The concept of a "fly-only" track definitely needs some fleshing out prior to implementation. The thought of staying in the cockpit for 20 years, guaranteed to make O-5 provided you don't step on your junk along the way is a start. The needs to be better, much better. I separated after 10 1/2 years on Active Duty and finished up my last 16 in the AF Reserve. It took a while before my combined AF/Airline pay matched and surpassed the pay comensurate with an AD O-4/O-5 on the bonus. As many of you know, it is not about the money because I had the opportunity to return to active duty and I had no desire to do so. I won't state the reasons why because they've been hashed out multliple times on this forum over the years. I agree that retention is the issue and not production. How long does it take to season a 12-15 year AF pilot? About 12-15 years!
Back to the idea of the "fly-only" track, there are some concepts needing some serious thought for it to be appealing. Granted, I have hindsight and the 2005 version of me would not have the experience and wisdom to recognize how importnat some of these concepts are.
1. The MDS Vol 3 needs stronger "contractual" type language. Ask a TR or Guardsman who is voluntarily/involuntarily activated on flying orders. They will fly you to the maximum, calculate your post mission crew rest to the minute, and send you back out again.
- That pace is manageable for a short season, but over a career, that would be brutal. Imagine trying to have and raise a family with a pace like that. Granted, that pace would not be perpetual, but would be brutal nonetheless. Our current MDS Vol 3 and 202-v3 talk about crew rest. Other than calling "Safety of flight," it is very difficult to turn down a mission.
- There are no protections to the hotel language...wait, there is no hotel language. How many have come off a long crew duty day, show up at ETAR lodging only to wait hours for a room. Or, there are no rooms and you get the coveted Non-A slip and then find your own room. And when you have to get a taxi, get a room at/under the per diem rate, you get screwed over by your finance office when you file your voucher. Oh yeah, and during that whole time you are trying to procure a room for you and the crew, your crew rest is eaten up and expected to still be ready for the same report time tomorrow. TACC says you got your minimum crew rest, so you must be good to go. Again, your only tool is "Safety of flight."
2. Flight pay / Pilot Bonus
-. Monthly fight pay needs a huge increase. Yeah, people will complain. My response: "To be where I am, you have to go where I've been.:
- The Bonus: This is where I am torn. With hingsight and where I am now (two airlines and a furlough), I ask myself how much the bonus would need to be for me to stay in. The 10 year 2006 Captain version of me would have jumped at a $50K/year bonus to stay in. The grizzled retired O-5 version of me would say that is no where near enough. The ACIP bonus is no where near $50/year Knowing what I know now and how those next ten years would have been, the current bonus is grossly inadequate. If I could go back in time and whisper in my younger version's ear, I would recommend accepting no less than $75K/year ( I would also tell him to invest in Google and Amazon). I said earlier it is not about the money, but I probably would fold if presented with that amount.
3. Quality of Life
- To numerous to list here. The queep is the queep. I retired almost a year ago and I do not miss the queep. I do not miss fighting to get paid for every cent I am owed and not a penny more.
I am sure many can add to this list. I am curious to hear what other's thoughts are regarding how much the bonus would have to be for y'all to stay in knowing what y'all know now.
Alas, I don't see any major changes. On the day that President Trump shut down the economy in 2020, I am sure some staff officer woke with a smile and shortsightedly thought the pilot retention problem was solved. There was talk of reducing or eliminating the bonus. How wrong they were!! I see increased UPT service commitments. They were 6 years, I was at 8 years..now it is 10 years... standby for 12 years.
I loved flying in the AF and wouldn't change a thing. If I were king, I would increase the USAFR/ANG footprint with a simpler roadmap to return to active duty for those wanting to jump back for reasons such as furlough, loss of medical qualification, etc.
Just my humble thoughts..
Fly Safe.
C17D