Petie25

I searched for this topic but did not find any information. I plan on retiring from the Air Force in Oct '19. When should I start submitting my apps? Additionally, I will have been instructing sims, with no actual flight experience, for 4 years by then. My expectation is that the majors will ignore me until I have 6-9 months of flying experience with wither a 121 or 135 op. Is this realistic?

Otterbox

Apply 12 months out from terminal leave date. 4 years is a long time so it could be longer than 6-9 months depending on the rest of your resume. Go part 121.

flensr

I had a 5 year gap in flying when I left the military. I started submitting apps to realistic targets *after* my retirement date because I had some things I wanted to do between retirement and getting a new job. I got a skywest interview immediately (day after submitting app) and that would have been sufficient to start building time. I got a couple of legacy/major interviews just over 1 year after I started flying again.

I suggest casting a wide net at first, but take whatever reasonable offer that gets you flying again. If you're short PIC time and have choices, consider picking one that gets you PIC time soonest. A few of my mil friends went skywest to build time/recency and seem happy with that path.

You can apply pretty much any time (12 months prior to availability seems to be about the longest reasonable timeframe) and it won't hurt you as long as you tell them up front what your availability date really is.

Sliceback

Get your CFI. Military equivalency transfer. Start doing some outside flying.

Some of the majors will hire you if you have 100 hrs of flight time in the previous year IF the rest of your resume is appropriate. For awhile it was in "something at least an RJ size". That changed to "anything." "Anything" isn't that tough a hurdle.

It might be worth tens, or hundreds, of thousands if you get hired earlier.

Start yesterday.

A regional will hire you in a heartbeat. Getting 121 experience is the best thing you can do to improve your resume once you retire.

Good luck and enjoy the ride.

Boondoggle

I’ve heard most majors won’t call until 3-4 months out from listed availability date.

kme9418

Nobody really knows unless they are on the hiring team. Rumor is that some airlines look at how long your application has been on file. It pays to submit it now (with your honest availability date) so that the computer can start scoring it for "length of time on file".

BigIron

https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/military/56541-timing-your-exit-2011-update.html