Interested in becoming a pilot in the United States Marine Corps - Step inside.

[FLYIN]

​

The history of Marine Corps aviation goes back to the first part of the 20th century right there with the birth of aviation. Just as everything in the Marine Corps it has its traditions and has always been on the cutting edge of finding new and innovative ways to use new found technologies. Marines were at the fore front of how to use aircraft in an observation role and mostly how to use aircraft to provide close air support to maneuvering ground forces. When the helicopter came into being in the 1940's, the Marine Corps was right there to develop tactics and come up with ways to effectively use it to become a force multiplier on the battlefield.

​

Becoming a Marine Aviator is no easy task. It is not for everyone. It is extremely challenging and continues to be so at every stage in your career. There are many steps to take and many fall short of the mark. It requires a great deal of commitment and there has to be no doubt in your mind that is what you want to do. On the flip side if you do in fact accomplish your goal, there is no job more rewarding and what you will have accomplished will be second to none. First and foremost, you must become a Marine. You must become a leader of Marines. Then become a pilot. And I am not just talking pilot someone who flys an aircraft. The flying although obviosly the most important part it is not just burning holes in the sky and sight seeing. It is to learn how to tactically employ your aircraft as a weapon and support the Marine Riflemen on the ground and their scheme of manuever. You will become an integral part of the Marine Corps Air Ground task force. There are 6 functions of Marine Corps Aviation. Assault Support, Anti-Aircraft Warfare, Offensive Air Support, Electronic Warfare, Control of Aircraft and missles, and Aerial Reconnaissance. Through the use of these 6 functions the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) helps the Ground Combat Element (GCE) accomplish the Marine Corps mission.

 

[FLYIN]

The first step in becoming a Marine Aviator is to become a MARINE OFFICER. There are a few ways to accomplish this. This involves getting a college degree from an accredited university. There is no specific major that is necessary although certain majors (i.e. engineering degree) may be necessary at a later time in your career if you have aspirations of things such as Test Pilot School. One way to becoming a Marine Officer is attending the United States Naval Academy. You may also enroll into a University that has a Naval ROTC program. Or you may attend any university and attend Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Quantico, Virginia. There is no choice that is better than any of the others it just all depends on which method works best for you. Academy graduates do not go to OCS in Quantico. Naval ROTC cadets do attend a 6 week course at Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA. If you choose to just do the OCS portion and go to any college that may not offer a ROTC program there are 3 ways to do this. The first method is called Platoon Leaders Course (PLC). If you are a college Freshman or Sophomore you attend a 6 week period of instruction at OCS. Then you return to college and after your junior or senior year you go back for a second 6 week period of instruction. If you are already in college and decide around your junior year being a Marine Officer is what it is you want to do then you will go to a PLC combined course which is 10 weeks. Finally if you already possess a college degree and wish to become a Marine Officer you will go to what is called Officer Candidate Class (OCC) which is 10 weeks. Basically after graduation from the Naval Academy you will be commisioned as a 2nd Lt, after graduation from college if you are a Naval ROTC grad or PLC grad you will be commisioned as a 2nd Lt, or if you attend OCC you receive your comission at the completion of OCS.

One thing I needed to mention prior to going to OCS. It is best to get in touch with an Officer Selection Officer (OSO) at a recruiting station. If your local area does not have an OSO, your local area will be able to get in touch with one. The OSO is a recruiter, but specializes in recruiting officers. They should be able to get you all the info and prep you to attend OCS. Key items to be completed prior to going to OCS is your flight physical to make sure you are physically qualified and to take the Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB). You must score the required score that demonstrates that you have an apptitude for flying. There are study guides to help you with that. Once you have all that together then you submit your package (not your ****) to Headquarters Marine Corps. If selected then you will go to OCS with a shot at flight school. Otherwise you go to OCS with a ground contract, but can still attain an air contract later on following OCS. Ill cover that process in a few.

 

[FLYIN]

So say everything went well you attended OCS and graduated or attended the Naval Academy (selected Marine option) and graduated and are a newly comissioned 2nd Lt, you now head to The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, Virgina. This is where all 2nd Lts go to learn how to be leaders of Marines in the Marine Corps. At OCS they screened you for leadership potential, TBS is where they begin to fine tune this. It is very infantry minded here since that is the basis for what everything you will ever do in the Marine Corps is support the Marine Rifleman. So for 6 months of instruction you will learn what it is like to be one. Their emphasis is to train you as a rifle platoon commander. You will cover a broad spectrum of subjects and will be introduced to almost every possible job you may have as a Marine Officer. Looking back now it is an awesome course and the training received there is top notch. Of course that is looking back, I have to admit while doing it, it was pretty miserable at times. Everyone at TBS is evaluated based on academics, leadership, and basic combat skills (i.e. rifle and pistol range, land navigation). The Marines that are ground contracts will get their follow on MOS out of TBS. It is based by what you want, how you did, and what is available (needs of the Marine Corps). Get used to that because that is the theme throughout the various stages of training you will go through. If you are an air contract prior to going to OCS or Academy that is what your follow on MOS will be (7599-student naval aviator) so there is no competing with the ground contracts. If you are a ground contract and desire to become an air contract there are usually a few spots left over, but you must compete with the rest of the ground contracts and you still must meet the original requirements previously stated (physical and ASTB score). Not the ideal way to get into flight school and a little risky if being a pilot is what you want to do. If your a total bad ass and always finish first in everything you do then you will be all but guarenteed to get what you want, but believe me it is highly competitive.

