I was talking to an Army recruiter and I really want to fly helicopters in the Army, however my GPA is only 2.4 so he said High School to Flight School is all but out of the question. He told me to join the Army as a Black Hawk crew chief, which would allow me to work with helicopters, test fly them and be the door-gunner on missions. He told me that while enlisted I should take college classes and that after three to four years of being a crew chief I could apply for WOCS which with recommendations from commanding officers and blackhawk pilots I could most likely become a pilot. What I want to know is does this sound accurate, and is it possible to be a blackhawk crew chief out of high school? I scored an 86 on my ASVAB and after a few math review courses and mechanic lessons it will be in the mid-90s. What I want to know is if this sounds like a believable plan.
Having personally done everything you are talking about doing, I could not agree more with Autorotate. Don't enlist as a 15T just to improve your chances of being a pilot unless you really want to turn wrenches. Make sure it's something you could be happy doing if door number 2 never opens.
Well I've always kind of been interested in mechanics, and I think that working on blackhawks would be really fun. I plan to spend as much time as I can in the military, so if I can be a pilot after 4 years or so of doing this I'd be happy. If what he said about getting to test fly the black hawks is true then that would be amazing. The only other MOS that really interests me is infantry and with my dad in Iraq my mom hates the idea of that.
Let me clarify young Padawan. Their is no guarantee that you will get to be a pilot. I had 14 years experience fixing helicopters, over 800 hours of flight time, and still had to apply 5 times to get in. You could get picked in 1 year or 10, who knows.
That being said, 15T is a great job. Search "15T" on this thread to learn more about it. Test flights consist of you doing the same thing you always do as a crewchief with the addition of adjusting pitch control rods every few minutes, hooking up cables, adding weight to the bifilar, etc. Sounds cooler than it is. It ain't "amazing" but it is a great way to learn.
Just make sure 15T is what you want even if you don't get in to flight school It is not a certain path to becoming a Warrant Officer although it is a good way to learn about aviation and a great way to make a living!
Thanks everyone for all of your help. It's really helped me, I think that this is going to be what I do in the Army. Just one more thing what is something I could do in the civilian world similar in any way to what I'd do there. Like the technical part, I've never worked on anything mechanical before. I haven't even changed my own oil, so while I'm sure school would teach me everything I need, I want to know if I would like this job if it become permanent.
I've decided to ask my recruiter if I could go see what a 15t does. I'm not sure if there's any blackhawks in pensacola but hopefully I can see what it's all about first. And what exactly does a crew chief do? What is the different between being a crew chief and being a regular 15t?
You are 1 and a half hours from flight school at Fort Rucker, why not come up here and see for yourself? Read all the posts about 15T. Do some research as well on this forum. All your questions will be answered.
I enlisted as a 15T and was picked up for flight school with just over 2 years TiS. If you want to know more about a day in the life of a UH60 mechanic or a crewchief feel free to message me.
An alternative plan for you could be talking to a National Guard recruiter, to go directly to flight school.
I tried to respond to your message but this site is being uncooperative.
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When you first start as a 15T you will be assigned either to a AVUM level maintenance company or an AVIM level company. AVUM means you will troubleshoot and replace components on active aircraft and perform phase level maintenance.
If you are assigned to AVIM you will repair COMPONENTS ie: hydraulic pumps, generators, etc while not actually working on an aircraft (except maybe during a reset), I have never been in AVIM.
While in the AVUM unit you have the oppurtunity to go to the flight company. Every unit does this differently but as a rule if you work hard and know your sh|t you will go to the flight company. At the flight company you will fly everyday, and perform inspections (daily and hourly), lots of troubleshooting, and when you have time you will replace components.
As you move up in rank (E4, E5, E6 etc) you will receive more responsibilities, like being a squad leader, a phase team leader, technical inspector, production control NCO and more.
Crewing is a demanding, yet extremely kick @$$ job, and beats the crap out of refueling, kicking in doors, or sitting at a desk with no chance of getting an LOR from a CW4 aviator.
If you really want to fly, and this becomes your best option, don't hesitate to take the opportunity.
