If you're fortunate enough to get hired by an airline, I suggest you disregard the above "30-60-90 rule", for the first year, anyway. The reason is that most airlines have a probationary period, usually one year. It's within this time that you can be let go for virtually any reason. With no explanation at all if the company doesn't want to give you one. You could be called in to the chief pilots office and told that you're fired because you have (as an example) blond hair, and there's not a thing you could do about it. Not in the first year at least. After the anniversary of your hire date, then you can probably go immediately to step 3 in the above "rule." One of the nice things about working for a company that has a unionized pilot force, is the protection by the union, offered to the individual pilot. If a pilot manages to get in trouble, the union will represent you, hire lawyers (if needed) and try to resolve the issue between you and management, while trying to protect you and your job. At a non-union shop, I'm not sure if one ever gets past the employee-at-will environment, meaning that the company can treat you like you're on probation for your entire career. At any rate, good luck with the last year of your military obligation, and your airline job search.