When to apply?
 

I've been lurking and reading here for quite some time, but I guess it's finally time to dip my toe in the water and actually ask some questions...

I've got about 2.5 years until I am retirement eligible in the air force. If we assume hiring has begun by then, how far in advance of retirement should I begin applying in the hopes of minimizing the time between jobs?

Curious what your crystal balls are telling you.

Thanks,

John

get your ATP soonest, if you don't have one, then start getting your connections together and about a year out apply, no sooner, most places won't really want to talk to you until about 6 months out I think, I could be wrong. Save up the leave, so that you can throw out the terminal leave card if you suddenly get a ground school date before your retirement date.

Concur with 130drvr--refresh your network / contact list and start your apps one year out.

The squadron I belonged to also had weekly "bull sessions" at the local pancake house to discuss rumors, trade emails, interview questions, application gotchas, etc.

RE: When to apply
 

Thanks guys,

I just wish there was any type of gouge or interest from the guys in my squadron...

Cheers,

Droopy

I was in AETC 96-2000 and it was amazing the gouge out there. Commanders periodically banned airline talk in front of students (right) but it was definately there. I learned more about the airlines in that tour than I have in the 10 years since.

Droopy, I'm about the same point as you, 3 years to go. I'm slowly gearing up in that direction, probably behind you. At this point all I've been doing is building a contact list of guys I knew who are currently at the airlines, they seem to have the guidance I want. And eventually, hopefully, they'll help me get a job.

For the other guys, really a year out? A year from when you're actually available or from official date? I guess it can't hurt but I always thought no one would talk to you until you're six months out?

Apply to FedEx while their app window is open--NOW!!! Then keep it up to date to include your availability. Their have been times when they hired from the application pool and were not taking new apps.

A year out is a great place to start. It is better to have it out there and then have to wait on a class based on your separation date than to be on the street wishing you had started a few months sooner. As far as gouge...any reserve associates attached? They typically have the majors represented. If not, get out the old photo album and call all of your old squadron mates that have already paved this trail before you, guard buds from pilot training, etc. They will be more than happy to chat with you. I know this might be startling, but pilots like to talk about themselves. Just take what they say and divide it by 3. The grass is always greener over the septic tank! You will be surprised how many crossover. I got 5 buds just from my pilot training class working with me. We have 10 at another. I got buds at every major and while one thinks it is the best gig in town, another is looking elsewhere, so put a huge amount of effort in really getting a grasp for what will work for you. Unfortunately there isn't a one click website that has all of the info you are looking for. Best of luck and get all of the requirements done NOW so the last thing you are worried about a year out is having to find an ATP place so you can put it on your resume and it is taken out of your expenses now not when you are starting to store up for the potential "long winter"! Best of luck

Concur with others.....I took my out-process time + the max terminal leave I could take, and backed it up one year. The key is getting your app together and keeping it current. I interviewed about 6 months before my availability date. After I was offered a job and placed in the hiring pool I had to move my availability date out six months due to "needs of the military". My company (SWA) had no problem with that at all. After all was said and done I had about a month of overlap with two paychecks!

Best of luck!

Got this from Albie15 a while ago and it was good info for me then. He approved re-posting the information once. I hope he doesn't mind my sharing it again.


I've helped a few make the transition to the exits over the last couple years, and thought I'd share my 2 cents on some suggestions. Watching a bro make some (what I consider) mistakes I decided rather than venting to him I'd throw some shots out into cyberspace.

Rule one--start early! For you no-civ rating/no civ logbook types, here is a conservative
guide. Yes...you can jump through your butt and try to do it all 90 days from your
retirement/sep date, but even if you get a class date when you get out (not likely) you will at least be suffering a lot more stress than necessary.

Network--3 YEARS out. Keep a list of bros at the airlines. Send those Christmas
cards...and emails. Visit. Ask about the lifestyle. Learn. Listen.

2 years-18 months out. Get the ATP. Now. Its less than 2 grand, and you KNOW you
have to have it. Why are you still waiting? Turn you trip to the FBO or ALL ATPs into a
family vacation if you must, but stop stalling. Apply to EVERYONE that is accepting
apps. Don't get picky now...get picky when you have 2-3 offers. You may be from INDY,
but if ATA ain't hiring when you separate you'll feel stupid for not applying to SWA or
Fedex. JetBlue may be your first choice, but would you pass a year on the line at SWA to
wait?

