Originally Posted by
FlyGirl727
How many hours do MIL pilots fly per month. If the pilot was in the service for 10 years and has 1,700 hours that works out to 170 hours per year or 14 hours a month. That's probably less than a Doctor flying his Bonanza and we all know how that ends. The MIL guys are great at PAR approaches but how about an ADF, or holding?
All MIL guys, with the exception of possibly Army Warrant officers, have "collateral duties" that mean they are working on numerous projects, taskings, "honey-do's", etc from their chain of command, in addition to simply flying an airplane. The doctor flying his Bonanza does not have the regimented standardization program, safety program, and instruction common to MIL aviation.
A fighter guy may spend 2+ hours in briefings etc to go fly one hour. Etc. Indeed some "learning curve" exists to take a guy from single pilot fighter cockpit to a glass cockpit crewed 737. But we are not talking accomplishing the impossible.
MIL pilots at airlines are like the chicken and the egg. Which one came first ? Sure, the MIL pilots are highly trained, by default all have 4-year degrees (many Masters), and are flying highly complex aircraft usually, but remember that the largest Alumni network in the world is "I am ex-AF" or "I am ex Navy". The bro network is well established at all airlines, from the CP office down, and no doubt this is partially "the why" so many MIL dudes get hired.
You know what ? More power to them, I "get it" - use it if you have it