Originally Posted by
megan
Not really. Know a US Army Huey driver from Vietnam days ending up commanding a wing of Marine aircraft in Japan. Maybe not a regular occurrence.
One of my friends was a 'Dustoff' helo pilot in Vietnam but he had to go through a commissioning program (Aviation Officer Candidate School) and Navy flight training to get his Wings of Gold. Similarly, Blue Angel Randy Clark flew Loaches in Vietnam before going through AOCS and Navy flight training. Randy already owned a Pitts when he started at Saufley so that was an advantage.
Still, I think the transition from Naval Aviator to Air Force Pilot is unusual for folks on active duty even in these modern times.
Blue Angel Larry Packer went into the Air National Guard after leaving the Navy. They made him change his Navy callsign. It was Fudge.
Here is a partial list of the current requirements for U-2 pilot applicants:
---- CURRENT HIRING RESTRICTIONS ----
Opportunities for IST are extremely limited,
The Air Staff is not allowing any ANG or AFR pilots to come on active duty.
AFPC will not allow us to interview any fighter/bomber coded pilots for the time being.
---- FLYING REQUIREMENTS ----
Possess at least 1200 rated hours (Notes: RMQ-1/9 Reaper time may be used to partially satisfy minimum rated hours. Do Not include pilot training or civilian time)
- Or -
800 rated hours in trainer aircraft such as T-1, T-6, T-34, T-37, T-38, T-45, etc
- Or -
500 hours in fighters
- And -
Possess at least 500 hours in fixed wing, non-RPA, aircraft
- And -
Possess 12 months or 400 hours as pilot-in-command in primary mission aircraft
You must also have an SCI/SBI or the capability to obtain one.
U-2 Pilot Application > Beale Air Force Base > Display
I enjoyed this wise perspective from the FAQ:
I heard the U-2 may retire soon. How long will it be flying?
I heard the same thing 20 years ago. Right now the U-2 is funded through 2016, and could continue until 2025, or longer. The airframe will last until approximately 2050 at current utilization rates. While the original "Deuce" was designed in the 1950's, the modern U-2 is outfitted with state-of-the-art sensors and equipment, making it the most effective and least expensive tool for the job. There is plenty of time left for a very rewarding career in flying the U-2!