Kodak

Hello all,

first post, as I thought this day would not be coming so soon.

I am Active Duty AF, F-15C pilot with 490 F-15 hrs, 25 AT-38C hrs, 207 Student time (UPT), and approx 500-550 civilian hrs. So TT around 1220-1270.

I have all civilian ratings, Commercial, Instrument, Multi-Engine(no centerline thrust restriction), CFI & CFII.

The AF is offering me early Separation (normal commitment would have me Active Duty till 2017). Anybody have any recommendations as to jobs that would be available/that I would be competitive for with those times?

I've been trying to contact a laundry list of Regionals to get a specific "yes you would be competitive" or "we're not hiring right now", but all have gone to voicemails for their hiring departments.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

rickair7777

Most regionals will hire you in a heartbeat, unless you are really weird at the interview.

A few might decline on the assumption that you will leave soon, but since you are short of turbine PIC, there's a good chance you'll do your time as an FO and then upgrade so you would be worth the training expense.

Also be aware that some regional/civilian pilots got rejected by the military and hold a grudge. Hope you don't get one of these at the interview, and don't make a big deal out of your military experience. Actually odds are you will get an interviewer who knows he's going to hire you anyway, and will just want to shoot the breeze about your fighter experiences.


Skywest has a variety of fighter guys floating around, you might try us.

Kodak

Thanks for the quick reply,

I figured I had a shot. I actually graduated from USU & their flight program that was affiliated with Skywest, so that is actually who I am hoping to get hired on with.

TonyWilliams

Had several military guys in my SkyWest new hire class. One went on to Delta within six months and another was kept busy on the C17 in far off lands.

donk74

Delta... They do not have a PIC requirement. Join a guard unit and be a "guard bum" until you have your PIC Turbine time. Transition to the regionals from AD military is a very tough one.

resetjet

Why do the Mods insist on moving valid threads?

Hacker15e

Just out of curiosity, why do you want to ditch Uncle Sam so soon? The current RIF is "targeting" your year group, but so far as I know 11Fs aren't being told to leave. Sounds like you're seeking out VSP?

You make much better than regional pay, have a better schedule (and probably QOL), have good job security, and have the opportunity for much more interesting flying (so long as you can stiffarm the preds, even if it means going back to a white jet). I know there are a lot of crappy things going on in the USAF right now, but I don't know that any of them are so severe that I'd seek "calmer waters" in the QOL department by working for a regional.

As others have mentioned, the thing keeping you from a major is the PIC turbine, and getting on the regional bandwagon currently means that you're several years away from upgrading. Although a Reserve flying job will go a long way (especially a white jet gig) toward helping, you're still potentially looking at a while flying at the bottom of a regional's seniority list.

Either way, if you do choose to separate, recommend you still find an ANG or Reserve gig even if it's not flying. That will provide a financial (and other) backup that you'll be glad you have.

All that being said -- best of luck if you choose to go, and thanks for your service.

Kodak

Hacker,

I wouldn't be planning on taking the VSP either but....my frau just had a baby & I didn't make it through 4 Flug till after my ADP was submitted for my next assignment...so when I went for my VML I was just a 2E & you guessed it...I got an MQ-9 assignment to Creech. I had already made my peace with it, but when offered the VSP, I've decided that the chance to stay in a cockpit (civilian or otherwise) is what I want to do, especially since there is no guarantee that its not a one way door. With all the Eagle bases closing I already know that I will never fly the C model again, & best case out of the UAV/RPA act would be a white jet or maybe IFF.

On a positive note, Pinnacle just called (I left a message yesterday) & told me that once my paperwork was good that they would call me in for an interview.

HoursHore

My understanding of VSP is it does not prohibit you from getting a reserve job. Many Guard / reserve Units are hiring right now due to the lack of people separating, and the change in AD commitment from 8 to 10 years. I'd definitely line one of these up. I worked for a regional for 2 years post 9/11 before moving on, and without the mil to help out it will almost be un-workable financially, esp with a wife and kid, unless she's a doctor or something.

Hacker15e

Totally valid and understandable reasoning, given the RPA assignment and your desire to fly over just continuing for a longer career with Big Blue.

If you can snag an ANG/Reserve gig (even a non-flying one), that will make the regional pay/QOL easier to stomach, especially with a new baby. FWIW, white/blue jet jobs aren't nearly as bad/boring/painful as they seem from the cockpit of a gray jet. My stint as a blue jet IP was probably the best of my entire career. If you're looking for leads for a Reserve white jet job, PM me and I can send you some names and email addresses.
As has been mentioned, several units are looking for TRs, especially since AETC is trying to get rid of all of the AGR jobs.

Have they actually approved you VSP'ing yet, or are you just applying for it?