Pilot aircraft selection process?

[svtfocus2cobra]

Came across this video and I'm wondering if this is the process? I could believe it for F15s, F16, F18s, transporters, etc, but I thought B2s, F22s, and alike require rank and a selection process? Someone educate me.

Also, I did a quick search and some of the things I saw indicated that the process, in the past at least, wasn't far off of this. Pilots were saying they were ranked in their class from first to last and top of class got to pick first from the list of available assignments which varied widely from all kinds of aviation groups, and some even said there were expirimental aircraft that could be selected, but that was during the Vietnam war.

 

[ViperRed91GT]

Typically goes by OML (order of merit list), which derives from all sorts of things. Academic tests, PT tests and checkride scores are the big ones. Caveats are the guard/reserve guys that get sent to flight school already know what they’re flying, and don’t get a choice regardless of place in OML.

 

[svtfocus2cobra]

Typically goes by OML (order of merit list), which derives from all sorts of things. Academic tests, PT tests and checkride scores are the big ones. Caveats are the guard/reserve guys that get sent to flight school already know what they’re flying, and don’t get a choice regardless of place in OML.

Even for the B2 and other special aircraft like that? Or maybe I just think the B2 is more special than it really is now. To me the B2 and SR71 and the other stealth aircraft were sort of on another level than the fighter jets because they are the newest and greatest. The selection wasn't like that for the Blackbird was it?

 

[01yellercobra]

For the SR71 it was a completely different selection process. One of the speakers I've watched said it was a 2 or 3 day ordeal. And that was after they selected you from the package that was sent in. The B2 might be the same way as they probably want people with some flight experience under their belts.

As Viper said, the other platforms depend on where you end up in class. A long time ago I ran into a pilot (at a Discount Tire of all places) and I asked him about it as I was trying to change career paths. He said it goes by class rank. But if you make it known what you want to fly that will help too. He wanted H-60's and that's what he got.

This is just my thoughts.

 

[ViperRed91GT]

Even for the B2 and other special aircraft like that? Or maybe I just think the B2 is more special than it really is now. To me the B2 and SR71 and the other stealth aircraft were sort of on another level than the fighter jets because they are the newest and greatest. The selection wasn't like that for the Blackbird was it?

B2, U2, etc are typically promoted out of the other tracks (bomber/fighter/utility). The two guys I know flying U2’s were newly promoted Majors in AWACS, then moved over

 

[svtfocus2cobra]

Okay, that's sort of what I was expecting. In the video they all seemed young and junior so to see one get picked for a B2 seemed odd and made me wonder if the video was real or not. Seemed legit enough, but maybe it was some aircraft simulator tournament they were part of haha.