resume airline pilot career after 5 yrs off.
11-02-2022, 06:14 AM
#11
All is fine at .79
Joined APC: Sep 2016
Position: Paahlot
Posts: 4,089
Originally Posted by Bocaflyer
Hey all, I have a buddy who is a former 767/737/A320 captain at an airline that went under. She hasn’t flown a plane in 5 years and life has presented an opportunity to resume her flying career. She has 13 year until retirement age.
How does somebody go about doing this? Most airlines want us to have around 200 hours in the previous 12 months (I think). Any insight from someone who has does this would be appreciated. Or if anyone just happens to know what the deal is; I don’t know what airlines want for recent experience to be looked at seriously. Thanks gang.
How does somebody go about doing this? Most airlines want us to have around 200 hours in the previous 12 months (I think). Any insight from someone who has does this would be appreciated. Or if anyone just happens to know what the deal is; I don’t know what airlines want for recent experience to be looked at seriously. Thanks gang.
Going ACMI (Atlas) your friend can retire as a wide body Captain.
11-02-2022, 09:29 AM
#12
On Reserve
Joined APC: Aug 2022
Posts: 15
Originally Posted by Otterbox
10+ years non current? You probably don’t want to go to a legacy directly without some sort of re constituting your aviation baseline. Not that you aren’t capable, but you’ll be better off in a training program that’s used to working with someone with limited experience and getting them upto speed on 121 ops and flying a jet etc. some of it will come back as you go through ATP-CTP and a type rating course. Lots will come back during your first couple hundred hours on the line and regionals are more accustomed to individuals who don’t always fit into a dozen sim footprint and 25hrs of OE.
Thanks again
11-02-2022, 12:48 PM
#14
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2015
Position: Gear slinger
Posts: 2,899
Originally Posted by MightyQ
Thanks, that’s definitely good food for thought and you’re probably right about not diving right into the deep end. As a follow-on question then, would the regionals be interested right off the bat, or would I need to do some work to be competitive for them?
Thanks again
Thanks again
11-03-2022, 01:33 PM
#15
On Reserve
Joined APC: Aug 2022
Posts: 15
Originally Posted by Otterbox
Before their last round of pay raises they were looking for 25-50hrs in the last 12 months. You’re a military pilot so can still upgrade in 500hrs which may peak their interest. Regionals, iAero, Atlas, Frontier all have some version of a RTP program for military so might be good starting points to look into.
11-04-2022, 03:23 AM
#16
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,293
Regionals will hire you in a heartbeat.
Since have crew transport category experience (moblity, MPRA, bombers) you might qualify as a direct entry regional CA, which will come with bonuses.
If you're legal for that, the regionals will probably try to steer you there since they are desperate. I would not accept a DEC position in your case, having never flown 121 and nothing recently that would be a bridge too far for most people... if you do make it on line you'd then be threading a fine line between getting fired for not completing missions vs getting violated by the FAA (or worse). There's just too much to learn and you won't get it all from manuals or IOE. You really want six months on line as an FO, or 300-500 hours IMO.
Since have crew transport category experience (moblity, MPRA, bombers) you might qualify as a direct entry regional CA, which will come with bonuses.
If you're legal for that, the regionals will probably try to steer you there since they are desperate. I would not accept a DEC position in your case, having never flown 121 and nothing recently that would be a bridge too far for most people... if you do make it on line you'd then be threading a fine line between getting fired for not completing missions vs getting violated by the FAA (or worse). There's just too much to learn and you won't get it all from manuals or IOE. You really want six months on line as an FO, or 300-500 hours IMO.
11-04-2022, 02:24 PM
#18
On Reserve
Joined APC: Aug 2022
Posts: 15
Rickair7777, Oh gosh, yeah I don’t think I’d want to go direct entry to captain. Maybe my opinion will change after I get recurrent but for know I think I’d be a frazzled mess for quite a while if I went straight to captain. Glad to know my experience would be in demand though.
Galaxy_flyer, in 2013 I was staring down a UAV assignment but at the last minute I got picked up to learn Russian and become a Foreign Area Officer, and the process of learning the language, going to grad school and getting through my first FAO assignment was 7 years(!). Then I asked for another FAO assignment so I could rejoin my spouse in DC - I honestly thought I was out of opportunities to fly again but now I’m hoping the airline situation stays the way it is and I can get back in the cockpit. But btw, how do you find airline flying as compared to AMC? I imagine it’s less exciting but comfier?
Galaxy_flyer, in 2013 I was staring down a UAV assignment but at the last minute I got picked up to learn Russian and become a Foreign Area Officer, and the process of learning the language, going to grad school and getting through my first FAO assignment was 7 years(!). Then I asked for another FAO assignment so I could rejoin my spouse in DC - I honestly thought I was out of opportunities to fly again but now I’m hoping the airline situation stays the way it is and I can get back in the cockpit. But btw, how do you find airline flying as compared to AMC? I imagine it’s less exciting but comfier?
11-13-2022, 09:27 AM
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2022
Posts: 104
Originally Posted by MightyQ
Awesome, thanks a ton! This calms my nerves a bit for when I think about post-retirement plans.
11-13-2022, 06:06 PM
#20
Gets Weekends Off Rarely
Joined APC: Feb 2019
Posts: 185
Originally Posted by MightyQ
I’m in the same boat, but when I retire from the AF in 2024 it’ll be 11 years since I last flew in 2013. I’ve got ~3000 hours (C-17) and plan to get back up to speed with a civilian flight instructor in the next few months. My plan is to try to do an internship with somebody like NetJets or WheelsUp in the last six months of active duty, to get ATP and some hours, but haven’t contacted them yet to see if they’re interested. Would that be an ok way to get recency? Any hope of getting picked up by a legacy carrier right away after retirement? I’m having a heck of a time determining how much the pilot shortage balances out my ten years out of the cockpit.
Hi MightyQ, I was in a similar situation and I’m now at a major. PM’d you and happy to chat.
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