Recency of experience question
 

USAF pilot w/8,000+ hours in C-130 and C-17, IP/EP experience in both. ATP, CFI and Class I. However, been stuck on the staff for 5 years now without professionally flying. Managing to keep my hands in the game on a PA-28, but obviously not the same. Still competitive with NetJets/Flexjets? Sounds like the lifestyle I'm looking for...

Absolutely qualified. Absence from flying easily explained. Recency of experience in GA aircraft demonstrates committment.

I can’t see why you wouldn’t be extremely competetive with either company.

Any chance you can get a flying billet before you separate or has that ship sailed? Or, if you’re already out and can’t get an interview, maybe get into a Guard unit and requal there if that’s an option?

Good luck. In this pilot market, you won’t be unemployed for long.

Recency of experience
 

USAF pilot w/8,000+ hours in C-130 and C-17, IP/EP experience in both. ATP, CFI and Class I. However, been stuck on the staff for 5 years now without professionally flying. Managing to keep my hands in the game on a PA-28, but obviously not the same. Still competitive with NetJets/Flexjets? Sounds like the lifestyle I'm looking for...


Thanks for the reply and perspective. Flying again for USAF is over, very stingy with AO's on the staff. Coming up on 30 years service anyway, so this will be my sole employment. Having watched most of my peers leave the service for civilian flying, would like to try it for a while. The 7/7 schedule sounds great. QoL over $$.

I'm 27 years TT in the Air Force, been on a staff job for last 2 years and got hired with 5900 TT C-5.

Just for a bit of perspective, you will work those 7 days on. Most majors you won’t work more than half the days, and would pay a lot more. I work for Spirit, and worked fractional for 8 years before, and this is the easier job. Second year pay at NJ on the 7/7 is 66K, to make that at spirit you would need to get 600 hours credit, so work about 10 days a month, and the difference only goes up from there. Future upgrades are always a guesstimate, but I expect spirit to go up to 5-6 years, and NJ to come down to maybe 7. As a 7 year captain on the 7/7 you make 130K, I already made 180K+ this year as a 5 year captain and I don’t work more than 15 days a month because I commute (definitely would be more living in base). Spirit is the worst paying major out there, there is second year wide body FOs at the legacies who make more than I do.
I just helped a friend get on at spirit after 10 years at NJ.....

Good luck with your decision.

I am in the same vote, trying really hard to decide between a wholly owned Direct Entry Captain or NJ. I was impressed with NJ but lots of negativity and seems like hard work compared to 121 world. HELP!!!