Window of Opportunity
 

I'll be retiring from the AF this summer with 6K total hrs including 5K PIC. I've had my apps into multiple companies for in some cases several months and have so far heard exactly squat from any of them. I'm starting to get a little concerned and am now looking for backup non-flying employment. I will likely have my last flight this June and am wondering what my window of opportunity will be to get hired after that assuming I stop flying completely.

Some may consider me short-sighted, but I have no intention of trying to get a regional airline job to keep actively flying in the interim. . . Nothing against the regionals or the folks who fly there. . . it's just not for me.

I'm sorry you haven't heard from anyone yet, but I've heard similar stories from other guys. One guy I talked to got out as an 0-4, did some substitute teaching, interviewed at every guard unit he could find, and worked construction for 8$/hr until he got a job with Comair. He's now at FDX. I truly hope you get on where you want to, we could always use more good AF types at FDX, in the meantime, however, I would strongly consider bringing the regionals into your crosscheck. I've met a ton of guys at my company who came from Pinnacle, AirTran, Comair, etc. My best AF buddy worked at Netjets for about a month until he got hired at SWA. I remember many years ago when my dad retired from the AF and was unemployed for 6 months until he got some job offers. He was a wreck the whole time. You need to keep flying, bottom line, if you want to keep the airlines an option.

My guess would be six months, MAYBE one year tops, but you would absolutely have to fly a GA light twin on the side to stay legally current.

If you want to fly, do the regional thing until something better comes along.

Keep Flying Something
 

It took 6 months after retirement to start my first airline job. That was when times were relatively good. I would recommend you try to find something to keep flying. I'm not saying you necessarily have to take the first thing that comes along, but find something you could "tolerate" for a while until you can get on with the carrier you really want. If not regionals (which I wouldn't necessarily completely rule out) then a fractional or cargo outfit. You don't even have to be flying full time, just enough to continue to meet recency expectations of hiring companies. Don't get discouraged and continue to network. Now is the time to have your friends walk in your resume or lobby at the ACPs office. I think these days most companies are waiting until you are actually available before they invite you for an interview. You may be able to get better advice if you disclose who you have actually applied to already and what companies you are targeting. Each carrier has their own quirks and hoops to jump through. If you've only had your apps in for a couple of months, it may be a couple of more months before you hear from anyone. It depends on how many apps they have received in front of yours and how much they are hiring if at all. Hang in there and good luck....ExAF

Steam, I think you may have underestimated the job market. Things are still pretty tight out there and being military is a plus but not a free pass to the front of the line. I'm not sure what your definition of 'several months' is but it can take over a year easily to get called at FDX or UPS these days...and that's for an interview not a class date. If I were you, I'd seriously consider one of the better regionals in the interim. You DO NOT want to go non-current if you want to fly for a living. Part 121 on your resume will only help your cause if you don't get hired as quickly as you hope to. Also, you may want to try an Air Inc., job fair.

I had a buddy separate in July '05, fini-flight was in June '05. He didn't interview until late January - early February '06. I know he wasn't actively flying. I think he hooked up with someone and flew maybe once every two months at the most. He got hired and started in September '06. He had quite a break between flying regularly and starting with the airline, but made it there and is loving life now!

What companies have you applied to? They may not be hiring anyone right now.

For example, UPS and Fedex were considered to be in a big hiring boom only a few months ago and currently it's tough to get a call from either one. UPS won't even let you fill out an application.

By all accounts, SWA is hiring gangbusters right now. The only limfac on their growth right now appears to be the number or new 737's they can buy. I would think a military retiree with a 737 type would be called within a couple months right now.

I recently had a military friend hired at Delta and it looks like they're ramping up pretty good.

Another mil-retired buddy of mine just took a job with AirTran after almost a year of not flying.

So the real question is, where have you applied and what are your limitations?

I was in a similar boat. I separated without hearing anything from the airlines at all. I did apply to regionals just in case and got responses from them quickly, but they would be my absolutely last resort.

After about a month being unemployed, without doing any flying, I got two calls nearly back to back from CAL and from SWA. Interviewed with both and got hired by both. I did everything I could to make myself competitive. Job Fairs I think helped with CAL since I didn't really know anyone there, and I also got a 737 type for SWA.

It's been almost 4 mos now being unemployed and I haven't done any flying since separating. If I wasn't in any airline pool, I would at least visit my local FBO to keep my flying hours going.

I know a Colonel who is about to retire that wanted to get with SWA. He got his 737 type and applied online only to get a call from HR that his recency of flying hours weren't enough. He was coming off a staff job without flying. Had over 5k of PIC in F-16 but hadn't flown in a couple of years.

Needless to say, he was totally devastated and out 8k.

I start terminal next week. Started sending out resumes back in Oct. Got an interview with Evergreen right away, even tho they knew I wasn't available till 1 Apr. Was put in the pool, and told they'd call me back probably in March. Didn't hear anything else from anyone until...

8 Mar called by Gemini for interview, scheduled it for 15 Mar.
14 Mar, got call back from EZ with a class date in mid-April
15 Mar, offered job at Gemini, starting 2 Apr.
19 Mar, called by Southern looking to fill 2 Apr class.

The way they each made it sound, the ACMI and smaller carriers don't schedule training and line up bodies way out in the future the way the AF does. Too much likelihood that things will change, so they wait till the last minute. Don't fret not getting a call yet Your "availability date" on your resume isn't gonna make them -not- call, they'll just wait till they're closer to actually needing you.

The stress of not knowing anything until 2 weeks till terminal starts has certainly taken a toll on the family. I too had started looking at other employment, getting my real estate license, getting a civil service or State Dept job, or starting up a franchise. In the (very) end it worked out, and I'm gonna go with Gemini. Good luck to you.