Do something your gonna enjoy. If your not good at your job your never gonna like the Army and your not gonna hve an easy time getting put up for WOFT. That being said, for every crewchief, there is 3 guys/gals who other MOSes. So its not a fast ticket to WOFT.
Originally posted by johvan: I tried to respond to your message but this site is being uncooperative.
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When you first start as a 15T you will be assigned either to a AVUM level maintenance company or an AVIM level company. AVUM means you will troubleshoot and replace components on active aircraft and perform phase level maintenance.
If you are assigned to AVIM you will repair COMPONENTS ie: hydraulic pumps, generators, etc while not actually working on an aircraft (except maybe during a reset), I have never been in AVIM.
While in the AVUM unit you have the oppurtunity to go to the flight company. Every unit does this differently but as a rule if you work hard and know your sh|t you will go to the flight company. At the flight company you will fly everyday, and perform inspections (daily and hourly), lots of troubleshooting, and when you have time you will replace components.
As you move up in rank (E4, E5, E6 etc) you will receive more responsibilities, like being a squad leader, a phase team leader, technical inspector, production control NCO and more.
Crewing is a demanding, yet extremely kick @$$ job, and beats the crap out of refueling, kicking in doors, or sitting at a desk with no chance of getting an LOR from a CW4 aviator.
If you really want to fly, and this becomes your best option, don't hesitate to take the opportunity.
Johvan is right; crewing is Extremely demanding, but a Kiss A$$ job. Johvan is probably the best Crew Dog I've ever worked with and now pilot. His advice is invaluable!!!
Thank you, I just read all of the chatter on this thread and it was very helpful. I am thinking of enlisting with the MOS 15T. If I am planning on trying to get into WOFT, do you have any tips on how to go about getting there?
I need help. I'm pretty much in the samer boat as this guy and I wanted to became a crewcheif untill I become eligilbe for WOFT. The information I'm geting though is conflicting, all the information I read on here says you need to enlist as a blackhawk mechanic first, and then you may get invited to a flight company, the other day when I was talking to my recruiter, and told him what I found out he said that wasen't true, he said he knows peopel who have enlisted strait in as a crew chief, and thatb he also knows a machinist who became one. My recruiter has no reason to lie to me, I diden't have any problem with going in as a mechanic first. Whats the deal?
H-60 Blackhawk and H-47 Chinook crew chiefs are mechanics. The mechanic proves their worth in a company for a period of time, then the mechanic can become a crew chief. A crew chief is like a crew engineer. They do some of the leg work for the two pilots while in the helicopter. Apache and Kiowa mechanics don't get to fly because there is no spot for them inside the aircraft. Only the larger acft have enlisted crew members, such as mechanics, who build their career to become a crew chief. A very good route to becoming a flight Warrant is to have been a mechanic and flying crew chief. That is by no means the only way though. Believe the recruiter and end up flipping pancakes.
A 15T is a UH-60 mechanic. A 15T can also be a crewchief (flies). There is no "track straight to a flight company" program. Generally there are three options for 15Ts coming out of AIT: 1) go to the battalion's maintenance company, 2) go to the intermediate maintenance company (higher level of maintenance), and 3) go to a flight company (mechanic and crewchief) . YOU DO NOT GET TO CHOOSE as private snuffy from AIT. There is also no "enlist for a flight slot". The Battalion (for the most part) decides where you go depending on what needs filling.
The way that most units work (or try to) is that young 15Ts first work in the maintenance platoon at the maintenance company to become grounded (meaning adequate or good) in maintenance. The 15Ts that show promise (not all want to fly--and not all do), are moved to a flight company when a slot opens. This is generally handled by the battalion command sergeant major (CSM) and the company first sergeants working together.
Now, the above is what normally occurs (this is technique only and not set in stone). That being said, my current unit has had several AIT to flight company assignments. Luck of the draw.
All of this is great advice, just one question though. Have you examined the high school to flight school program? There is no shame in trying and getting turned down. If you get turned down then you can always enlist. If your goal is to get to flight school then try for that first.
