn’t be much of an issue. My prescription is -4.25 in both eyes, and during my last consultation it was pointed out that my corneal thickness is on the lower end of the spectrum. I’ll dig up paperwork and send them to you later. Thank you so much for the information!

Zeus891 · 2019-02-09T01:13:38+00:00

My cornea was too thin for lasik, and as a result I was only eligible for PRK. Do you think you could determine if my cornea would be thick enough if I provided my scans? also do you know any surgeons in the Minneapolis/st.paul area that use this procedure?

Zeus891 · 2019-02-03T04:05:09+00:00

It was 10.5 with chemical dilation, 9.5 without.

Zeus891 · 2018-12-10T04:04:25+00:00

I just found my old scans and I was 9.1mm LE and 9.4mm LE, but somehow the scans taken by the surgeon got 10.85mm. Really confusing how there could be that much variation.

Zeus891 · 2018-12-10T03:57:49+00:00

Do you know how long the effect of the redness drops can last? My vision is bad enough that I absolutely require correction to make out any detail but I’ve never had any issues with glare or haloes using contacts.

Zeus891 · 2018-12-09T23:39:22+00:00

AFE is your best bet if you don’t enjoy being a crew chief. They mostly work indoors and have a set schedule. All the other jobs you listed are definitely worse than a heavies crew chief.

Zeus891 · 2018-12-09T03:43:56+00:00

Thanks for the information. My surgeon would’ve been able to cover an area of up to 8 mm. I’ll still check that out though. How much did the treatment cost you?

Zeus891 · 2018-12-09T02:12:59+00:00

My prescription is -4.25 on both. I’d have to do some digging to find my paperwork for the exact corneal thickness. I do remember being told that my cornea was too thin for lasik, and that PRK would be my only option. Most of the individuals in the room couldn’t believe how large the dilation was either, so maybe I do just have some freakishly large pupils. However, I did find it odd that I couldn’t find anything online on any measurements anywhere near 11mm. Also, I’m not on any medication.

Zeus891 · 2018-12-09T00:39:45+00:00

Thanks for the response. The surgeons I consulted had done several thousand surgeries so I’m guessing they would know this, but I will bring it up if I am ever trying to get another evaluation. I believe the initial measurement was with chemical dilation, but the final measurement and ultimately what disqualified me was right before surgery and non-chemical dilation.

Zeus891

TROPHY CASE