Is this alleged F/A 18 pilot + CFI a fake?

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Recently, I wanted to rent a plane and had to get checked out by one of the flight school's CFIs.
This guy looked like the comic of a CFI: Big Ray-Ban sunglasses, acting VERY important, leather jacket with a fur collar and, of course, a dozen or so patches on it including one saying 'Top-Gun'. I would think that he is in his mid 30s.
We talk, we fly, we chat a little bit. As we are chatting, he tells me that his goal is to work as a corporate jet pilot and that he will only work as a CFI until the right opportunity comes up. He also tells me, that before he became a CFI he was a F/A 18 pilot and that he gained quite some experience landing on aircraft carriers.

I looked him up on LinkedIn: All he has listed under 'education' is the flight school at which he did his CFI. Under employment he only mentions the flight school he was previously working for. I would expect, that if somebody is serious about finding a job as a corporate pilot, he would also list all of his aviation related experiences on LinkedIn!? I would also think that some time as a fighter jet pilot wouldn't hurt in the resume!?

I feel a little bit like a jerk, sniffing around like that, but my gut tells me this guy is a fake. What do you think? Are there more people like this around? What is the typical route military jet pilots take, assuming they are looking for a job in the aviation industry?
 
Unregistered said:
Recently, I wanted to rent a plane and had to get checked out by one of the flight school's CFIs.
This guy looked like the comic of a CFI: Big Ray-Ban sunglasses, acting VERY important, leather jacket with a fur collar and, of course, a dozen or so patches on it including one saying 'Top-Gun'. I would think that he is in his mid 30s.
We talk, we fly, we chat a little bit. As we are chatting, he tells me that his goal is to work as a corporate jet pilot and that he will only work as a CFI until the right opportunity comes up. He also tells me, that before he became a CFI he was a F/A 18 pilot and that he gained quite some experience landing on aircraft carriers.

I looked him up on LinkedIn: All he has listed under 'education' is the flight school at which he did his CFI. Under employment he only mentions the flight school he was previously working for. I would expect, that if somebody is serious about finding a job as a corporate pilot, he would also list all of his aviation related experiences on LinkedIn!? I would also think that some time as a fighter jet pilot wouldn't hurt in the resume!?

I feel a little bit like a jerk, sniffing around like that, but my gut tells me this guy is a fake. What do you think? Are there more people like this around? What is the typical route military jet pilots take, assuming they are looking for a job in the aviation industry?
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Stick around this board, you'll find many more. :rolleyes:
 
Tell him you're going to San Diego on vacation and ask for tips on things to do and how to get around the city. You'll know in a hurry if he's been anywhere near Top Gun.
 
It wouldn't take long for someone who's actually been a Naval Aviation officer to figure it out talking with him, but it would not be so easy for someone who's never actually been in that business to do so. One could start by reading the patches on his jacket and asking about his experience in comparison to them. Beyond that :dunno:
 
I'd say he is full of it. But you can always ask him about his squad, ships, etc. all of that is usually verifiable online. But this one doesn't seem like he would have done his homework.
 
If he was claiming to be USAF I'd ask him what UPT base and class number he was in.
 
I suspect that if he used to fly F18s, he could walk right in to a corporate job rather than work as a CFI?
 
Got a full name? Did he sign your log book? If so, you have his CFI number. You can use that to look up his full name. Email the guys at the stolen valor project. They will run a Freedom of Information Act request on him to see if he ever served in the Navy or Marines. Donate a little to them to help cover the cost of the FOI request.

http://www.stolenvalor.com/records.cfm

Jim
 
Anyone who would lie about something like that is a total douchebag.
 
If we don't doubt his CFI qualifications, then it seems the question is of his service career. Even if he was lying, unless he was doing so with the intent to obtain some tangible benefit from you because of his supposed service career, he is at worst case a phony and a douche. Not quite stolen valor. All he needed to check you out was his CFI.
 
Who fricken cares?

So....don't fly with him again.
 
yeah PM me his name if you care to find out. I'm an active duty F/A-18 pilot and have been around long enough to know most guys in the business, at least in the "30's" age group. Like has been mentioned, there are a lot of other ways to tell, but most of those would require seeing the dude in person and talking to him.
 
dans2992 said:
I suspect that if he used to fly F18s, he could walk right in to a corporate job rather than work as a CFI?
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yeah, CFI would be a pretty uncommon career choice for a dude with that background....at least barring the old old retired guys who just want to keep flying and give back in their retirement days. If he did fly Hornets and now is a CFI, my guess would be that he didn't make it through the Hornet RAG (initial training in type) or something like that.......I knew of a couple folks that fit that bill
 
MAKG1 said:
Tell him you're going to San Diego on vacation and ask for tips on things to do and how to get around the city. You'll know in a hurry if he's been anywhere near Top Gun.
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TOPGUN has been out in Fallon since the mid 1990's, fortunately or unfortunately enough.

