Sincere thanks for all this great info. It really opened my eyes to some things, I really thought that single engine fixed wing time wouldn’t cut it for the airlines. I really feel like I have a lot more options now. Another option I thought about but haven’t done any research into is the ANG. Would I even have a shot with these guys, say the folks at the refueling wing in Birmingham, considering I’m 33, a Navy guy and a rotary wing guy? Also, I have 600-700 hours PIC time, but it’s all rotary wing. Does this factor into the equation with the airlines, or do they only consider fixed wing PIC time?

 

Starting 1 OCT 11, Post 911 GI bill will pay up to $10K/yr in flight training. Could help you with a Commercial MEL or CFI/CFII/MEI. Waiting to hear back from the VA reps about restrictions on the type of flight schools that can receive funding from this program (Part 141 vs 61).

 

jrow hit everything else.
TAR is an old term for a componet of the Reserve force.
"Full Time Support (FTS) is the new name for Training Administration of the Reserve (TAR)."
Here is another useless extra point jrow.
Navy FRSs don't denote a training squadron (e.g. VFA-106 = East Coast Hornet FRS), whereas the Marines' still add a 'T' to the squadron name to denote training - even with fleet FRSs (e.g. VMFAT-101 = Marine Hornet FRS)

USMCFLYR

 

One more useless tidbit.

The two fleet C-2 squadrons are designated VRC (VRC-30 on the west coast & VRC-40 on the east coast) and both both squadrons are active duty. The C (composite) comes from when VRC-30 flew both the C-2A and the C-12 and VRC-40 flew C-2s and another airplane (dont remember which).

 

That got me curious. I checked out Wiki and VRC-40's website (History) and the only other plane that they mention is the C-1 Trader, which they phased out in 1985 (the end of the recips in Naval Aviation it said). The C-12 RAG was its' own squadron up there at NAS Norfolk wasn't it; until they switched to civilian training.

USMCFLYR

 

Advice form a VT FTS guy...

I recommend you affiliate with a Pensacola squadron. Start getting hours and get good paper. Apply to every single FTS Board and every single board at the VR wing in the hopes you get picked up. If you don't get them, accept the T-6 IP time and go from there. If you do get VR FTS or VR SELRES it only gets better.

 

Again, your rotary wing time pic or otherwise is not going to get you anywhere at the airlines and from my experience with helo guys I flew with at the VT-3 no further than them which was as I said a regional job ONLY BECUASE they built up the 1000-1300 hours of T-34 IP time (then 2003-06 timeframe). That is about what you'll get after 3 year orders. Anyway that gets you the regional job in this day and age of scarce airline hiring. Maybe down the road it gets you a job at a major but not now. Also of course you will need an military equivalency for comm fixed wing per the app requirements. I will add that if the regional/low cost carrier is asking for a multi-engine ticket then you would have to throw down the money to get this "add-on" to your single engine comm that you got through mil equivalency. Guard? That will require at your point Fixed Wing Qual in BOTH the T-6 and T-1/T-38 depending on the follow on platform. If you had the IP time from Whiting already you would only do T-1/T-38 FWQ. I don't otherwise know about the FWQ program for the USAF.

 

The C-12 FRS was its own unit. They shared the hangar with VR-56 which was right next door to us (VRC-40). I saw an old picture in the squadron one day that had the COD and what looked like a T-1 that we used to fly CONUS. I am not sure where to get more info about it, but it caught me off guard.

 

Speaking as a SELRES currently in one of the Jax VR squadrons, we do and have had a few formerly helo-only pilots in the squadron, both on the SELRES and FTS side actually, so it is not completely unprecedented.

The pilot selection boards are run by the Wing and are structured to be as objective as possible. Each applicant is broken down and assigned points based on a matrix. That matrix includes things like: past platforms (ie a guy with tons of fixed wing multi time gets more points than a helo only guy), performance (a competitive EP guy gets more points than a pack MP guy), location (a "local" guy gets more points than a commuter), etc. There are at least 8-10 categories that they consider when coming up with someone's point total. I say this because, even if you score lower than another applicant when it comes to flight experience, you might beat that person in other categories and it would help boost you up in direct comparison. So in short, if you have a good record, you could be just as competitive for a VR slot as a P-3 or hornet guy with a skeleton or two in his/her closet.

I may be going out on a limb and this may no longer be the case, but I do know that VR-54 over in New Orleans at one point within the last few years had a fair number of pilot billets to fill. Historically they always seem to have alot of non-local pilots and are normally pretty senior (junior is good in the VR-world) so they usually are looking to pick up at least 2-3 guys when they hold boards. I would think that we also will be having boards for the Jax squadrons this summer, but from my observation we normally have quite a few more guys applying that live right in the Jax/Orlando area and typically alot of former multi engine P-3/S-3 guys (obviously). That is not to say that you don't have a chance applying for Jax, like I said alot of variables are looked at. At a minimum, I'd for sure give VR-54 a good look and get in touch with them as you might be a great fit being within 2 hrs or so.

As for trying to build hours, VR can be hit or miss. I've had 250+ hour years as a SELRES and I've had years where I can barely make my 100 hour minimums. All depends on the detachment schedule, number of aircraft on the property at a given time, and the number of other SELRES that you are "competing" for hours with. I will say that the closer you live to the squadron, the easier it is to be that guy who can answer the phone and take a last minute trip that just pops up over a weekend.

If you have any VT SELRES friends, might want to see how quickly they build hours, as you might build fixed-wing time more quickly in one of the VT SAUs...just a thought.

Sorry for the long-winded/rambling post, but figured I'd give you my two cents as a current VR guy.

Cheers and good luck!

 

326 AS (formerly C-5s and now C-17s) in Dover DE hired a handfull of helicopter guys (USMC, USCG, USN, and USAF) several years ago. It's definitely possible and it's been done before. Send me a PM and I'll try to put you in touch with some of those folks. I think they were all hired 5-10 years ago, but they might be able to answer some of your questions.