AKav8r,

My advice to you would be to investigate AFROTC. While there is no
guaranty of a jet slot by attending ROTC, you stand a far greater chance
of being selected for pilot training than if you apply to OTS. There
are two year programs and scholarships available that you can pursue as
a graduate student. A masters degree is always a plus for promotions at
the Lt Col and above stages of your career, even if the current COS says
that is no longer the case.

The age and vision aren't an issue as the current requirements are 29.5
at application, 30 by entry to SUPT, and 20/70 correctable to 20/20.
Your CFI and more important the total flight time you have make you more
competitive to be selected for SUPT.

Getting jets versus a C-130 is a function of how well you do in
training. Again previous experience in the air gives you a leg up on
the competition. But don't automatically knock the 130's because
they're slow and have props. They do some pretty dangerous stuff making
air assaults under enemy fire, or stuff like landing in an open field in
Afghanistan under enemy fire to resupply spec ops types. Definitely
more exciting than flying a C-5 or a tanker.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions. FWIW I'm a maintenance
officer who did the 2 year ROTC program as a grad student and currently
have an application in for flight training. I've been through a lot of
the process OTS, AFROTC and active duty so I have no problem sharing
what I picked up along the way.

Cheers,
Michael Kelly, Bone Maintainer

AKav8r wrote:

I'm a CFI and am looking at going into the AF to fly. What are my
chances of getting a jet as opposed to the good old C-130? I'm
wondering because I am going into this at a relatively older age than
most of the jet guys do. I've heard also if you don't have vision of
20/20 or close too it you will most likely end up with a prop plane.
Any truth to this? Of course this isn't official policy that I can
see, but these are the rumors I'm hearing.

-24 years old
-20/50 vision, correctable to 20/20
-white (1st thing recruiter asked if I was Hispanic or
non-Hispanic...)
-male

Thanks!