Am I crazy for wanting to go to the Army??
 

Hi guys, Im currently an FO at a regional. Im seriously thinking about taking a LOA to go to the army to fly helo's.

Is this a bad idea????

I know all the army guys leave the army for the airlines but I just think I would be a great experience and not as boring as fling from MIA to CLE.

Do you want to fly helos or be an airline pilot as a long term goal?

If you’re young enough to get into the military you’d have a long airline career. Each additional year at the end of a major airline career is worth approx $600,000. Exactly how bored are you? $600,000? $1.2 million? $1.8 million? $2.4 million?

If anything I’d try to get a major job and then leave.

Reposted for Emphasis....

If age and timing work, get a major job first.

USERRA will allow you to perform initial military training and all incurred AD obligations and still return with seniority intact (as though you never left). This applies to either guard/reserve or regular AD, ie you could join AD do ten plus years, and come back as though you had never left seniority and pay wise. Obviously better to be at a major than a regional in that case.

Why do you want to fly in the army?

Airline flying is boring. I feel sorry for guys who started in their 20’s and have 30+ years of that to contend with. Flying in the army is fun and will give you life long memories. Do it in the national guard and you can do both!

Take the hitch. There's more to life than money. Believe it or not, there was a time when metrics of success included other things besides the bank account.

If you want to fly helicopters, then go Army. If you want to fly as a military aviator (rotary-wing aside) then fly AFR.

Cheers,
G

A lot to be said for this, Check out the Guard as it's awesome. Remember half or better of what you make goes to the EX!

Go in as a Warrant Officer only if you want to fly more than PowerPoint, Excel, and a desk!