rickair7777

FO - CA Upgrade:

Regionals:
Typical: 2.5 - 3.5 years
Widest Range: 0.5 - 10 years
You can actually get hired as a Captain at some regionals (called Street Captain), but these are not the places you probably want to work for a long time. There's usually a reason their FO's are not sticking around.
Regional upgrades can vary greatly depending on who is growing or shrinking as flying is transferred between companies.

Majors:
Typical: 5-12 years
Widest Range: 2 - 99 years
Major upgrades are usually more dependent on demographics (how many old CA's on property), which doesn't change suddenly. Growth (or negative growth) can affect this too, but you can usually see it coming from a distance...no sudden surprises like a regional.

ugleeual

You need to get out when the airlines are hiring... its all about timing (just like the military). I got out at 10 years... worked 2 years for UAL... got furlouged... came back on AD at 12 years and will retire sometime in the next 3-5 years (mil leave)... i'm looking forward to the military retirment this time around (pay mortgage)... but would not change my decision if i had to do it all over again. I will be back on the line in late 2012 (latest for mil leave)... maybe sooner if a bad deal/assignment drops. Bottom line: Seniority is everything in the airlines... but a military retirment is a huge benefit for QOL and security. Gut check.

kronan

Things to think about,
if you are a commuter, 80 is hours of pay isn't the same as 80 hours of work.
really means being way from home for about 2 weeks.

however, when your'e home, your'e home. I left AD as a FltCC, pretty conscientous guy too, so, meant a lot of mornings leaving around 6 and getting home about 6, with the occasional couple of hours on the weekend. All of which meant I was seeing the kids/frau for about 40 hours a week, 160 a month max. Now, as a commuter, I'm around almost 230.

Add in the extra hours for inspection prep, the good deal TDYs for 2 weeks, the bad deal TDYs for longer.

To each his own.

But, if your'e factoring in the mil pension....you also need to factor in the A/B plan as well. Would I count on something out of an A plan, maybe, from the PBGCC if nothing else. But, B plan is my $$ from the Getgo and isn't factored into the spreadsheets. Which is why those numbers are so radically different than the earlier career numbers

APC shows B plan numbers as:
AMR-11%
CAL-12.75%
DAL-9%
NWA- 5% (tentative)
UAL-9% (C plan 7%)
US-10%

FDX-7%
UPS-12%

b2pilot186

Don't forget healthcare either...that, along with my mil pension will be there whether I'm working or not the next 30-40 years of my life. The airlines were hiring pretty hard at my 7-8 year point in the Air Force...I decided to stay in because I enjoyed what I was doing. I think that's really the key here...I know you guys nowadays are TDY a heck of a lot more than I was. I might have made a different decision back then if I was away from family so much. It was the major thing I was concerned about when I was looking for an airline job prior to mil retirement. Fortunately, I'm home more now than I ever was in the Air Force and I don't do anything work-related when I'm sitting at home...my neighbors are amazed when I tell them I'm off work for a couple of weeks every month. Good luck.

B2P

oldboyroy

I am an USAF 0-4, 10yrs in, 10yrs to go. I currently make $105K without the bonus, which I qualify next year since I am late rated (7yrs of flying since UPT). My wife makes another $30k. So let's say in the next two years my salary will be $130-155k. Being an UPT T-1 IP at KCBM, I have seen so many pilots, Capts and young Majs getting out for the airlines. ALL 15 that have departed have gotten hired easily into the airlines (ranging from SWA, UPS, FDX, AT, CA, DA, and NJ). The majority of them have moved on without looking back. I have decided to stick it out, since I am going to be home for the next 2.5 - 3yrs guaranteed (how can I say that...well I just got back from Baghdad, Iraq and I am now at the bottom of the bucket for any TDYs/Deployments for the next few years) and I can't see saying quits now. I would be going into a financial storm of stress and anxiety hoping that I don't get furloughed for the next 5yrs until my senoirity is somewhat safe (if that does exist in the airline world). BTW, there are a handful of those that have left telling me since I am closer to retirement than they are, to stick it out. Many current airline pilots at CBM are wanting to be back as full time reservists since they realize that is the only way that they can stay at home everynight and still have a good life. Many I see are going for QOL versus the airline route. In a few months I can say I am on the downslope and 9yrs to go. I told my wife that out of those 9yrs left...2-3yrs at AETC UPT (not TDY), leaves 6 yrs of potential deployments and TDYs. Out of those 6yrs, worse case being away for half the time...trust me I have just come home from Baghdad and see us there for a long time and maybe even going back to Iran. So if I stay in, possibly being gone for a total of 3yrs out of the 9 yrs remaining....I THINK THIS IS NOT BAD. Then I will have $39k of retirement and the airlines will still be hiring 10yrs from now. HAVE I DRANK THE USAF KOOL-AID or is this logical thinking.

ugleeual

365 day TDYs are going to go up each year... being an AETC IP or Staff Weenie will not save anyone... only protection from 365s these days is being a Sq/CC or on the Joint Staff... everyone else (including short tour completes) are vulnerable... I know a few tagged this past year.

bunk22

I took the 5 year bonus at the 10 year mark. At the time, I didn't really prepare for getting out, had a wife/daughter and some debt. After 9/11, not much airline hiring and I didn't quite have the requirements anyway. Took me a long time to get to the fleet being a t-notch guy (Navy types know what I'm talking about) and being med down for almost two years due to injuries. So I'm at 15 years with two more years to go on my second shore tour......a great flying tour as well. I still haven't done a non-flying tour A 99% chance I won't make O-5 so I'll have 3 years left before 20 (just have to make it to 18 to ensure that). Never thought I'd stay 20, never planned it, never wanted it, just seemed to happen. I'll probably have to do a one year non-flying tour away from home then hopefully role back for a flying tour my last two years (T-6's in P-cola first choice or T-45's in Kingsville second). Other than that, gues I've got the 20 year AD retirement to look forward to. All I can say is **** happens, be it for better or for worse.

Sputnik

Really? Last I looked 365s that had no volunteers were given to non-vols based on short tour return date. It's been at least six months or more since I looked, but this is first rumor I've heard of change.

I do know that AETC is no real protection, but still lower risk than a mobility flying job.

oldboyroy

Yeah, I know AETC is no protection, I am a T-1A IP that got tagged a month after I got married for 5months in the IZ Baghdad, Iraq. I went with another T-1 IP, B-1, B-2, B-52, KC-135 pilot and Nav to do a security detail for the Iraqi government. All rated officers wearing kevlar and IBA riding in Humvees for the Air Force and enjoying the random IDFs. I know what embracing the suck means. We worked directly for BGen Barbaro (1 under Petreus) and his desire that he has stated to the SECAF is to get rid of 4months TDY and go to 6months - 1 year. I know that I am safer now that the other 90 IPs that haven't gone, but at least by the time I am done at KCBM I have only 6 years left.

ugleeual

I agree about AETC vs AMC... but the 365 day TDYs are the biggest threat for 0-4 and 0-5s... and the volunteer list is high only for non-flyers... flyers definitely are avoiding them like the plague.