Blackhawk Pilot

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for some career advise. I'm currently flying UH-60L's for the Army National Guard on an active duty stint. I'll be coming off active duty in September and returning back to my Guard unit in my home state. Before being offered my Blackhawk slot with the Guard I was on the usual CFI-Regional-Major route that many take. I worked as a CFII/MEI my last 2 years of college while working towards my aviation undergrad degree. I've also done some on-demand charter flying. I currently have about 1300TT FW with a little over 300ME and 150 turbine. Thanks to Uncle Sam I now have just under 500TT RW, all turbine, and around 400ME RW. In a few months my active duty gravy train will be coming to an end and I will go back to flying Blackhawks part time in the Guard. I had always planned on getting on with a regional and building 121 experience while still flying in the Guard and hopefully moving on one day to a major or a cooperate/fractional job. I've already applied to a handful of regionals even though I wont be able to start work until the fall. A part of me still wants to make flying my civilian career and another part of me wants to work for the government. So here's my dilemma....I spoke with my Commander of my Guard unit the other day about my career options when I return back home. I was curious if I would be able to get a full time AGR job with the Guard which pays very well and offers great job security and a great retirement plan. He didn't think an AGR job would be available in the near future for me. His recommenndation is to go back to school and get a master's. It would help out down the road when I'm up for O-4 and beyond. I'd study either political science or public administration (MPA). I could land one of those sought after AGR jobs with more education or land a good GS type government job. The Guard will flip the bill for the master's degree and I could still "Guard Bum" while I go to school full time. I'd make about $30K-$35K a year Guard bumming. My wife is a teacher so we would be a 2 income family with no kids yet. On one hand a free master's degree is a heck of a deal and if I'm ever going to get one this is the time. Once kids come into the equation I can't imagine ever being able to go back to school full time. On the other hand another 2 years of racking up RW time and no FW time isn't exactly helping my civiilian flying career. I'm hoping that being duel qualified would open doors for me down the road with a job but unless I have FW jet time I dont see it being very helpful. I know the issues with the regionals as for as QOL and pay. Pay isn't as big as a factor for me since I will still be bringing in money flying in the Guard in addition to what I would make at a regional. What would you do in my situation? Should I get a master's degree and see where that leads me or should I start my civilian flying career?

globalexpress

I'd go for the free Master's Degree and worry about the regional airline career later.

rickair7777

The answer is...it depends.

If you want to fly for a living, better go get some seniority and turbine PIC.

If you want to work in military, government, or industry get the masters...it's the new High School Diploma.

Some folks will tell you that a significant percentage of pilots hired by major airlines have masters degrees. This is true, but a significant percentage of pilots hired by major airlines are also ex-military and most of them had an opportunity to get a free masters along the way. A masters will help a little with airlines but nowhere near as much as quality flight time and internal recs.

Blackhawk Pilot

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure why this thread got moved from the regional section to the recruiter section though. My intent wasn't to get airline interview advice but rather to get advice from current regional airline pilots on what they thought I should do based on their experience.

Av8tion

I don't think there's a regional pilot out there that wouldn't say "go for the degree"

The truth is the 121 industry is too random and unpredictable to have ANY job security... and you're better off finding a better paying job somewhere else... get the Masters and you won't regret it...

rickair7777

That depends though. I would agree that many career regional pilots would say that, but if your goal is to move on to a major it might be better to get the flight time first.

Basically this is a question of what do you want to do when you grow up? A masters is not going help a career pilot a lot (a little, yes), and it is probably not going to enhance his income or QOL while working at an airline.

A masters is only going to provide better income and QOL if you don't pursue a flying career. In that case, it's a must because you will get first crack at the best jobs, and get paid more for basically the same work (especially in government).

Exception would be if you get a pharmacy, PA, nursing, CPA, computer programming, etc degree...those are flexible and portable, and can provide both supplemental income and a back-up career (both are very important to a civilian pilot, without a backup skill you are almost guaranteed financial ruin at least once in your career ).

Blackhawk Pilot

Thanks for the great responses so far. I'm definitely at a crossroads. I've always wanted to fly professionally. But the older I get QOL and a good retirement are increasingly becoming more important to me. If I could hand pick the perfect flying job for myself it would not be with a 121 carrier. Ultimately I would love to fly in a cooperate setting for a company that operates both business jets and helicopters. I met a pilot once who flew for an NFL team. He was a former Army RW pilot who did the regionals for a few years and ended up getting a job flying for that team because they need people who could be qualified to fly both their jets and their helicopter. He absolutely loves his job and is making as much as a pilot with a major. But for me to ever be able to get a job similar to that I would need jet experience. I could go to school and seek out part time 135 work but I don't know how many opportunities will be available in my area. If I decided not to pursue flying professionally I would want to work in a government agency, dept of homeland security, VA, FAA all come to mind. With my military background and a Master's in either Public Administration or Political Science, I could qualify to start out at the GS9-GS11 level. That would be a very stable, good paying job. Another option would be to try to get a full time job with the National Guard. Again, good pay and security. It wouldn't be a full time flying job as those tend to go to the Warrant Officers. It would most likely be at the state level working at the Guard headquarters. I'm about to pin on O-3 and as I continue to move up in rank I would have an increasing influence over not just our aviation assets but all Guard assets for my state. I know more education is never a bad thing. But I'm about to turn 31 and I fear that if I sit out of the 121 world much longer the window will close for good. I know I'm lucky to be in a position to have options. I'm just finding it difficult to decide what is best for my family and for myself both personally and professionally. It is definitely time for me to either sh!t or get of the pot.

zondaracer

Is CBP an option? Govt work, FW and RW aircraft, although I'm not sure if you could fly both at the same time.

Ottopilot

You'll make more in the guard and get more education. If you really want the airlines, go to the regionals and work on your master's online in the hotel. I did my master's at the regionals.