Aviator89

Im just curious; if one were to be a Army National Guard helicopter pilot(warrant officer), and a civilian airline pilot, do they see the benefits in airline hiring that fixed wing pilots see? Of course, flying a fuel tanker, makes flying a large airliner seem highly similar. But what about smaller aircraft? Uh-60, C-12 etc...

I know airlines don't just hire military guys, just because. Of course some military guys don't get hired at majors after applying for the same reasons civilians don't get hired. Im just wanting clarification on whether or not helicopter pilot training will standout/help career advancement in the civilian fixed wing world, since I am seriously considering a UH-60 seat if one came available.
Is it the military flight training that employes tend to like to see? Or the officer position/training? Because a warrant officer is not quite the same as an officer.

Thanks for the help. Just wanting to get an idea of what kind of results people have seen in the civilian fixed wing world, while also military heli pilots. Also, In this case a small chance of C-12 (king air) years down the road.

Edit: also, I am already a fixed wing civilian pilot. More time than required for ATP, ATP written completed. Some jet, tprop and lots of glass time from singles-me turbine. So i would not be heli only, probly 80-90% TT as fixed wing by the time I have 500 hours rotor time.

F224

Good questions, as a former ARNG Rotorhead and civilian fixed wing guy made good, here are my thoughts.

1) The fixed wing time will get you the interview at a major, the Army rotor time and training checks the military "preference" box.

2) Quality beat quantity once you have met the minimums. As I wrote in another post; "In two years, the majors will be sucking up 1000-1200 hour F16 pilots, just like they did in 1986-89 time frame. In fact, NWA dropped it's minimums from 1200 to 1000 hours in January 1987 because DAL was scooping up all the six year F16/F15/F14 and A4 fighter guys. Five or eight of them were my classmates in February '87. ( I had 2800+ TT, 1400 ME or which 525 was Metro F/O, 800 Army National Guard Rotor, I was 28 and had the Bachelors Degree and the soon to be Ex-wife)"

3) It didn't matter that I had a Criminal Justice major with a 2.95gpa, or that I flew Huey Gunships, or that I never flew Captain on the Metro when I sat down to interview, at that point it was all about my ability to sell the HR & Pilot interviewers that I could get along and be an asset to NWA. In those days the physical and sim check were done after the interview.

4) It must have worked, now they call me "Captain Dave - Retired".

FSF17

I'm interested in this as well, and I don't mean to threadjack. I'm a P-3 pilot flying C-12s right now, and I'm interested in knowing how airlines prioritize applicants based on their military platform... if they do so.

F224

Not an issue, if you have military turbine and/or multiengine time, that's good enough. In the competitive world of airline applicants, no one is asked if their time is from a C-12, or T-6 or C-5a or for that matter Pt121 Regional Jet or turbo-prop time. If you exceed the minimums, have quality training and flight time, it won't matter in the US.

Aviator89

What if I had 3000TT fixed wing. 1000me-jet time, 2000PIC total. (Civilian)
On top of that military time at 500 helo time.(UH-60)

My issue is my mil time will most likely be all rotor (turbine) while also flying at a regional. Would the majors and legacy's have me in the same boat as fixed wing only guys? Like I said, the c-12 is only possible a few years down the road. So most likely all my FW time will be civilian, rotor time all military.


Edit: sorry i read your first response. Got it. Thanks!
So the UH-60 can be logged as multi engine turbine correct? Just want to clarify. Thanks Capt Dave!

Also, do you think airlines give nod a little bit more towards officers, and a little less towards warrant officers of equal flight qualifications? I don't see why they would, both are still officers, both in charge of aircraft. Just one only specializes in flying while the other can eventually move out of a flying role and into more leadership type roles.

Toonces

That's a complicated question. As previously stated, there is a lot of value place on military training, regardless of platform. It's a box that's checked. The helo time merely figures into total time. It's a blurb on the radar if the majority of your time comes from the fixed wing world. Most regionals value helo time as part of your total time, most large a/c airlines will just consider it as another block on the resume.

Multi engine helicopter time is still just helicopter time (according to the FAA). It doesn't matter if you have 8 engines in your helicopter, it's still just a helicopter. The flying qualities don't change, you just have less power. One notable exception is Atlas, which allows you to count up to half of your multi engine helicopter time toward half of the ME requirements.

As far as the leadership qualities of officers vs warrant officers, that is a road I dare not travel. I can only tell you that a non-military type will not know the difference, and a military type will see the value in both.

F224

Don't try and over analyze this stuff. Two things you can control, your behavior and your resume, so; 1) Be a model citizen and 2) always be improving your resume. As Toonces says above, just get every box checked that you can, they are all good. His points on the CWO v RLO are valid as well.

I was a Warrant, but an equal number of RLO's made it to the airlines along with me. The only thing that seems to matter is that you don't quit and pay attention to the two points in this post.

Aviator89

Toonces, F224- thanks. Appreciate the insight. Makes me even more excited about this oppurtunity. Also, I like the fact that the helo time could lead to EMS in the future as well. There is a fantastic EMS service around here that would be as good of a job as a major airline. If for some reason I lose the interest in FW flying. Pay not as good, but home every night/day depending on the shift.

deadstick35

APTAP.ORG

You will find a bunch of answers to these questions.

Be careful though....after getting a r/w qual, your eyes will have been opened to the truth of just how boring f/w flying really is.

Hobbit64

SHHH! Do Not let this out. I don't want our little piece of the world overcrowded.