The Marine Corps' multi-role fighter jet is equipped with the most advanced sensor suite of any fighter in history -- [plane engine roaring] and the most powerful engine of any jet in the world, which can reach a top speed of 1, miles per hour. Michael Watts: A lot of people just think you show up, fly, and then go home, have a beer, but it's not at all like that. Kuhn: Not only are you flying, but you're talking on four different radios.

You're working the radar, you're working the TFLIR, you're working the electrical optical system there while you're still navigating, talking to ATC, and then working weapons on top of that. This is a pilot's last stop before getting deployed to a fleet squadron overseas. And it's here they learn to handle the multi-role fighter jet in a variety of missions. Kuhn: We do strikes, so aerial interception. Diego Rayas: Once you complete here, they send you out to the fleet squadrons out in Yuma or Japan.

Narrator: Student pilots in the training squadron have already completed flight school, so training is focused specifically on operating the FB. Eventually, every fighter pilot that comes through the Marine Corps is going to go fly an F Watts: I'm Michael Watts. I'm a major in the Marine Corps.

My grandfather was a pilot in World War II, and I would always go to his house, see his models of his B bomber, and also my father was a Navy pilot in Vietnam. So I kind of grew up with it in my blood. Right here, we're just basically starting to learn how to fly the airplane, and then you go through all the different mission sets and basic skills. Narrator: Because there are only so many jets that can fly at a time, most of the pilots' instruction comes on the ground, in the simulator and in the classroom.

We weren't allowed to film some classified aspects of the pilots' instruction. But we were allowed to film the pilots practicing the aircraft's most unique capabilities and go behind the scenes as they suited up for a training mission. During training, it's crucial for the pilots to get comfortable executing the FB's STOVL maneuvers, because they'll have to master those techniques on an aircraft carrier. Rayas: Really, the main thing is when we fly off the ship.

So, when I get out to Japan here in a few weeks, I'll eventually be learning how to fly off the ship. How do we get on there? We do vertical landings. How do we take off? We do short takeoffs. And so that's really the big reason why we're doing it. This feature is a big reason why the Marine Corps' aviation plan called for replacing its current fleet of aircraft with more than FBs.

Narrator: Conventional jets need about 3, feet for takeoff. But in optimal conditions, an FB can take off in just a couple hundred feet. Rayas: For a takeoff, we get onto the runway, and then at that point is when we initiate a conversion. We literally just hit a button, and then the plane goes through its transformer sequence. There's different kinds of short takeoffs we can do. Marines must pass extensive character, medical, and physical testing in order to start training as a pilot. Regardless of the path that a Marine will take to earn their degree and enter into the Marines, pilot training starts at Officer Candidate School when aviators become commissioned officers.

After commissioning, aviators will go through a series of training squadrons that leads to assignment at a duty station in the US or abroad. Marine Corps Pilot Requirements ensure that only the most capable pass and work to support US interests around the world. Marine Aviation Outline. Marine Corps Height Requirements. Marine Corps Aviation Medical Requirements. Coast Guard Pilot Requirements. Your email address will not be published.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Author Recent Posts. Jeff E. Since exiting, Jeff has served as a non-profit manager in the area of foster care and adoption. Latest posts by Jeff E. Marine Pilot 4. Share on Facebook. Navy Pilot Requirements. Rosetta Stone Military Discount. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Loading Comments All in all, the Marines operate over 1, aircraft.

The US Coast Guard operates typically under the Department of Homeland Security and conducts law enforcement and maritime safety duties. Getting a pilot slot in any of the major armed services is statistically unlikely. Of course, some pilots will make the cut, but the process is more competitive than most people can imagine. Most slots are filled with graduates of the military service academies, like the Air Force Academy or Westpoint.

Just getting into those schools is competitive. There are other ways to get in, like the ROTC—but these are competitive and stressful avenues as well. The National Guard and Reserve forces operate differently, and they also need pilots.

These branches post their job openings online, and their hiring process is much more like a civilian job. The civilian path is made of pilots who trained from day one with their eyes on a civilian airline job. Their experiences and their logbooks are directly geared toward the end goal of getting an airline job. Civilian pilots nearly always spend several years working as flight instructors to build hours.

This job uniquely prepares pilots for the airline training environment and working conditions. Flight instructors are knowledgeable about civilian regulations and operating procedures. Most airlines love hiring good flight instructors. Several types of military pilots may be at a disadvantage thanks to the airline hiring process. These include single-screw fighter jet pilots and helicopter pilots.

But, on the other hand, fixed-wing military pilots often have more of the coveted turbine time logged than their civilian counterparts. In the end, job applications to the airlines are based on meeting the minimum qualifications.

That will include total flight time in the same category of aircraft and perhaps turbine experience. Related Article:.