Army Guard Pilot to Airline Pilot
10-08-2016, 05:43 AM
#31
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jul 2016
Posts: 75
Kwood,
There is some excellent advice on this forum...
My advice to you when you return to your Guard/Reserve Unit is to immerse yourself in IFR flying. I am not sure which aircraft you will be flying, however, I would learn everything you can about civilian, general aviation, fixed-wing IFR flying. I used every AFTP period that I could get away with to shoot ILS, VOR and ADF approaches. GPS approaches did not exist when I was scooting around in a UH-1H/V in my early twenties. This IFR practice WILL help you when you add on your Instrument rating. Also, you will encounter quite a few CFI's/Flight Schools that are FAR 61/141 that do not know how to help you attain your add-on fixed-wing ratings. It is vital that you know and print the regulations and that you direct your own training. Get the funds lined up for your training and don't drag it out. The quicker you learn by recency of training will benefit you in your skills and pocketbook. If your goal is to fly for the airlines, then I disagree with some of the posters here and I think it is a race to get hired. Seniority is everything and the Airlines look fondly on ALL military trained pilots. Yes, that includes us Army folks. I have shared a lot of hours in Boeing cockpits with USAF, USN, USMC, USCG and civilian pilots that didn't know or believe a Army rotor head would be sitting next to them. There is an acute shortage of CFI's in the USA and retirements at the majors ( I fly for one ) are going to rise dramatically. There is no better time than now to get started on flying civilian fixed wing and progressing on a professional career. Best of luck... I graduated from Ft Rucker from WORAC in 1986 and I have never regretted making my decision to pursue a fixed wing career. I was forced that direction because there were not as many Medevac jobs back then as there now.
There is some excellent advice on this forum...
My advice to you when you return to your Guard/Reserve Unit is to immerse yourself in IFR flying. I am not sure which aircraft you will be flying, however, I would learn everything you can about civilian, general aviation, fixed-wing IFR flying. I used every AFTP period that I could get away with to shoot ILS, VOR and ADF approaches. GPS approaches did not exist when I was scooting around in a UH-1H/V in my early twenties. This IFR practice WILL help you when you add on your Instrument rating. Also, you will encounter quite a few CFI's/Flight Schools that are FAR 61/141 that do not know how to help you attain your add-on fixed-wing ratings. It is vital that you know and print the regulations and that you direct your own training. Get the funds lined up for your training and don't drag it out. The quicker you learn by recency of training will benefit you in your skills and pocketbook. If your goal is to fly for the airlines, then I disagree with some of the posters here and I think it is a race to get hired. Seniority is everything and the Airlines look fondly on ALL military trained pilots. Yes, that includes us Army folks. I have shared a lot of hours in Boeing cockpits with USAF, USN, USMC, USCG and civilian pilots that didn't know or believe a Army rotor head would be sitting next to them. There is an acute shortage of CFI's in the USA and retirements at the majors ( I fly for one ) are going to rise dramatically. There is no better time than now to get started on flying civilian fixed wing and progressing on a professional career. Best of luck... I graduated from Ft Rucker from WORAC in 1986 and I have never regretted making my decision to pursue a fixed wing career. I was forced that direction because there were not as many Medevac jobs back then as there now.
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