So you wanna be a pilot?
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Transcript So you wanna be a pilot?
Rated Categorization
Updated: March 2010
What you need to know!
Air Force Flyers
Overview
Basic physical requirements
Technical vs. Non-Technical Major
Background
Order of Merit (how it’s calculated)
Encouraging Statistics
TBAS details
Final thoughts
Must Meet Physical Standards
Vision Standard is Primary Restriction
Acuity, 20/70 (20/400 nav) or better, correctible to 20/20
Normal color & depth perception
See SSgt Fickes to double check eligibility
Eye Surgery is an Option (LASIK or PRK)
-8.00 diopters or better pre-op is required
If eligible, you can apply for a slot…
scholarship & non-scholarship cadets,
with or without a technical degree
Notes on Eye Surgery
Recommended surgery date for four year cadets:
winter break sophomore year or immediately
after field training (5th years, see below)
4 year plan - Surgery performed NLT than Sep 1 of
your JUNIOR year
4.5 or 5 year plan – Surgery performed NLT than
Sep 1 of your SENIOR year
FYI – It can take up to four months of various
appointments until you are ready for surgery so
get started early!
Does Technical Major Help
Selection Chance?
To clarify, here are statistics from FY08
Rated slots awarded: 778
Tech 306 (39.3%)
Non-Tech 472 (60.7%)
Pilot only slots awarded: 525
Tech 222 (42.3%)
Non-Tech 303 (57.7%)
Bottom line: Major has no influence on selection
Pick a major that you’ll enjoy; excellence in all we do
academically will be easy if you like what you’re doing
Word of caution: Technical programs at VT are
outstanding and will require a fair amount of work
Background
Board Meets in late Feb/early Mar
Historically 800+ Cadets Earn Aviation Jobs
520+ Pilots
260+ CSOs (formerly Navigators)
60+ ABMs
Process
Be Medically/Physically Eligible
Volunteer
Compete by Order of Merit
…HQ sets a cut-off point and everyone above the
point gets picked
Quick Review of Order of Merit
(100 point maximum score)
RSS – Unit Commander Ranking – 50%
PFA – Self explanatory – 10%
GPA – Cumulative GPA – 15%
Field Training – 10%
PCSM – Pilot Candidate Selection Method – 15%
OM = (RSS * 5)+(PFT * 0.10)+(GPA *
3.75)+(F.T.)+(PCSM * 0.1516)
Review of Order of Merit
Relative Standing Score (RSS)
50%
of OM equation
Unit commander ranking:
Compared against those in AS class first, then against entire
fiscal year class for categorization purposes
Cadre meet after every semester to determine ranking
Cumulative GPA - 45%
Cumulative Military Performance Average (CMPA) – 40%
Includes meeting standards, volunteering, participation,
motivation, leadership (don’t need to be Regimental Commander)
Cumulative Fitness Performance Average (CFPA) – 15%
EVERY semester counts
Review of Order of Merit
RSS Continued
Calculation (not based on thirds)
[5*(1-R/C) + (.5/C)] + 5 where R is rank and C is
class size
Ex: You finish 12th in your class out of 50 cadets.
[5*(1-(12/50)) + (.5/50)] + 5 = 8.51
Plugging into OM: OM = (8.51 * 5)+(PFT *
0.10)+(GPA * 3.75)+(F.T.)+(PCSM * 0.15)
Review of Order of Merit
Physical Fitness Assessment
10%
of OM equation
Most recent PFA is the one entered
Spring PFA will occur after board
Also a factor in UCR
Plugging into OM: OM = (8.51 * 5)+(95 *
0.10)+(GPA * 3.75)+(F.T.)+(PCSM * 0.15)
Review of Order of Merit
Cumulative GPA
15%
of OM equation
Cumulative GPA from Freshman year till your
aviation application is submitted
Plugging into OM: OM = (8.51 * 5)+(95 *
0.10)+(3.4 * 3.75)+(F.T.)+(PCSM * 0.15)
Review of Order of Merit
10%
Field Training
of OM equation
Distinguished Graduate - 10
Superior Performer 9
Top Third 7
Middle Third 6
Bottom Third 5
Plugging into OM: OM = (8.51 * 5)+(95 *
0.10)+(3.4 * 3.75)+(7)+(PCSM * 0.15)
Review of Order of Merit
Pilot Candidate Selection Method
“PCSM”
15% of OM equation
3 parts for pilot candidates
AFOQT Scores
Mins - P:25 N:10 P+N:50 V:15 Q:10
Take Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS)
Hand-eye coordination test
Flying hours w/Certified Instructor help
Fly with CAP
A little helps …4 logged hrs adds 8 pts
Non-Pilot PCSM
TBAS
Not Necessary
Nav Section of AFOQT used for
CSO Candidates
Academic Aptitude Section Used
for ABM Candidates
Plugging into OM: OM = (8.51 * 5)+(95 *
0.10)+(3.4 * 3.75)+(7)+(85 * 0.15)
For a total of: 84.55 ! Is this good enough? See
next slide…
Encouraging Categorization
Factoids for Pilots
AFROTC FY 08
791 competed
503 selected - 64%
AFROTC FY 11
767 competed
491 selected - 64%
AVG OM 74.2
AVG GPA 3.27 – 2.85 Nav
AVG PFA 94.4 – 90.6 Nav
Encouraging Categorization
Factoids
(Cont.)
Det 875 Results
FY 06: 11 went for rated slot/12 selected (7 were pilot)
FY07: 11/13 (7 were pilot)
FY08: 18/21 (11 were pilot)
FY09: 10/12 (6 were pilot)
FY10: 19/19 (13 were pilot)
FY11: 11/16 (4 were pilot)
Pilot Order of Merit: High = 87.1; Low = 68.25
Nav: Low = 54.38
TBAS Details
• Can be taken twice with 6 months time between
tests (like the AFOQT). You’ll want to take it twice!
•Take at VMI During School Year
• Contact C/Noffsinger ASAP to Schedule if
categorizing this spring
•First test, spring SO year. Second test, fall JR year.
Or Spring JR/Fall SR if on 4.5 or 5 year plan
•How do you know when you categorize? Spring
Junior year if 4 years, Spring Senior year if 4.5 or 5
years.
Final Advice
•“You” Become the Expert
• If this is your dream…
…understand how to attain it
•Check various scores that make up your OM often to
make sure you are on the right track.
•Trust but verify information!!!
•Sources (links typed exactly as I have them will get you
there):
•“wantscheck.com” (go to ‘pilot slot resources’ tab
and click on ‘ROTC pilot slot’)
•“baseops.net/afrotc”
•“www.af.vt.edu”
Summary
Basic physical requirements
Technical vs. Non-Technical Major
Background
Order of Merit (how it’s calculated)
Encouraging Statistics
TBAS details
Final thoughts