Rycast

I just talked to her. She basically said she wouldn't let me apply for just pilot. She said the needs of the Air Force come first, and that if I were to tell her I would decline anything other than pilot, she would just not submit my package because it would look bad for the entire squadron. She also said my PCSM of 52 was the best she has seen from her June OTS applicants so far ... (seriously?) I get the whole "officer first" thing, but if other people have applied for only pilot, I don't see why I can't. There are only 2 flight instructors in my area, and both are hard to get in touch with. It's looking more and more like I'm headed to Embry Riddle, and ~$60k of debt, to prove to myself (and hopefully the military) that I really want to be a pilot. Although I guess you're not supposed to say that. I've tried to research whether or not OTS applicants (applying for active duty) can apply for just pilot, but I'm not coming up with much. This forum is the best place I've found for information like that.

Thanks for the replies. I'm relieved to know I should be able to apply for just pilot. I'll ask my recruiter about it. She might not be happy; it seems like she really wants me to apply for all 4 (and fast). I think I would definitely do better on the TBAS now that I know what to expect. I'll probably get the same joystick to train with, and brush up on my math. In the meantime, I'll get in as much flying as possible. If my recruiter will let me apply for only pilot in June, I'll probably move forward with it. Otherwise I'll wait until I can retake the TBAS. Roto, I should probably be giving the guard more thought. But unless I'm mistaken, isn't it more of a part-time job, like the reserves? I'm looking for more of a full-time career. I'd also like the opportunity to live outside my home state. If active duty doesn't work out, I will probably think more about the reserves or the guard.

Thanks for the reply. That changes things considerably. So you're saying if I got selected for RPA and declined, my Air Force pilot dreams are shot? I realize I could be a non-select or RPA-select regardless of whether I have a Private Pilot License, but I'd like to maximize my chances for pilot selection. To further complicate matters, I've been accepted at Embry-Riddle for a Master's in Aeronautics. I'm considering doing my flight training there (at great cost). They require a deposit by the beginning of next month. It's a 2 year program, which means I would hopefully graduate age 28 and still have a year before the Air Force age limit of 29. It might be close. If I apply to the Air Force now and get accepted for something other than a pilot slot (which I may decline), then I couldn't reapply after getting my master's. But if I do apply now and manage to get a slot, I could avoid the delay / extra costs. I could fly cheaper a local airport, but Embry-Riddle is tempting and might help my application.

Hey everyone, I recently took the TBAS and feel kinda bummed about my PCSM score of 52. My AFOQT scores are 82 (Pilot) / 72 (Nav) / 64 (Acad Apt) / 83 (Verbal) / 45 (Quant) I only have 1 flight hour, and if I were to get my PPL (41+ hours) my PCSM would go to 71. However, I knew after taking the TBAS that I didn't do great. I did well on the directional orientation and multi-tasking, except for the math. I feel that if I practiced with the same incredibly stiff joystick and got faster on simple math problems, I could improve my PCSM score by retaking the TBAS. However, I've been gearing up to apply for the active duty board in June 2016. I can't retake the TBAS before that. My recruiter is not turned off by my scores. My recruiter also told me I would have to list Pilot, Combat System Officer, Air Battle Manager, and Remotely Piloted Aircraft in order of choice on my application. I would rather just apply for pilot. Has anyone else had to apply for all 4? I'm wondering if applying with these scores will hurt my chance to get a pilot slot - or worse, get me an RPA slot. Obviously the "whole person concept" comes into play, but I don't have an abundance of extra-curricular activities to list in my application. I have a good GPA from Virginia Tech, 3.63 / 4.00 overall (3.77 in-major), but it's in English. I've worked a lot of computer jobs (including some employed by VT and some while self-employed), and I took computer programming classes. I feel that a Private Pilot License (and volunteering) would greatly enhance my application. There just isn't time to get a PPL before June. Should I wait and apply later? On a side note, I just turned 26. Obviously applying is the only way to know how things will go, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. Thanks in advance.

Interesting, thanks for the replies. Sparky: so the disgruntled people you mentioned that were at OTS were not selected as pilots, but had been selected for other jobs? Were you one of the 2 people with a PPL? I've been trying to find a reliable source for upcoming boards and dates (whether active duty or reserve / guard), but they seem to be hard to find. I guess a recruiter is the best source of this information? My recruiter seems to have gotten bored with me (he won't respond). In any case, I feel that I'm ready for the AFOQT, but maybe I'd be better off to get more hours in. Update: my (new) recruiter has informed me that I'm eligible for the flying board and that they will send out AFOQT invites later. She sent me a bunch of paperwork for my application package, along with a due date. I assume this is for an upcoming board? What happens if I miss the due date?

Hey HiFlyer, thanks for the reply. Glad to hear this might not be entirely accurate. I've attached the document in question (with references to the officer recruiter removed - not sure if that matters). The quoted paragraph is on page 6. Do you think it would be beneficial for me to take the AFOQT now, or wait until after I have my PPL? I'm wondering if taking the test will require me to complete my application immediately. OTS Info.doc

Hey everyone, I've been considering applying to OTS for a while now. I've been studying various AFOQT books, reading about things online, talking to pilots, etc. I contacted a recruiter, and he sent me some generic OTS documents. What really struck me was this: I haven't moved forward with the process, mainly because I don't have a Private Pilot's License. I only have an hour of flight time. I'd like to get my PPL before applying, but is it really necessary? I'm sure it would improve my chances, but I'm wondering how true the "1% chance" thing is. I realize this has been discussed somewhat in other topics, but I haven't seen anyone directly address how OTS is currently dealing with pilot hopefuls who do not have PPLs. Thanks in advance for any replies.