Originally Posted by Mover

Training. Experience. Quality of time. Adaptability.



Mil guys are known quantities. 100% of fighter time is PIC, and not PIC as a captain, but as both PF/PM (since it's just you in the jet, Ricky Bobby) while being responsible for multiple aircraft (1-14 other aircraft, depending on the scenario). A guy flying a 1.7 hr CAS mission is a lot busier than a 737 guy flying LGA-ORD.



Are civilians with a lot of time bad pilots? No. But there's a reason a fighter guy gets a conversion and is looked at with lower time.