Hilltopper89

Absolutely true. I personally know of 2 O6s in the right seat at a regional. Jumpseating to work met another who was a retired fighter SQ/CC who turned down O6 and riding shotgun at another regional.

I also have a number of friends who outranked me waiting for a job offer. I've only been at a major for a little less than 2 years and have met many who outranked me in the military who are now junior to me. Like Albie said, you never know who you'll need to turn to for help later. Most of my peers and bosses were exceptional...almost to a man (and woman). I did not hesitate to offer advice and write a recommendation for all but 2 of them. Perhaps others' experience varies but I know very few guys at my airline who were peers or superiors. In fact, my one mentor here was a tad junior to me in the military and he's one of the best dudes out there.

And to be perfectly clear, most of these guys I'm referencing outranked me but were not my boss. Most were my friends and considered peers as we came up together from Lts.

Dragon7

Not AF, but got to 20+, escaped the Scarlett "H", and made it to a major.

A few lessons learned.

1. To escape the Scarlett H you will need to go through retraining or at least a transition. Way too dependent on forces you can't control and your willingness to dynamite bridges very early in you AD career. Flying a helo was some of the best, most challenging, and most fun flying in my life. It means doo daa on your airline application.

2. Networking isn't what you do on when you are getting out or looking for a job, you do it your whole career starting day 1. Used to be it was collecting business cards for your rolodex. Now it is getting a cell number AND PUTTING IT IN YOUR PHONE. Stay in touch with those people and ask them questions along the way. A mentor is a terrible thing to waste. Carrying some business cards is still a great idea.

3. Keep your AD options open. The same quals and paper that get your butt promoted will get you in a reserve squadron. Many guys I knew who were on the way to the Airlines in Flight School made it, and some are wearing Stars now both AD and Reserve.

4. Always have a plan B to eject. Let your spouse know the road ahead. Have money set aside for transition and get those ratings and quals early. Talk to pilots in the reserve and visit before you rush a squadron. Hard to fly a helo on a cross country to a reserve squadron.

5. Never let anything get personal. Whether you are delivering bad news or receiving it, keep the long view and act like a pro whether you like it or not. BTW I did not like it as a LT, not one bit. A senior Reserve Officer who I did a project for drove me crazy with micromanagement, criticism, timidity, and psuedo intellectualism. Seriously close to telling him to pack sand many times. Who was first person I ran into at interview at job I am at now?

6. Every place I interviewed I had recs from people who were my peers and those who I was lucky to have work for me.

7. Currency is the currency of getting a job. If your goal is an airline job NEVER trade a cockpit for a "career enhancing" staff job that may put you in line for a promotion. When anybody says "career enhancing" understand that means only for them when they get you to take the job. Currency means never having to take a sorry paying Regional job to get current.

8. Have fun in your first squadron.

Good luck.

Packrat

I'll echo what everyone else has said...forget helos. I flew them and C-12s at the same time. The first time I tried to get out (1985) the helo time counted for zero and my limited C-12 time only got me one interview.

So, I went back in as a TAR (Navy reserve active duty) and racked up a bunch of CV-580 and DC-9 hours. Finally got hired by the airlines in 1990. Looking back, the helo tour cost me 5 years seniority at my airline.

I would have been much better off going back as a T-34C SerGrad (I'm thinking that the same as a FAIP) and flying my butt off as a junior Training Command LTJG, then going to VP or VQ squadrons.

Additionally, TacAir looks like fun, but for the airlines you're better off flying C-17s, KC-135s/10s or even C-130s.

Whatever you do, keep the goal in mind, but (as a previous poster said) enjoy your active duty. The military can be great fun, especially if you dive into squadron life and enjoy the camaraderie. Its the only time in aviation you'll get to experience that. It doesn't exist at the airlines...any airline.

Packrat

duplicate post....

Albief15

You better pick something you enjoy. Case in point...first shot I had to get out was 91...they were letting anyone out who wanted to bail from the military in the post cold war drawdown. Economy was soft, and airlines weren't hiring. In 1996 when my commitment was up, there was some hiring but not in the big numbers that came later 96-99. My timing was never that good, and I waited until the 14 year point to bail. The good news? I flew F-15s in Alaska and Germany, and while the job was never easy it was immensely satisfying. Ask yourself "would I like doing this if the airlines never called?" as a back-up. It sure would stink to pick job your heart wasn't in if you did it for 15 years...

PRS Guitars

Plenty of fighter guys have been hired including many that responded to this thread. The only consideration is that the pointy nose kicker that we used to get on an app seems to have turned into a military kicker for everyone. So it might take some extra work to get your hours up. A deployment will help as will a "white jet" tour (training tour in jets that used to be painted white...)

Packrat

I'm not saying fighter guys can't get hired. MAC guys have more hours in heavier airplanes doing a mission that is more congruent with airline flying. That's all I'm saying.

If your target is the airlines, fly the airplanes that are the closest to what they fly.

FangsF15

I'm not sure I agree with your logic. Though there is probably some validity to what you are saying, ultimately it is up to each airline what they are looking for. I've heard that some airlines like fighter background guys, and some don't - but what do I know.

I do know a TON of fighter guys flying for the airlines. Many have done more than just the UPT commitment, but still. Times change, so by the time a current UPT student is 10 years gone, everything could be different. including either or both our opinions.

I concur with Albie. Do what you want, and what is your dream, the airline thing will work out in the end either way.

F15Cricket

Disagree completely. Fly what excites you in the military... The airlines, I would guess, equate 2000 hours in fighters or training jets with 4000+ hours in military heavies. They can train fighter guys to fly part 121 easily .... It just isn't that difficult.

And, you are showing your (possibly) outdated advice -- it hasn't been called "MAC" since the early 90s.

Grumble

This. Fly what you want to fly and enjoy the hell out of what you're blessed with. I knew the airlines was where I wanted to be someday but I wasn't going to let some bad gouge keep me from taking a shot at flying fighters if given the chance. Fly what others think you should fly, you'll always regret it.