Hacker15e

I'm guessing you haven't heard Albie relate the story of why Charlie Venema, the one-time manager of pilot hiring at United, initiated the requirement for military guys to be current to be hired (of which the rest of the industry also followed suit).

It wasn't perception that drove Charlie to do it. It was actual observed performance in training at United.

Somewhere here on APC Albie posted about it, and he discusses it in the ECIC seminars.

Facts, not feelings.

Otterbox

Unfortunately there’s more reality to back up that perception. It’s fairly common for non current military folks to exceed training footprint. It’s rare, but occasionally a non current prior military pilot will wash out of a 121 training syllabus, but it’s far more common to see a 10-20% increase in the number of training events required to get non current military pilots completing a 121 syllabus.

Sure, one an individual level 1-2 extra training events aren’t unreasonable but when you add up events across a group, that’s a lot folks that could have been trained in footprint with those overages.

Regional airlines no longer have much of a choice to not take non current military folks thanks to the effects of the pilot shortage but the majors are still flush with qualified applicants and can afford to dictate terms.

ChrisInWI

Would agree with just about everything in this post. I retired early this year with 2 years out of the cockpit and the phone never rang. Been flying the line at a regional since June and the phone is already ringing. What I would offer from my minimal but recent experience is first year at an airline is very tough schedule-wise. I've been told this is the case up and down the industry. If you sell your soul to fly weekends as you wrap your mil career so as to get 100hrs of recentcy your family may jettison you by the time you get past your first year in an airline (that would be 3 years without you if my math is correct). If you don't have a family you may have some challenges showing you're a balanced person in an interview if you've done nothing but work...There is a threat that might come thru and alter the perception you want to portray to a potential employer that wants to see the 'whole-person' that will greet customers at the end of the jetway.

Being a member of the military post graduate system/check of the month club will put you ahead of your peers financially and can help make the ends meet but with a little less overlap than you're accustomed to. Regional training was more demanding than I originally thought but have found the challenge enjoyable...especially after a staff job where I didn't fly.

This is my $.02 but I would focus on your command as your subordinates depend on you to be there 24-7/365 for all the messy command level issues you will face along with the extracurriculars expected of a commander. Sprint across the finish line in full stride. Spend your free time laying out your exit strategy that will bring to bear the strength of your military career. Throw the apps out a year plus prior and watch the bobbers till you're 3 months out and if the phone hasn't rung have a back up plan to freshen up your resume somehow. Again, 121 time seems to be the elixir to the lack of recentcy but there are other options that seem to work as well.


Good luck and congrats on command