SpringLanding

Peacock,

I'm generalizing; my time at the stick while unqualified in t-34 and t-45 probably adds up to 60-80 hours; I'm not sure how many it took to get NATOPs qualified. I'll check today and keep the difference in mind.

SpringLanding

Military time via MSHARP is:
TPT: 1055
FPT: 1020
CPT: 35

Civilian time:

about 75 hrs PIC.

@Peacock Thanks for the impetus to get this correct.

rickair7777

With your current time you would need some time at a regional.

Assuming that's fighter time you would have a reasonable shot of getting called by a major as a current IP with 1500-2000 TT.

But even so there's a chance you'll have to do the regionals anyway.

If it were me, and I get a lot of hours over a few months on mil pay I'd probably stay in for a while.

Peacock

FPT/CPT isn't terribly useful unless you need the PIC to reach ATP mins, which you don't. Major airlines will only count PIC time where you signed for the aircraft, so that removes the majority of your primary/advanced time which is dual received. Pilot credentials and airlineapps basically only have space for PIC and SIC. If you signed it's PIC, everything else goes in the SIC column.

If I were you, I'd take training command orders. Lots of fighter guys are getting the call right at 1500 hours with hornet/harrier/T-45 time. It looks like they are about to get back to flying again and two years should put you where you need to be.

SpringLanding

@rickair7777 and @peacock,

It's normal flight school and then prowler time. Thank you for the advice. CNATRA sounds like the way to go for the next two years.

Otterbox

IUT flights will take a lower priority than advancing Xs in general. During the T-34 fleet downing and T-6B transition you saw long delays in FITU completion timeline as aircraft and Xs were devoted to attempting to clear the backlog of students. Probably 6 months of IUT wouldn't be outside of the realm of possibility once the jets start flying again.

As I understand-

Option 1) stay put finish flying AD with 1350Hrs in the next 1.2 years?

Option 2) pcs to the VTs and finish with >1500hrs in 2 years?

I would go Option 2) for one big reason- the ability to network with all the Resrve pilots already at the airlines and fly with them. There's a chance you'll have to go to a regional regardless of which path you chose. The second option could let you interact with some guys who could pull for you from the inside in the forms or LORs to get your app scored every year, gouge on chief pilot meet and greets and upcoming in house job fairs etc. And you'll get to check the IP box.

SpringLanding

Otterbox,

Thank you. It sounds like if I need to build flight time, it's better to do it while receiving active duty pay, benefits, and having beers in the war room with the weekend guys who are already where I want to be.

In other words, the extra half year or year in a VT is worth more than in a regional.

Otterbox

It will be a slight gamble that you won't get picked up directly from the VTs but you'll be able to check the IP box and network with guys at the majors and providing yourself a pathway to stay flight current in the reserves. I've seen many jet guys get picked up directly from the VTs. Worse case finish your time on AD at the VTs (Don't stay on AD one day longer than you have to) and then go to a regional with a fast upgrade so you can check the 121 box while staying in the SAU.

USMCFLYR

He wouldn't even need the fast upgrade would he Otterbox?

He'll have plenty of PIC time for those that still use that time as a discriminator.

FlyNavyHawkeyes

IUTs will be a priority once training begins due to the low number of qualified IPs.

There's a pretty good understanding in the jet VTs that one IUT X today will get you 2-3 Xs once they're qualled.