Adlerdriver

I can only go off what we did in my unit. Official seasoning days come out of one pot of $$. After those are done you just use another pot. So, for us there was no hard limit (at least in practice).

Generally speaking, we felt expecting any fighter pilot 2 years out of the FTU to possibly start flying ~6 sorties a month and balancing an airline schedule was bad judgment (his for choosing that and/or ours for allowing it).

We staffed traditional slots with experienced AD guys because most of them wanted that. Furloughed guys who came back to full time slowed hiring off the street. Even under normal conditions, it was rare to have more than one Lt (two max) at any time. We never hired a guard baby into a traditional slot if we could avoid it. They were either ART or AGR generally speaking. If that wasn't possible, we would do whatever was necessary (temp tech slots, month to month orders) in order to keep the guy flying full time after official seasoning days expired.

galaxy flyer

+1 to what Adlerdriver said. I've been a TR out of UPT (F-100) and seasoning time wasn't enough to get really MR then and it's orders if magnitude more difficult nowadays. Reserves typically have more money for man-days and heavies typically have a peacetime mission to pay for TRs to fly. Now, you might be delivering docs to the Ebola Belt, but it's flying time.

GF

Gilligan13

So on average how long would you keep someone on seasoning without active duty time?

Adlerdriver

Keeping in mind that each individual is pretty unique, if I had to generalize, the longest I'd say would be the equivalent of a couple of AD tours in the jet. That would be about 6 years out of FTU as a rough gouge. Since our full-timers flew a lot more than their AD counterparts, that arbitrary time period could be shortened significantly depending on the pilot and his progression.

Milestones that would signal that individual had mastered the aircraft to a point where being a traditional was an option: 4-ship FL minimum (IP better) and some experience in that role, 800-1000 hours in the jet not counting droning CAP time, a subjective sense of that pilot's capabilities from other experienced pilots flying with him.

I would say that frames the general attitude of the squadron about this particular issue. Keeping in mind, that's off a pretty small sample. In the a little over 11 years I was there, I can count the number of guard babies we put through UPT on one hand.

Gilligan13

Interesting, were you Guard or Reserve? Seems Guard hires more people off the street.

galaxy flyer

If that's aimed at me--Guard baby. I did, as a full time technician, sent about 20 to UPT over the years.

GF

Sliceback

My ANG unit had a bunch of Guard babies. Between that and Project Season probably half fit that bill. The others? Vietnam vets with years of service.

Join the Guard. Here's the difference - You can, at least years ago, wear your bag to the strip joints and get away with it. During times of shooting it gets you out of having to pay cover charges, free beers, and they throw in free lap dances. Or you could join active duty and wear your scarf.

Adlerdriver

I was ANG. I think Guard hiring really depends on the unit, their priorities and most importantly the choices they have available.

If airlines are hiring and leaving AD is a comfortable option for the masses, there is going to be a large supply of experienced drivers looking to fly in the Guard. If not, the unit may HAVE to hire off the street just to keep manning at an appropriate level.

Lts are a fun novelty to have around. They provide comic relief, someone for the IPs to train and fill the snacko billet. If you're looking to make your squadron the most effective, lethal force you can, AND you have the option, hiring a two or three tour AD instructor pilot is probably going to be a better choice.

That makes for a rank heavy squadron, but unless everyone has designs on being in a senior leadership position, who cares. After the hiring boom of the late 90's, for the next 10 years, we had Majors and LtCols coming out of our ears.

sourdough44

Here's the way to go about it. You apply for them ALL, active duty, Reserves, Guard, whoever is accepting applications. If and when you have an offer, that's when you consider the best choice for you.

I went to AOCS with the Navy back in 1985, just a month after college graduation. Yes I know it's all different now, you need to talk to the pilot/Officer recruiters.

I'd look for a guaranteed slot into pilot training before you raise your hand, if you really want to be a pilot.

Just like an airline job, you don't just apply for one, it's all. Later on you get to decide where you go.

Gilligan13

Wow, 6 years seems like a long time. For those fighter units with alert duties is it possible to bum?