I like to pump you guys up, but I have to say that becoming a fighter pilot isn’t always about the glory.
If it was, we’d all be flying my beloved F/A-18 Hornet and no one would be building our roads, teaching the next generation of fighter pilots or any of the other fields.
Let me tell you… becoming a fighter pilot is not a once-a-week project. You have to see yourself with wings pinned to your uniform, and do everything in your power to get there.
You see what I mean. But it’s worth repeating: becoming a fighter pilot is not a once-a-week project. You have to see yourself with wings pinned to your uniform, and do everything in your power to get there.
Will other people tell you differently? Absolutely. A drill instructor’s job is to weed out people, and that will continue to happen when you get to flight school.
So you need to know yourself, and know that nothing will distract you from your objective.
Things may not come out the way that you expected them. You may have to consider switching services, or go into a flight program for a different jet than the one you built as a model when you were younger.
But if you want it, and you work your tail off, I guarantee you that you WILL be able to radio to your wingman, “Hey bud, we’re almost bingo [out of fuel], let’s RTB [return to base],” at the end of a successful mission.
I want to know from you guys here at the Afterburner Club: what was one of the toughest challenges you’ve had to overcome, and what did you do to get past it?
Richard Olds says
The toughest thing I’ve ever had to do, so far, was to get my private pilot license. In high school I never studied well, and I learned real quick that aviation is almost ALL studying. It was stressful, but it was something I wanted, so I did what it took to get there. And it also got me used to hard work and hours of studying, so now, as I work toward my degree, and becoming a military pilot, I get good grades, and I’m more accustomed to giving 100% all the time.
Life’s like riding a dirt bike- it can be a lot of fun, but you’ll get into ruts sometimes. When that happens, you just have to rev hard and get yourself out.
Adam says
I think the toughest challenges I have had to overcome is everything I have done in the past 2 years of working toward this goal of becoming a fighter pilot.
I truly got serious about this when I was 24yo, and I still had about 3 years of college left to complete. The only problem was the age cut-off for the Navy is 27, so I needed to get those 3 years done in less time. To add to the challenge, I am living alone and supporting myself 100%, so I also had to work full time. In the past 2 years, I have been working 40+ hours a week, comepleted over 150 hrs of community service, lost 30 lbs of body fat, maintained a GPA over 3.5, all while being enrolled in 18 hours a week of college, which is the max number of hours the University of Houston allows students to take.
People kept telling me I am setting myself up for failure, and that I could never pass my classes or keep my job; but I did. I graduated with honors last month and got an awesome recommendation from my boss. The same people tell me there’s no way I will be able to become a fighter pilot; should I believe them?
Things did get pretty tough at times. There were nights that I had big papers due the next morning, or a major exam, and I kept thinking to myself there is no way I will ever pass this class. My key to overcoming challenges is dedication. I know we hear the word “dedication” a lot and it sounds great, but to me it means devoting yourself 100% to your objective, making every single sacrifice neccessary to achieve it, and like Ed says, “never, ever, ever give up.”
Duke says
It is great that someone handles youngsters dreams about becoming a fighterpilot. But even thou have the best motivation, even you really want to be the best of the best, no problem to become a minister of death, if your spine is a ‘crap’, than you can f*ckyourself, right? 🙁
Kevin Reynolds says
The toughest challeng I have had to overcome is genral self disiplen and 100% comitment to my goals. I’ve found myself on the edge of fininshing pesonal progects, not being even a day away form completion and fallen shot. failing to fallow threw. I’m proud to say that threw determination and self inprovment i now follow threw with what i start and now look for harder and harder obsticles to overcome. Play video games on thier hardest leves avalible, and desine my air craft with extrem ideasand consepts, working-out is balenced in with studing… sometimes at the same time to stay awake. I think in the end i have become a person with swithch caritoristics; I’m searuse when need be and have fun when i can
John says
Self Discipline isn’t so hard when you do Martial Arts or learn how to learn and deal about your self more.