Any Retired AD Non-Flyers Out There
02-12-2022, 03:29 PM
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,622
Originally Posted by 135tankerdriver
Just have a few serious questions for you…
How has your the flying schedule affected your body/mind?
What are you gonna do when you’re 66?
Have you asked your family how they feel about you being gone and if so what did they say?
You mentioned... “the cost of ownership/operation/taxes (everything's paid for) of the house and toys far exceed "half of a military retirement" pay.” Just curious what numbers you’re using for mil retirement pay? And are we talking McMansion and Corvette, Boats, etc. or are you talking 2500 sq/ft house with a Miata?
“A good man spends quality time with his family while he’s alive” - random secular humanist
How has your the flying schedule affected your body/mind?
What are you gonna do when you’re 66?
Have you asked your family how they feel about you being gone and if so what did they say?
You mentioned... “the cost of ownership/operation/taxes (everything's paid for) of the house and toys far exceed "half of a military retirement" pay.” Just curious what numbers you’re using for mil retirement pay? And are we talking McMansion and Corvette, Boats, etc. or are you talking 2500 sq/ft house with a Miata?
“A good man spends quality time with his family while he’s alive” - random secular humanist
02-12-2022, 09:37 PM
#12
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2016
Posts: 80
Originally Posted by PurpleToolBox
You can be home every day or night if you want. And I couldn't imagine being at the house everyday with nothing to do during the day. "Quality time" is not EVERY day, nor should it in my opinion. Most people I know do not have the time off that I do -- and I'm working full-time. If missing a day of your child's life is important, by all means find another line of work or retire and stay home.
Just have a few serious questions for you…
How has your the flying schedule affected your body/mind?
What are you gonna do when you’re 66?
Have you asked your family how they feel about you being gone and if so what did they say?
You mentioned... “the cost of ownership/operation/taxes (everything's paid for) of the house and toys far exceed "half of a military retirement" pay.” Just curious what numbers you’re using for mil retirement pay? And are we talking McMansion and Corvette, Boats, etc. or are you talking 2500 sq/ft house with a Miata?
“A good man spends quality time with his family while he’s alive” - random secular humanist
02-12-2022, 11:04 PM
#13
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,261
Originally Posted by 135tankerdriver
How has your the flying schedule affected your body/mind?
Full disclosure, I tend to avoid flying when possible. I also try to limit circadian disruption to red-eye equivalent (I'm a night owl and have no trouble staying up late, but don't like getting up early).
Originally Posted by 135tankerdriver
What are you gonna do when you’re 66?
Originally Posted by 135tankerdriver
Have you asked your family how they feel about you being gone and if so what did they say?
My wife complains every now and then. I just remind her what all of her girlfriend's white-collar husbands make working 60 hours/week. Then she S.T.F.U.
That's just me, you do you. If you want to retire in your 40's, you don't permission from anybody here.
02-13-2022, 08:47 AM
#14
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2012
Position: UAL
Posts: 94
Originally Posted by 135tankerdriver
I’m in a similar situation as you; where I think I’ll be able to live off my retirement especially with VA disability. I don’t think a lot of people realize 70% VA disability with an O4 retirement is $75K a year and if you get 100% your making over 90K just to breathe.
While I don't enjoy airports, hotels and pax, being an airline pilot is a great post-military retirement job for me and my family. I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Everyone is different though.
02-13-2022, 11:02 AM
#15
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2016
Posts: 80
Originally Posted by libertyrisk
Just curious, how do you get those numbers? I must be doing something wrong because with 30% VA disability I get roughly $565 a month as a 20 year retired O-4 and roughly $3500 in retirement pay (after taxes).
While I don't enjoy airports, hotels and pax, being an airline pilot is a great post-military retirement job for me and my family. I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Everyone is different though.
While I don't enjoy airports, hotels and pax, being an airline pilot is a great post-military retirement job for me and my family. I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Everyone is different though.
https://www.va.gov/disability/compen...veteran-rates/
LibertyRisk, you for instance don’t get $500ish dollars a month… you only get that amount tax free off your military retirement pay.
50% is the magic number for military retirees. Once you hit 50% you get the VA disability IN ADDITION to your retirement TAX FREE!
Let’s say I have a 20 year O4 retirement which I’m calculating at around $4200/mo. Let’s say I have a 80% VA disability rating with a spouse and one kid I’m looking at $2035/mo for disability (tax free) which comes out to be around $74k. If I have a 100% disability rating I’m looking at $93k with $43k tax free. Let’s say my wife makes $70k a year. At either 80% or 100% disability I’m gonna be pretty picky on what I do for extra income.
02-13-2022, 04:29 PM
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2018
Posts: 2,352
Although I’ve never gone without a paycheck, in the 4 years since I retired, two of them were spent just collecting checks with no responsibility to the company. After a while, I did kind of feel like I needed to do something and eventually went back to bidding a schedule. It’s monkey work. I couldn’t do anything easier for the money. It would be nicer if I could do about 50% of the flying since it’s fairly hard to drop at United, but it’s still a completely different experience than flying for the military. Both good and bad. Good: super easy. low GASF by everybody and everyone. Bad: super easy. low GASF by everybody and everyone.
