Wondering if some of our colleagues flying for the various branches of the armed forces could take a stab at how many pilots retire or leave each year. Military aviators are very popular with HR departments at the majors (and deservedly so) so I'm trying to get a guesstimate on how many service members are available for hire from each branch annually. Just how deep is the military pool?

 

Past figures won't apply to the numbers today with all the cutbacks about to hit. There will most likely be a huge wave.

 

U.S. GAO - Aviation Workforce: Current and Future Availability of Airline Pilots

According to this study, 2400 military pilots retire/seperate per year.

 

Hard to estimate this year for sure. I am AD Marines separating this summer. The Corps is offering a 12 year Major around $200K to get out and not go all the way to retirement. Plus a good deal of guys were holding in place waiting for the hiring to begin. If I stumble across anything with numbers estimates I will post.

 

Hmm,, that is an interesting statement. I have worked for a major airline for over 35 years and have spent the majority of it working in the training department.

I have seen and experienced all types of backgrounds from zoomies in Colorado that fly airshows to Beech 18 pilots flying chickens out west.

I have the greatest respect for ALL backgrounds but in MY experience, the military pilot is a "better trained" pilot however they are NOT always the BETTER pilot.

OC

 

Standing by with popcorn.

 

This thread is now toast.

 

Now that is funny.

My lottery number was 325 in 1973 and was enrolled in the AVROC program at my little college in Louisiana. Was rifted when I dropped to part time one semester (recruiter said there was a 10 month backlog on pilots getting training slots and the Navy was looking for ways to slim the applicants since the end of Vietnam had created a surplus of pilots).

The thread shouldn't be toast, I stand by my statement that military trained doesn't make you a better pilot, just a better trained pilot.

Sorry to disappoint, but I respect all backgrounds equally!

Fly safe,

OC

 

I agree 100%. When I worked as an instructor in the 727 program, 2 of my most difficult students were former Navy F-18 pilots. We called them HUD babies back then. IMO only, and this is IMO, pilots coming from regionals and former F-4 pilots are the only ones qualified immediately for the airline industry. Guess which one is TIC.

 

I believe it's a mistake to think that ALL separating or retiring military pilots want to fly for the airlines - especially those retiring who have probably been in staff/management positions for ten years. When I retired it was a choice of JR FO at a major airline or a management position paying twice what I made in the USAF. No contest plus I was home every night.

The military (USAF/USN joint programs) train about 1200 pilots a year and I expect that to decrease. Assuming 1200 leave the military each year and 1/3 of them have no desire to fly for the airlines, that leaves about 800 military pilots applying to the airlines. A certain portion of them will go cargo or executive.

There is a "pent up demand" right now where a higher number of military pilots are available. There will be a RIF (reduction in force) in the near future and some younger pilots will separate. One of their problems might be low flight time and no ATP. I Think when it all "settles down" there may be about 600-700 former military pilots available to the industry each year.

This is a guess on my part and would welcome someone else's opinion.