PSA

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Highest paying Regional as of last week or two increases.
Flow to AA in your back pocket just in case.

I am in no way associated with PSA. The regional industry is very dynamic and they just seem to currently be the best option.

It changes frequently.

 

Hey Capt,
I did 130s and then T-44 King Air IP in AETC. Got my ATP/737 type to leave active duty and the economy crashed. Went Guard drones (1s, now 9s) for a few years till the economy improved and some medical waivers could go through.



Saw that everybody was starting hiring. Joined an Army contractor flying 300-350s. 1 month training, then 2 months deployed. Quick and easy for a mil guy with a current TS. Select your contract to be an AIR FORCE contract, not Army. I got QUICK currency and lotsa hours, but painfully so. The $ was good but being in the sandbox....again, sucked. But I hung with the Bulgarian Army and had the best of rip-its. Your ISR experience will be invaluable there as they are non kinetic assets. I'm sure you've seen all the callsigns in your keypads around you.



If you go the 121 route, it will be 2-3 months of training, then another 2-3 months till you get the magic 100 "current" hour mark depending on your IOE schedule etc... There are bonuses but read the fine print, you may not get them. The recruiters left a lot out like a car salesman.



I went regionals after my ISR company lost the contract and taking the advice to get 121 time, but at $1900 a month take-home, its a tough sell. I've depleted all my savings going this route for so long.



I DO like being near home though and in a hotel. None of the military guys I know who joined my regional with me have been picked up by a major once they got "current" though, kind of slow and not the quick "you'll be out of here once you get currency" expectation I had.



As for SWA, they note they want the last THREE years of flying, so that eliminates any 11X guys from just getting current and applying there. Still apply though, break the mold for us.



I have not heard of FedEx hiring King Air ISR guys directly but Atlas has hired a dozen in the last few months. I would be hopeful that if you went ISR, as soon as you get 100 hours you'd pop up on FedEx's hireable list given all your mil experience. As always, check that app and update it.



TLDR:
One way makes you quick money and hours while being gone 2mo at a time, the other is slower and poorer but stateside and needs less body armor and life insurance.

 

As for SWA, they note they want the last THREE years of flying, so that eliminates any 11X guys from just getting current and applying there. Still apply though, break the mold for us.



Even though this isn’t the swa forum, I’m curious as to where you saw that. I wasn’t aware that had changed. This is vfr direct from the swa pilot credentials qualifications page:

Currency: Experience should include actively flying two of the last five years.

 

I agree Yard, "should" shall will etc.... I was asked specifically about 3 years so I am going off of my experience.

To keep it back on topic, I would nudge any guy to get any currency, your mil. experience is the big multiplier and most majors only need currency in the last year.

ISR contractors don't though, and that may be a way in for centerline thrust guys to learn multi engine and get a type rating quickly since they already have a valuable TS clearance.

 

Hey guys, I’ve enjoyed reading the threads and curiosity has gotten the better of me so I have to ask:

I’m a Navy F-18 guy looking at my options in the next year or two and FedEx certainly seems like a dream job for me. I’m anticipating having roughly 2000TT at the time I’d apply - 1500 TPIC hours (about 1250 or so in the Hornet a lot of those hours coming in the Asia/Pacific AOR, the rest from T-45/T-6) and an additional 500 in various light pistons.

So the question is, how competitive would this make me? I read so many posts of guys fortunate to have at least 3x my flight hours and it leaves me feeling like I’d have little to no shot.

I realize there is probably no definitive answer, but I appreciate any insight anyone would like to give.

 

For mil fighters, I'd say you're right in the sweet spot. Keep updating regularly and get in touch with any FedEx people you may have flown with in the past.

 

Quick question for FedEx application requirements. I am a former F-16 guy thinking about leaving the Air Force at my 10-year commitment. I have around 1350 total hours and have 2 years of my commitment left. 875 hours are F-16 PIC hours and 115 are T-38 PIC (currently an IFF instructor) which are all the hours I can count toward the >12,500 GTOW requirement. As a single-seat fighter guy I don’t benefit from SIC time per the FAA definition. Has FedEx ever used a fighter conversion since SIC doesn’t help? Bottom line, based on the requirements, I have to get 1500 PIC (signing for the jet) since I cant log SIC and FedEx doesn’t use total time.

Any help is appreciated.

Cheers!

 

Just as an aside (nothing to do with FX hiring), although there are some folks who parrot that line, in my experience just a few years ago this wasn't the case for the majority of guys in that situation.

Although there are a few folks who "get current" then get a major interview and leave, those guys were outliers. The majority of guys (myself included) were at the regionals 1-2 years before getting called up to the big leagues.

I think going through the regionals is a great route for a number of reasons, but people have to expect to be there 18-24 months on average....some longer, and some not as long. If you are emotionally and financially prepared to be there that long it'll be a much easier ride.

 

Want to say the true mins to apply are 1000.

And yes, general ROT is an extra .2 or .3 per sortie.

No clue how to “document” that with the new application process, nor whether it would be required to do so. I’d just be prepared to discuss your numbers should you be lucky enough to interview

(or message Albie15/contact an interview prep course since they’ll have the best information/recommendations)

 

Does anybody know how FedEx notifies you after the interview if you were successful or not? If you were not successful does anybody know what process that is? Email or letter? Thanks!


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