Congrats on making it to the finish line. Having either a military retirement or guard/reserve gig is tremendously helpful financially as you slug through the entry level.

But don't be too eager to fly for food so as to allow airline executives to make bank off your back...since there are plenty of people in aviation who actually have to feed their families on airline pay and they won't appreciate that attitude at all. I've known several airline sim instructors who have absolutely no mercy for wealthy career changers (and yes you'll be wealthy by regional airline standards, where foodstamps is the norm).

Your military motivation and can-do attitude will serve you well, but you are no longer working towards a higher purpose...you are working to get compensated, and if you get to do something you enjoy, bonus. At least avoid the worst bottom-feeders, if you do that you should be able to make $40K after a year or two and hopefully have some QOL.

Unless you have a rich uncle, pick one FW or RW, don't try to do both at this time. Exception only if you want to work for CBP, are young enough (less than 40), meet all their qualifications, and can get the needed flight experience in time. You're probably too old to have a shot at CBP.

Also if at all possible see if you can do some part-time work as a NE...it might come in real handy to keep that skillset warm on the back burner.


You need to figure that out but not necessarily today.

If you want to do airlines, go the regional route. 135 pilots do get hired by the majors, but it takes them longer to build the time and their odds are not as good for several reasons the biggest of which is they don't meet many airline pilots. Networking is vital in aviation, and regional FO's typically get to know many CAs who move on to majors.

135 is a completely different lifestyle, most career military folks would prefer airlines to 135.

If you want to do LE, better do your research...there are strict age limits for federal LE pilots. State/local agencies are more open to older folks but typically you have to get hired as a cop and work three years or so on the ground before you can apply to fly. Even then they often have very long waiting lists, like 15+ years...plenty of cops have pilot licenses.

If you go airlines, shoot for the majors. Regionals are no longer a reliable career option (if they ever were).


Given the current industry movement, at most regionals you should be on reserve less than a year. You get about 75-ish hours to stay home even if they never call you. How much you get called depends on airline, equipment, staffing, domicile, and seniority. It can vary from all the time to never. Reserve almost always will involve less actual flying time since you will be picking up scraps here and there and often doing deadheads to/from trips.

It doesn't matter, past performance in no way predicts future results. It could anywhere from 18 months to ten+ years, depending on the airline, industry, and economy. Probably closer to 3-4 years in the immediate future.

I had more than ATP mins, which is now the requirement anyway.

QOL is pretty good. The pay is totally insufficient unless you have outside sources of income (I do). The problem is that the majors can (and will) take your flying away and give it to a bottom-feeder as soon as too many CA's get too senior. They have gotten more aggressive about this lately, including shutting down regionals with older pilot groups. Very senior regional CA's have been starting over as FO's at other regionals...no thanks.


Those are going to be niche jobs, primarily in LE. Any civilian operations that dual-rate will be few and far between.

I've never heard of any, and there's a good reason for that. I imgine you could find a small PD somewhere that just bought a helo and has no one to fly it if you look hard enough.