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Old 01-18-2008, 08:27 AM
  #5  
rickair7777
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Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
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You are approaching this carefully...that's good.

Sounds to me like you would be suited for either route...so why not do both?

The ideal "dual track" is Air National Guard/AF Reserve because you can get hired off the street, spend a couple years on active duty in training, and then resume your civilian career in parallel with the military. Numerous advantages: Pick your military base location, pick your aircraft (or at least rule out helos), not be forced to relocate every three years. You will also be VERY competetive for a major airline job prior to age thirty. Getting a guard pilot slot requires a great deal of intiative and legwork, people on these forums can point you in the right direction.

Doing regular active duty military is a great way to break into aviation, and will put you far ahead of your civilian peers in compensation and airline job opportunities. There's just one big downside: There is no guarantee that you will be assigned fixed-wing aircraft. If you get assigned helo's, that flight time does not count for major airlines (and only one regional that I know of). After your intial operational helo tour you would have to attempt to get a fixed wing Instructor Pilot slot teaching entry-level military pilots to get your FW time up.
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