Originally Posted by
tattooguy21
Ok....I just joined the forum, have started reading up as much as I can here and at jetcareers.com. I've still got some questions but first some background on me.
-Army RW pilot with a little over 2k hours
-19 years of service, can retire next year at age 38
-never once thought of getting out but quite frankly, it's fiscally irresponsible not to look at the options out there.
I keep seeing these programs that are spooling up, such as the envoy and piedmont military rw transitions. I have my faa cfi/cfii for commercial rw. Other than that, I've got 6 hours I did in pursuit of my private fw. That's it. So from my reading, I meet the 750 hour requirement but still need to go to the official training to get the 250 hours for multi-engine PIC.
Unlike many of the commissioned guys I see do write ups here about the transition, I wouldn't be taking a nearly 50% pay cut starting off so it wouldn't be quite so painful.
I do have two issues though;
1. Would like to stay in for 5 more years to improve my retirement by $20k annually. That seems too good to pass up.
2. The only thing that would make me pass up option 1 is taking one of the contracting jobs I'm contacted about monthly ($260k with $100k tax free).
Doing the option 2 would give me a nice cushion for the first few years of low pay.
My questions that I need to find out (via you guys as common knowledge or via the recruiters are
1. Will these jobs (regionals and majors) last that much longer? I have to imagine they'll start filling up faster now with these RW programs.
2. How does this process work as far as hour requirements? R-ATP is 250 (after my 750 rw that I already have.) Where does that 250 come from? Not the rules but where will I be flying that? I can't imagine I'll be in flight school for 250 hrs.
3. With each promotion you get to stay at the bottom. Ok, well is there ANYTHING you get to select when you start. I'm personally interested in staying in one spot, wherever that may be. So what are my chances as the new guy selecting my duty location. And from what I've read, I need to make sure it's got spots that I can grow into I'd I switch to the parent company/major.
3. I get minimum monthly hours, but is there overtime (and if so advantages?l
4. What's main line vs reserve? Is reserve just the bench warmer each flight who gets called in if someone didn't feel like it?
So I basically start this job at $38k, with places offering $17k or so bonuses...in 2-3 years, Blanco, cpt? Then the chances come for the majors and starting all over again (which I actually find very entertaining).
Any other questions you guys wish you had asked period you committed. Thanks ahead of time
250 is airplane PIC. Not AMEL specific. Just need 25 hours multi for an ATP, as your initial training can credit 25 sim hours to the 50 requirement.
$20k a year for 5 more years of service...think about it this way...you are losing 3-5 years of your highest earnings and highest seniority at a major before retirement. And once you hit year 1 pay (maybe 2 depending on the major) you will make more than you are making as a warrant, and beyond that you will make $20k more a year than if you are a w4/5. Your top earnings will be $250-$350k depending on where you go. Do you want to give that up for a guaranteed little bit higher pension? Most people would say you are giving up over a million dollars (probably more) worth of seniority and pay to get $20k a year extra. That's assuming nothing changes in this industry, which has historically been very cyclical. You have your guaranteed retirement already (or will). Time to go get a seniority number. Oh, and no one gives a hoot if you were a W3 or O6 when you are wearing a pilot uniform. Everyone is Mike or Bob. Your ego associated with your retirement rank should be a non-consideration, if that next w4/w5 is playing into your consideration.
I'll put it another way...people are leaving the AF with 15-17 years in and foregoing an O4/O5 retirement altogether because there is more money to be made long term here. They don't have the regional struggle to deal with, but you (will) have a retirement blanket already.
A line = a set schedule with trips for the month, assigned and bid for based on seniority the month prior. Reserve = you are on call (long call is 12-14 hour call out, short call is 2 or so hour call out). Normally with a line you get 14-17 days off a month and you get paid for the hours you fly/credit. Reserve 11-15 depending on your airline. Sometimes more. Reserves usually don't fly much, so they get paid a minimum of 70-76 hours a month (some more some less...airline specific) at their hourly rate. With good staffing you can not fly much and still get paid. Some months it's 8-12 hours for me if I don't want to work. You can pick up trips over and above your scheduledline, and at some airlines you can do the same on reserve. Just depends. Sometimes you can pick it up for 1.5-2x pay. There is more to pay/schedules than that but that's the gist.
Mainline is legacy airlines (big 3), regionals are feeders (just for clarification since you used main line above).
Sorry for the quick unproofed response typed on phone. Gotta go hit the beach.