 

[FLYIN]

Alright the next step is post TBS. So you are done and now you move on down to NAS (Naval Air Station) Pensacola, Fl for API. Aviation Preflight Indoctrination. Marines go through Naval flight school. So your classmates will not just be Marines. There will be Navy, Coast Guard, some Air Force and some allied foreign countries. During your check into and prior to classing up for API you will receive another more indepth flight physical to insure that you are medically qualified for flight duty. API consists of a 6 week course. 4 weeks of Academics, water survival, and 2 weeks of practical application of water survival, basic survival, para sailing. The 4 weeks of academics is a big fire hose in basics of Aerodynamics, Aircraft Engines, Weather, Navigation, and Flight Rules and Regulations. About 2 tests per week. Basically is weeding out process to see if you are able to take in a great deal of information in a short period of time, since that is pretty much what flight school will be like. All tests minimum passing score is 80%. Failing an exam will be a quick way to get attrited from flight school, so you can be one of those guys that has stories of how they were going to be a pilot, but.....blah....blah...blah. I meet alot of those guys. Basically at API is where the clock starts as far as your flying career. You can be attrited from flight school before you even get anywhere near an airplane. On the flip side this is also where the grading process starts for your overall flight grades for graduation. There is a score that sums up how you did at flight school. It is called the Naval Standard Score referred to as NSS. This score will be used to determine your performance and ultimately how you select or are selected to fly which follow on aircraft. Can't remember the specific range of scoring but if I remember it is typically between a score of 30 (low) to 70 (High). The score is based on past classes going through flight school as well as those currently going through. It is a standard deviation based on the group as a wholes average. How they come up with it is actually Pure ****ing Magic if you ask me. To sum it up though you start being evaluated at API. Then the fun part starts after that.

From API, Marine students will go to follow on primary training. Everyone begins training in a fixed wing platform. You can go one of three places. Stay local to the Pensacola, Fl area at Whiting Field in Milton Florida, go out to NAS Corpus Christie, TX, or a few folks can go out to Enid, Ok and do their primary training with the Air Force at Vance Air Force Base. Whiting and Corpus you will fly the T-34 Turbo Mentor. If you venture out to Vance AFB you will fly the T-6 Texan.

T-34 Turbo Mentor

T-6 Texan

The T-34's eventually will go away as the Navy is supposed to be transitioning to T-6s. It has just been a slow process. The T-6 is a much newer aircraft and has all new avionics, GPS, glass cockpit.

This is where it all starts though. You can expect to get around 100 flight hours in primary and training to take anywhere from 6 months to as much as 1 year. Biggest factors to how long it takes may be aircraft availability and weather. The Corpus guys tend to take a little longer than the Whiting guys because of weather. The ones who go and train with the Air Force at Vance get done quick in as little as 5 months. Primary flight training consists of Academics Tests, Simulators, Briefings (Oral quiz ****ing) and obviously flight events. You basically learn the basics of being a pilot. Everything done here determines which pipeline you will follow. Whether you go on to the strike pipeline (F-18s, AV-8, EA-6), maritime (C-130), Tiltrotor (V-22), or Helos (AH-1, UH-1, CH-46, CH-53). The minimum NSS to beconsidered for jet (strike) pipeline is 50. The majority of flight school student coming out of primary will fall below that. Somewhere in the upper 40s. Basically though once complete with primary you will put down your wish list. Jets, Maritime, Tilt, or Helo. Based on how you did (your NSS), what you want and what is available at your selection time. From there you move onto Advanced Training.

Strike (Jets) pipeline will take place at one of two places. Kingsville, TX or Meridian, Mississippi. You will go through training in the T-45 Goshawk. This stage of training will be much like primary (Academics, Sim, Flight, quiz ****ing). Around 130 hours and should take 6-10 months depending. Toward the end of training you will go to get carrier qualified, and do some tactical training and basic instruction on Air Combat Manuevering and Weapons Delivery prior to graduation.
T-45

Maritime (C-130 types) will train at Corpus Christi. Same type of training as previosuly stated minus carrier quals, and Weapons delivery. Basically getting rated in a multiengine aircraft. Same time frame, maybe a little shorter than the Jet traing. Call it 6-8 months. There you will fly the T-44. Its basically a king air.

