Crash

Currently Active Duty AF and beginning the transition to civilian life for when I retire in a year and a half. Thanks to all for the great information on this site.

Quick look: ~4,000 hrs total time in F-16s and T-38s; getting my ATP and FEw soon. I hope they're hiring before I retire!

capoetc

Welcome aboard! I'm a recently-retired AF guy too (airlift background). I must say, it has been ... interesting ... trying to learn how the airline industry works.

Eight months ago, all the Majors were hiring and it looked like it was going to be no sweat getting hired. Now, following record oil prices and a change to the age-65 rule, almost no one is hiring.

I got hired by AirTran and I'm waiting for a class date (they stopped all new-hire training for the summer).

All I can say is, thank goodness for the AF retirement check!

Do you already have your Class I FAA medical? You might want to go ahead and get it and keep it current. That way, if you have any issues, you can get them resolved early.

Also, get the ATP done, and do it soon ... don't wait. You might want to wait on the FEw until you are inside a year since the results are only good for 2 years.

Get your resume done now too, and keep it updated. Also, get your airline apps in early and keep them updated on the schedule that each airline allows (some monthly, some every six months ...).

As you fill out the apps, create a Word document (I call mine my "Master Application File") with every piece of data you are using to fill out apps. This will allow you to only look up data once and to keep your apps consistent so they will be easier to update.

You will hear many opinions regarding Air, Inc, but I would recommend attending one of their pilot job fairs soon. Get a resume ready, put your suit on, and go! Talk to whatever airline reps are there -- if the Majors are not in attendance, talk to whomever is there. You don't need to do this a bunch of times, but if you do it early in your planning process you will learn a LOT. Air, Inc does seminars (usually 5 of them) where they talk about interview prep, military transition, and many other things. For lots of guys on these forums, these preps might be a waste of time, but for a military guy who has never worked in civil aviation, I found them to be very helpful. You don't need to join Air, Inc to attend a job fair, either. And, no, I don't get a kick-back from Kit Darby for sending folks his way.

Anyway, that was a lot of typing ... good luck to you.

Boogie Nights

I was AF too. GO to the Job fairs sponsored by unique pilot organizations like OBAP, Women in Aviation as well as Air INC. The have all the Airlines Represented but with a much fewer attendees so you get more face time. Don't worry there will be all sexes and races of people a these conventions

stepchild

Hey too much USAF going on here. The soon to retire Navy guy is here to help out.......Never mind you guys have it covered!!

Crash, Congrats on the up coming retirement. I will join the ranks very soon. I would add to the above great advice to network as much as possible. You never know when a buddy is going to have a lead that will help. Things may be a bit slow now but get out and shake the trees and you will find a good job.

SC

Crash

Thanks for all of the advice and the warm welcome. I took the first step today and knocked out the ATP written, using Sheppard Air's program. It was right on and allowed me to study a couple hours per night for a week and take the test with great results. I would highly recommend it. (I think I might have actually learned a thing or two in the process!) I'll take the ATP practical in a month or two when my TDY schedule eases off a bit.

Again, thanks for the words. Your advice is helping start the process!

ugleeual

You will not have a problem getting a job... start getting "stories" together about things that happended during your career to prep for interviews...

1. Tell me about a time you...