No Future Outside
 

Any fellow NFO's, CSO's, or other back-seater types out there currently at or working toward a career in the front seat?

I used to be a Nav but moved forward.

Quite a few of us (from my old ANG unit) went on to be pilots, including for UPS, netjets and jetblue

While the demand for WSOs and GIBs in the civilian world ain't great, so much of the training crosses over that it's relatively easy to become a commercial pilot, little more really than putting in the hours. After that you build time doing whatever is available until you have your needed hours and multi engine time. The regionals will then snap you up in a heartbeat.

I used to fly on the Kc135 as a boom operator in the Air Force. I’m still in the process of finding a flight school in Chicago or Florida.

Plenty of NFOs working their way forward commercially. Get your PPL and then use the GI bill to start collecting your ratings and building hours.

I did it. But I went from NFO to AF guard pilot to regionals to a major. It took me almost 10 years from UPT graduation to the right seat at a major but it's doable. Of course if you go strictly the civilian route take full advantage of your GI benefits to help defray the costs of your ratings. And in this hiring environment you'll probably get to a major quicker.

How is the transition from navy to AF guard? Were you able to transfer your commission or did you have to start from scratch?

Does the big 6 value military aircrew experience even though we weren't the pilots? Also does the Big 6 give a civilian pilot with experience as aircrew in the military preference over a regular civilian pilot? Lastly will having military aircrew experience make up for not having a degree?

A tiny little bit. Basically you need to be competitive as a civilian, and then you might get a little extra consideration. They know that any mil vet is going to be able to show up for work on time, pressed shirt, clean shave, and sober... that's not an automatic with civilians.

Effectively No. In fact, in some hiring situations mil pilot attitudes and stereotypes towards back seaters might possibly work against you.

Frankly in the reserves I see more ship-driver/ground-pounder airline pilots than I ever see NFO's. I can actually think of exactly three NFO airline pilots that I've ever known.

But you do have an advantage, if you chose to make it work for you: The network. Keep it alive, and participate in the reserves in aviation units to maximize your networking opportunities with current airline pilots.


Not unless you're looking for a "career" at a regional airline. If the shortage gets bad enough that might change for civilian pilots in general, but we're not there yet. UAL has shown that they will hire 1500 CFI's before they yield on some of their other requirements... so a degree is worth more to them than turbine experience.

Thank you rickair7777 for the fast response and the valuable information.