Helicopters will do their advanced training at NAS Whiting Field in Florida. Same time frame around 100-130 hours of instruction 6-8 months to complete. You will train in the TH-57 Sea Ranger. It is basically a jet ranger.

Finally if you choose Tilt Rotors (V-22 Osprey pilots) you will go through a revised syllabus of both the Maritime and Helo pipeline. If you went to primary at Whiting Field expect to do your helo training first then follow on to Maritime in Corpus. If you were Corpus or Vance expect to do T-44 (Maritime) training first then follow on to helos at Whiting.

So regardless of which pipeline you have selected the fun part is next. Earning your Wings of Gold and choosing your follow on and future fleet aircraft. This is based on the same criteria. How you did in relation to your peers (i.e graduated first, second, last in your class), what you want, and what is available. Best part though is when complete you have achieved something many will never have the opportunity to do. Time for some pics, showing which aircraft the Marine Corps has to offer.

 

[FLYIN]

(Jet) Strike Pipeline choices.
F/A-18 Hornet

AV-8B Harrier

E/A-6B Prowler

F-35 Lightning II JSF VSTOL variant. Not operational yet but its coming in the next few years. To replace Hornets and Harriers.

Maritime
KC-130

TiltRotor
V-22 Osprey

 

[FLYIN]

Saved the best for last.
Helicopters.

AH-1W Cobra

UH-1N/Y Huey

CH-46E Phrog, currently being phased out by the V-22 Osprey.

CH-53 D/E Sea Stallion (Big Iron)

 

[THE_STIG]

I don't know what its been told
Air Force Wings are made of gold

I don't know what its been said
Navy wings are made of lead.


(Marines just don't fit that little jingle but it still applies)

Just kidding, we love marine and navy pilots, makes our air force pilots look better :beer:

 

[FLYIN]

I don't know what its been told
Air Force Wings are made of gold

I don't know what its been said
Navy wings are made of lead.


(Marines just don't fit that little jingle but it still applies)

Just kidding, we love marine and navy pilots, makes our air force pilots look better :beer:

Last I checked my wings were gold. And Marine Aviators are actually Naval Aviators.

 

[THE_STIG]

Last I checked my wings were gold. And Marine Aviators are actually Naval Aviators.

Hey I have alot of respect for pilots, I just fix the planes I could never fly em. Just a little sister branch joking.

 

[FLYIN]

Hey I have alot of respect for pilots, I just fix the planes I could never fly em. Just a little sister branch joking.

Oh no problem at all, but I am just stating that Navy wings are not made of lead as you say. It is Air Force wings that are made of lead. I can "Break it down Barney style" and post pics to show the difference of you want.:lol1:

 

[THE_STIG]

Oh no problem at all, but I am just stating that Navy wings are not made of lead as you say. It is Air Force wings that are made of lead. I can break it down Barney style and post pics to show the difference of you want.:lol1:

:lol: I'll take your word for it.

What do you operate? Helos?

 

[FLYIN]

:lol: I'll take your word for it.

What do you operate? Helos?

Yes a rotor head. See sig.

 

[Midnight_Cobra]

Yes a rotor head. See sig.

What aircraft do you fly? Didn't your unit just get a UH1Y. Thought I saw one over there across the line.

 

[nofire]

Lol, I always hated when a butterbar/silverbar went out flying. I ALWAYS had something to fix when they landed. Of course they got better over time, but it was always a steep learning curve with the new pilots.

 

[ff500]

I don't know much about the Marines, but I can add that my sister inlaws brother was a pilot for one of the air force one helicopters while Clinton was President.

 

[FordSVTFan]

My good friend is the Commander of MAG41.

 

[elcobrita]

I don't know much about the Marines, but I can add that my sister inlaws brother was a pilot for one of the air force one helicopters while Clinton was President.

well my wife's brother's girlfriend's dads neighbor's daughter knows shoshana johnson

 

[carrrnuttt]

I don't know much about the Marines, but I can add that my sister inlaws brother was a pilot for one of the air force one helicopters while Clinton was President.

Wouldn't that be your brother in law???

 

[FLYIN]

Synopsis.

1) Talk to a recruiter specifically an OSO (Officer Selection Officer). Either have a college degree or work toward one.

2) Once you have a college degree be comissioned as an Officer.

3) Go to The Basic School as a 2nd LT.

4) Go to API (Aviation Preflight Indoctrination)

5) Primary flight training, select which pipeline (i.e. Jets, Helos, Tilt, C-130)

6) Advanced Flight Training

7) Graduate get wings, select fleet aircraft.

 

[Yellow98SVT]

Great info for any perspectives. Father was a 46 pilot for 30+ years...Cunningham award winner in 1970. Much respect for the Marine Corps and aviators