Scraggly Heron

Right now I'm looking at 2 reserve units: one flying RPAs and one flying smaller twin engine aircraft. I like the missions of both, and both have good leadership and good people. If you were in my shoes, and were fortunate enough to be offered a job by both, which would you chose? (I have friends in both units that will vouch for me, so this is a possibility)

The RPA unit has a growing mission and offers the opportunity to sleep in your own bed at the end of the day. QOL is likely to be slightly better than a manned aircraft unit, and the schedule is likely to be more flexible. I would not deploy unless I really wanted to. The downside is that if it takes 1-2 years to get hired by the airlines I'll be paying for my own flying the whole time.

The twin engine aircraft unit mission is my favorite type of flying, and I would be getting paid to build hours and maintain currency. Did I mention that I would be flying? The down side is less flexibility and more time away from home.

bababouey

If you want to fly for the airlines, don't go anywhere near RPAs.

130drvr

If your long range plan is the airlines, go with the flying gig. Down the road if the deploying gets old, you can go to the RPA unit.

Deuce130

You just said it was your favorite flying type of flying...go with it. It sounds like the unit I just left (Florida?), it's a good one.

HuggyU2

Forget the airlines... what do you want to do?

Timbo

Do you want to fly airplanes for a living, or not?

The fact that you are even considering flying drones tells me you are not cut out to fly airplanes for a living.

Scraggly Heron

Odd that I've been getting paid to do that very thing for the last 15 years, then, isn't it. The fact that the flying might not be as much fun doesn't take away from the importance of the unit's mission, or the satisfaction of doing meaningful work.

I have more combat hours than 90% of Air Force flyers; while I'm not even close to being a "shiny penny," I have gained an understanding of and respect for what we do down range. Even when it's not glamorous.

I'm not looking for advice on my primary job with this question--that's going to be flying for the airline or cargo carrier that offers me a job. I am looking for advice on what I should do to continue serving prior to that, and then for the remainder of my career in the reserves. Given that there are legacy airline pilots flying RPAs right now, I don't think that considering it as a reserve option indicates that I'm "not cut out to fly airplanes for a living."

Scraggly Heron

I'd like to thank everyone else for their thoughts, I'm leaning towards the manned aircraft provided they're hiring.

Timbo

Sooo...you are already flying airplanes for a living, and doing the drone thing in the Reserves? I misunderstood what you were asking. I thought you were looking to build FLYING TIME, in an AIRPLANE, to then go get a job with an AIRLINE.

If you already have all those squares filled, great, fly the drones and sleep in your own bed every night. Is flying a drone considered 'combat time'? I thought you had to be shot at to be considered 'in combat'...

Scraggly Heron

I don't think the RPA guys count their time as 'combat,' but I could be mistaken. (combat support?) I've been missed by AAA and small arms, but it was flying tactical airlift. No one bothered to shoot at me while I was flying manned ISR, although I had the opportunity find the AQ and Taliban types for targeting by others.

I'm being deliberately vague about my background, so my fault for conveying the wrong idea. I'll be more comfortable sharing specifics if I get a job on the civilian side.