Originally Posted by
LivinTheDream28
No doubt flying fighters is more difficult and probably takes more skill, but what are you being hired to do? Not fly fighters, but operate in the 121 environment as safely as possible. While military guys are usually great sticks, put them on ORD ground in the middle of a blizzard and good luck keeping up. My point is, we all have different skills and to say one side is better than the other is stupid. The military guys in our class struggled more than everyone else, not because they were bad aviators, but because they hadn't been through a 121 training program. Who do you think has an easier transition, a 10 year RJ capt, or a 2000 hour military fighter pilot?
After doing both, and 121 for the past 2 years, I couldn't agree more. While looking back I think that flying single seat fighters was immensely difficult and taxing vs 121, they are 2 different things. 121 was humbling the first 6 months. It was more difficult than I thought it would be.
This said I think I've adapted quite well. My single seat FAC-A experience helped a lot with giving me high situational awareness and quick decision making, but keeping up in ORD just on the taxi during IOE was a challenge.
To put a number on it, 15 years and 2500 hrs of single seat experience would be on par with 10,000 hrs of regional 121 in either seat, but the 10,000 hr 121 guy will be right at home at a major. The mil single seat guy will have a much bigger hill to climb. I can say cuz I climbed it.
I saw the same with a 180 of that situation. Regional 121 guys learning to fly fighters had a challenge. Neither is better. Just different.
Cheers,
HT