Mrs. Clark and other hiring experts,
I am an army aviator with about 13 years of service. I plan on sticking it out until retirement. Now as a helicopter pilot, and by the time I retire I will have about 5000 hours in helicopters, it would be easy to say that I will then fly as a helicopter pilot when I'm a civilian again. I however, don't want to put all my eggs in one basket, their is no telling where the helicopter industry will be. Their will always be airliners for the forseeable future so it seems reasonable to me that I should prepare for a possible fixed wing career when I retire. So my question is this, would a 45 year old retired military helicopter pilot with a BA in History, MS in Aviation Operations, 5000 helicopter hours (all military), that paid for 100 hours of muli-engine time and associated commercial and instrument ratings, be a good candidate for a regional First Officer position? Is their anything else I could do to improve my resume?
Thanks for your time in answering my questions, have a great weekend, Vince.
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The bad news is that most airlines require a minimum amount of FW time, and very few grant any allowance for RW.
Depending on supply and demand (and the airline in question), you will need somewhere between 500-1500 FW and 100-300 ME to get a regional job.
My company (SKW) is one of the few that grants any relief: You get 1 for 2 credit, which means that 500 hours RW will count towards 250 hours of FW. But they don't allow more than 250 converted hours so you would still need 750 FW to get to 1000.
The good news is that once you meet the mins, you will probably get head-of-the-line privileges due to your military rating (especially at majors).
Bottom line, if you want to go FW you will need to commit to doing that. Either get into army FW before you retire or plan on going the CFI/135/regional route to build FW time. Most of the mil helo guys I know in 121 scrounged some FW from the military (IP, C-12, Sherpa, etc).
Use your experience, and security clearance to get a contracting job. You're better than $24k/year trolling around in an RJ.
Those are going away soon here in the near future. A large COCOM which I'm intimately familiar with is cutting numerous AD O-6, reserve recall, and contractor jobs next FY...I don't think this is going to an isolated event either.
Those are going away soon here in the near future. A large COCOM which I'm intimately familiar with is cutting numerous AD O-6, reserve recall, and contractor jobs next FY...I don't think this is going to an isolated event either.
I'm a retired Army Aviator who made the switch to the airlines. One plus for me was having the IFE course on my resume. Do you have that or can you get it before retirement? You need as much FW time as you can get but that course is a nice plus
Those are going away soon here in the near future. A large COCOM which I'm intimately familiar with is cutting numerous AD O-6, reserve recall, and contractor jobs next FY...I don't think this is going to an isolated event either.
If the debt supercommittee can't come to an agreement by Nov 23rd, an additional $350 Billion will be cut from DoD over the next 10 years (another 5-7% per year).
If the debt supercommittee can't come to an agreement by Nov 23rd, an additional $350 Billion will be cut from DoD over the next 10 years (another 5-7% per year).
Yes Merlyn, I did the IFE course back in '07. I'm was a UH-60 IP for a few years, then an OH-58C IP, now I fly AH-64D's and just finished the MTP course last month, now currently residing in sunny Iraq. I'm active duty, eventhough my ORB reads like I was in the guard.
Grumbe, I have given serious thoughts to a contracting job. But if it's some place sunny and sandy, it's not for me. I've 5 out of the last 10 years in southwest Asia and I'm done with it. I know their are contracting jobs like maintenance test pilots that stay stateside but those come and go with changes in defence budgets, not to mention when I retire all I want to have to do with Uncle Sugar is check my bank account twice a month to make sure my retirement check is their.
ERJF15, I have thought about Bell, but I kinda painted myself in a corner by buying my wife a big nice house on some acreage in central Texas and she ain't moving. To protect half my retirement check I won't try to get her to move, so I'm looking for a job that will let me commute. A lot of helicopter jobs want you to live in the area. At least my pants fit better since she put my balls in her purse.
I appreciate all y'all's time and advice. When I was in college I slung bags for American Eagle in College Station, maybe I could do that in Killeen? No responsibility, no medical exams or check rides, and travel benefits ....I'll make that Plan C.
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