As a pax carrier, seniority screams by and you’ll be able to pick your schedule in a few years.
As a pax carrier, seniority screams by and you’ll be able to pick your schedule in a few years.
02-15-2022, 02:26 PM
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,622
Originally Posted by 135tankerdriver
Didn’t answer a single question….
Just have a few serious questions for you…
How has your the flying schedule affected your body/min
I'm much more healthier today than I ever was in the military. The military put me in Nutrition Classes where all I learned was meat and fat were bad for you, carbs and sugar are awesome! (sigh) Look at all the bad food choices in the BX and deployed locations. Awful.
What are you gonna do when you’re 66?
Probably use my money to start another job or business if I haven't done so already. 66 is way to young to stop doing everything and whittle away.
Have you asked your family how they feel about you being gone and if so what did they say?
Yes. There are times when you will be gone and miss things ... especially if you have young kids. However, my schedule is still better than anyone I know. So is the paycheck. And with Facetime etc.etc., I'm fairly grounded. Being paycheck to paycheck, gotta go to the BigBX and Commissary to save money doesn't sound appealing -- at all.
You mentioned... “the cost of ownership/operation/taxes (everything's paid for) of the house and toys far exceed "half of a military retirement" pay.” Just curious what numbers you’re using for mil retirement pay? And are we talking McMansion and Corvette, Boats, etc. or are you talking 2500 sq/ft house with a Miata?
Not going to discuss my finances online. However, you sort of put yours out there. You're probably not going into the flying business because you maxed out that "disability" pay. Your comments seem to reveal as if you're excited about your disabilities. Exclamation points even!! If you have legitimate injuries or health issues sustained while flying your tanker, thanks for your service. But if you are one of the ones, and you all know who you are, who sought out every single percent of disability just because you could, shame on you.
“A good man spends quality time with his family while he’s alive” - random secular humanist
Just have a few serious questions for you…
How has your the flying schedule affected your body/min
I'm much more healthier today than I ever was in the military. The military put me in Nutrition Classes where all I learned was meat and fat were bad for you, carbs and sugar are awesome! (sigh) Look at all the bad food choices in the BX and deployed locations. Awful.
What are you gonna do when you’re 66?
Probably use my money to start another job or business if I haven't done so already. 66 is way to young to stop doing everything and whittle away.
Have you asked your family how they feel about you being gone and if so what did they say?
Yes. There are times when you will be gone and miss things ... especially if you have young kids. However, my schedule is still better than anyone I know. So is the paycheck. And with Facetime etc.etc., I'm fairly grounded. Being paycheck to paycheck, gotta go to the BigBX and Commissary to save money doesn't sound appealing -- at all.
You mentioned... “the cost of ownership/operation/taxes (everything's paid for) of the house and toys far exceed "half of a military retirement" pay.” Just curious what numbers you’re using for mil retirement pay? And are we talking McMansion and Corvette, Boats, etc. or are you talking 2500 sq/ft house with a Miata?
Not going to discuss my finances online. However, you sort of put yours out there. You're probably not going into the flying business because you maxed out that "disability" pay. Your comments seem to reveal as if you're excited about your disabilities. Exclamation points even!! If you have legitimate injuries or health issues sustained while flying your tanker, thanks for your service. But if you are one of the ones, and you all know who you are, who sought out every single percent of disability just because you could, shame on you.
“A good man spends quality time with his family while he’s alive” - random secular humanist
02-17-2022, 07:39 PM
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 523
You make it sound like retiring you’re sitting home and rotting. I know 80 year olds who surf and bike everyday. Of course you can’t do that in Memphis. I just met a guy who retired at 36 and skis everyday. That doesn’t sound like whittling away. There is definitely more to life then work. Living in a state that promotes more than eating helps. California has its issues but if you can afford it there are plenty of healthy lifestyle options. Retiring in your 40’s doesn’t have to be dreadful it can be a wet dream.
02-18-2022, 07:33 AM
#19
Occasional box hauler
Joined APC: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,683
Originally Posted by Gilligan13
You make it sound like retiring you’re sitting home and rotting. I know 80 year olds who surf and bike everyday. Of course you can’t do that in Memphis. I just met a guy who retired at 36 and skis everyday. That doesn’t sound like whittling away. There is definitely more to life then work. Living in a state that promotes more than eating helps. California has its issues but if you can afford it there are plenty of healthy lifestyle options. Retiring in your 40’s doesn’t have to be dreadful it can be a wet dream.
02-18-2022, 03:32 PM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 523
Originally Posted by tnkrdrvr
As someone who retired from the AF in SoCal (then left), I have to call BS on this. If you are willing to rent a very small home, eat frugally, and give up vacations you might be able to make the budget work. However, there is no leftover for skiing (very expensive in California even relative to Colorado), surfing (parking alone would eat you alive), and a good mountain bike will cost you a month’s income. Bring your family along and these expenses explode. You could work part time at a ski resort to cover skiing, a surf shop to cover surfing, or a bike shop to for mountain biking, but you’d be working more hours than If you just took the airline gig.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