On that note, if his "top gun" patch doesn't look like this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_Strike_Fighter_Tactics_Instructor_program#mediaviewer/File:Topgun_patch.jpg

then he is a fake. You can also only buy said patch at the fleet training building (schoolhouse) geedunk shop in fallon, so pretty hard to get it if you aren't a bona fide patch wearer.
 
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Maybe he was referring to some type of Civil Air Patrol Topgun program... And meant to say career landings listed in his log book.
 
Clark1961 said:
You're right, no one should care about a CFI who is less than truthful.
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Correct.

As long as he is a CFI (check a card, photo ID and medical), simply take your business else where, that's how grown ups deal with it.

Everyone come across compulsive BSers, people who have a life typically just move on and don't waste their time on proving a obvious D bag is a D bag.
 
I would check the FAA database for his ratings. If that is still allowed. Outside of that, I really wouldn't care what he did prior.

As far as LinkedIn, I know plenty of people who are professional pilots who don't use it. I sure don't and can't stand the annoying alerts on the few people I know who do use it. FB is just as much of a connection for flying jobs as LinkedIn is.
 
If he flew F-18s off a carrier, he could have walked down the brow stepping straight into a corporate jet, all arranged before he left the Navy.
 
Henning said:
If he flew F-18s off a carrier, he could have walked down the brow stepping straight into a corporate jet, all arranged before he left the Navy.
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Yeah pretty much, although most that I know go straight to 121. They don't go full time CFI'ing.
 
35 AoA said:
If he did fly Hornets and now is a CFI, my guess would be that he didn't make it through the Hornet RAG (initial training in type) or something like that.......I knew of a couple folks that fit that bill
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Yes, but like you said, if he's in his 30's, he wouldn't have a Top Gun patch.
 
Wait, is this him?

child-top-gun-boys-costume-6008722-0-1379444631000.jpg


Actually, that is not too far away from how I see today's oh-so-young-looking SFTI, scary to think my kids could potentially be one in just a few years (no offense, tree fife).
 
That video depresses me....makes driving a ship around in circles at 5 kts seem so incredibly boring.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Yeah pretty much, although most that I know go straight to 121. They don't go full time CFI'ing.
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I know of one who tried the CFI gig at the local airport for awhile. But his exit from the Navy was by dismissal. It seems like the Navy got it right, no one thought too much of him and people around the airport made sure no female students flew with him.
 
dans2992 said:
I hope he studied the obstacle charts very carefully beforehand!
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He is likely familiar with the terrain if not route he flew.;) Close terrain following isn't really that bad, especially when you have that much energy available, it really doesn't take long at all to get used to dropping in and flying at 3' over the treetops at 150kts was pretty fun, even along steep hillsides. Flaking for Gypsy Moth in the NC mountains was a pretty fun gig.
 
1st step to douchiness, buy and constantly wear aviator sunglasses. 2nd step, leather jacket with patches. 3 rd step act like your supercool, because you fly a plane.
 
TommyG said:
1st step to douchiness, buy and constantly wear aviator sunglasses. 2nd step, leather jacket with patches. 3 rd step act like your supercool, because you fly a plane.
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Why do people like costumes ? when we were flying 4-engine freighters in africa the company tried to make us wear uniforms so we looked more official. We were sort of going along with it till we saw they had dork bars. We pitched those things in the garbage and went back to cargo shorts and T-shirts. Finally there was a compromise on something reasonable, polo shirts with a logo.
 
TommyG said:
1st step to douchiness, buy and constantly wear aviator sunglasses. 2nd step, leather jacket with patches. 3 rd step act like your supercool, because you fly a plane.
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2. or epaulettes.
3. in a duke?
 
Most people who attend TOPGUN are in their late 20's, maybe early 30's depending on timing. However, most people who go to TOPGUN don't get out immediately after...so maybe he went and just looks young.
 
wlawr005 said:
Most people who attend TOPGUN are in their late 20's, maybe early 30's depending on timing. However, most people who go to TOPGUN don't get out immediately after...so maybe he went and just looks young.
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There's usually an additional active duty sevice commitment for Fighter Weapons School graduates in the Air Force. Probably same in the other services for similar training.
 
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