Originally Posted by
Freddriver5
Some very good advice on this topic with regard to seniority. IT IS EVERYTHING. Notice the fur fight over at LUAL-LCAL right now? From an outsider looking in, it may seem trivial or obtuse, but for every pilot in that mix, including myself, it is about quality of life, bidding, pay, everything. I say again SENIORITY IS EVERYTHING. So how does that pertain to you? Unless you've got some odd dream of making General, if you are retirement eligible, I'd give some real serious thought to dropping those papers. There is nothing worse than someone who is deployed, AFPC won't budge on min notification time, etc. and you see class after class beginning without you sitting in it. Every one of those folks will be senior to you until....forever. I know it's daunting to disengage from the military teat...but even if the dream job doesn't roll down on terminal leave, you'll have the availability to take the first class available as you're sitting in a regional seat gaining some great experience. The chance to jump into a great flying job is rapidly approaching. Do not be the one looking through the glass as it occurs. As was said earlier, you are just meat in the seat. Do not forge loyalty. They have none towards you. Remember that and you'll do just fine.
Seniority isn't just everything, it's bigger than that!
For 25 years I've watched someone hired 2 weeks/1 month/3 months before me get the last regular line, the last trip to Europe, the vacation I needed, not get displaced from my category, get the equipment bid I wanted.... the list goes on and on.
There should be a hiring boom coming soon at all the majors, and it may be hard to appreciate from the outside, but even getting in one class (2 weeks) sooner will make a difference the rest of your career.
Don't sweat upgrade times too much. Things change, the next 10 years will be completely different. Not uncommon for AD retirees to camp out in the right seat of the heavy metal, not as much pay difference as the charts make it look like.