Need an online rec? Email and ask bros for support. Don't ask for ID numbers or other
info from insiders...instead ask your bros to send THEM (those insiders) your email, so
the person inside may contact YOU at their descretion. Most folks will gladly help you,
but they'd prefer to initiate the process rather than being put "on the spot". I've never
turned down a request for help, but the courtesy is always appreciated.

18months- 1 year out. Get the FE written. Don't want to work at FDX? Do it
anyway...things may change. You can buy the book, study a week, and pay 50 bucks to
take the test at a test center. It is cheap insurance.

1 year-6 months out...update your resume. Put a professional message on your home
machine. Get a nice email ([email protected], etc) but
([email protected]) or ([email protected]).

Save some leave. You may need it for a job fair, or to visit a company at the invitation of someone already on the property.

Lose the attachment to holidays, special occasions, etc. Don't skip a May interview for a
vacation, or a June shot for an (optional) TDY. Go to the first interview offered (you
should be ready by now). Ditto the first class offered. One guy at FDX skipped a class for
his wedding. He spent his honeymoon, plus the next 20 month, waiting without a FDX
job in the pool. Cost? 2 years of longevity, health insurance, and a myriad of other
benefits. Both AirTran and FDX have a habit of cancelling/delaying classes, so deciding
the "next" one would be a better fit might haunt you a long time.

What about that retirement you planned for June 10? Airline X offered you a June 2 class. You told Wing/Squadron you'd be there through the ORI, and your retirement ceremony invites are already out.... My take: 2 weeks after you leave the base, nobody will even be mentioning your name. The ORI is history, your party is old news, and nobody cares. However, for the next 17 years, you are 10-24 numbers junior to some guys because you didn't want to "inconvenience" a group of guys who really don't even care that much about what happens after you leave. That may mean the difference in getting your
domicile, your upgrade, or the "cherry" line you have been trying to get since you got on
the property. It might also mean the difference in being furloughed if things turned south...

If asking for a letter of rec, I recommend writing a draft of a letter and then emailing or
giving a copy of disc to person you want to write it. Now they can either personalize it or re-write it, but they aren't knee deep in having to write YOU a product on their busy
schedule. Real compensation for a major airline pilot is pretty high per hour...think about
what your bill would be if they were "billing" you for their time. Make their job easy.

Diet...1 year out. 6 week crash diets will only have you stressed, hungry, and p!ssed off
when you show up. Get your suit fitted but leave a little "slack" for a 5 pound rebound.

Suits, shirts, shoes, ties....3-6 months out. Wear them a few times...get used to standing up in a suit (vice flightsuit) and make sure those new shoes don't squeak when you walk down the quiet hall.

Want interview prep? Great! Call early. Don't call 24 hours prior and say "I heard you can
help out..." (real story x 3 Jetblue sessions...) You should be ready to go 2-3 months
out....done...ready...excited. Save the last minute flailing for your competition.

Here's the retirement rule:

1. When you go into vMPF and "request retirement", AFPC will take 10 working days (2 weeks) to determine if you are retirement eligible. Once that is done, they will e-mail you a "retirement application".

2. Fill out the application and hit submit, then it will be sent to your commander.

3. You need 120 days from when your commander approves your retirement to your requested retirement date without a waiver. Approval is electronic once you fill out your application, provide his e-mail in the "Commander" block, and hit submit.

4. You may only retire at the beginning of a month, i.e., 1 Sep 11, 1 Oct 11, etc., so if your 120 days falls anywhere prior to that, round up to the first of the next month.

5. Commanders are authorized to give you up to 20 days of permissive TDY for job hunting. It's just like Terminal Leave, and is added to your terminal leave.

6. Get TAP class scheduled and completed ASAP. It's a federal requirement that can't be waived. (Transition Assistance Program)

Delta asked for my DD 214 for the interview, I said I didn't have it, but I did have an established retirement date, and that was OK. You don't get the DD 214 until after the end of your terminal leave & permissive TDY.

If you put in your papers and don't get hired, I'll bet the AF will take you back. The wording is that it has to be in the best interest of the AF to bring you back, and as they are 2,000 pilots short and getting worse, I think they'll consider it.

Delta will probably hire 800 pilots this summer, and they love military pilots.

So your min lead time will probably be 4 1/2 to 5 months.

I started my process around 15 Jun 10, interviewed 6 Jul 10, terminal leave began 25 Aug 10, indoc training on 6 Sep 10, A320 training beginning 14 Oct 10, retired effective 1 Nov 10, so I'm current & qualified in the process you'll be going through!