Civilian Career Following Guard UPT
 

Gentlemen,

I am recent selectee to become a guard baby for a cargo unit and I have an interview with fighter unit in the future. It is a dream come true, however, I need to put some thought into the future.

I have very low time currently and know that I won't receive a ton of time in UPT and both tracks. If I am in a fighter squadron, I should have 2-3 years of seasoning, but will I accumulate enough hours for a RJ/corporate gig?

In the cargo world, I shouldn't get many seasoning days, but I will get enough opprotunity to get trips and guard bum for hours?

In short, I am looking for some advice and some leasons learned from the large amount of ex-mil guys on the board.

Thanks in advance

Dutch,

In today's guard with the current state of affairs, you would probably accumulate hours four times faster in the cargo unit. The TDY rate is very high, and guys are tired of volunteering for long deployments. If you do not mind being gone for approx 200-275 days per year from home, you would probably qualify to upgrade to Acft Commander in two years, and have enough PIC time to qualify for the Majors in another two years. If you give four to five years of your life to guard bumming for all you are worth, you could begin applying at any major you choose. Contacts at these companies through your guard buds is the most important part to this puzzle. What cargo aircraft does your unit fly?

The Unit flies C-130s. I am currently in the guard, but in the ACC side of the house and am not completely familiar with how many opprotunites there are for bumming in C-130s. I also realize there are probably more opprotunites for days in Strat units doing channel missions.

I definitely don't mind going TDY. It is why I joined and currently I have no dependents.

I won't be operational until 2009/2010 so the world will change a lot and it is hard to predict the ops tempo and civilian hiring picture. I just don't want to be through w/ training and then be out on my ass with 500 hours and little Turbine PIC.

thanks

Personally, I would stick with the C130. It is very rewarding to fly a fighter, but if your goal is to get to the big leagues in the quickest manner , then a fighter is a long road, not to mention if you supplemented with the regionals. The ops tempo will be strong for the rest of our lifetime, (unless the terrorists decide to give up, and the middle east disappears).

I guess I would have to agree with the ops tempo staying high. The Invasion of Iran will probably happen in the next 10 years.

My goal is to be a pilot in the guard, and I am almost there as long as I can stay out of the jailhouse and the hospital room. The airlines are not a goal anymore, but a way to HOPEFULLY enjoy a lifestyle that is comfortable and guard-friendly. Thus, I might take the fighter job if offered. I agree that the C-130 is more practical. I'll just let the big guy upstairs answer that for me.

Should I be renting now as I wait for dates to build up an extra 50-100 hours of SE VFR for TT?

thanks fedupbus

Something to consider: you have the rest of your life to ride around in a large crew aircraft. I'd fly the fighter just to do something different for awhile. Later you can switch to a heavy guard unit if need be. Going with the fighter now at least leaves your options open later.

I'd go for a fighter while you still can.

All time in a fighter is PIC. Most airlines realize that you get more hours in a heavy vs a fighter but that doesn't necessarily make it "better" time, and they make allowances for the difference.

If you really need to ask whether to go fighter or heavies, go heavies!

If all of you Bigwatches are through ****ing on each others leg, I'll just add that if your goal is to just be a guard pilot, then a fighter is the way to go. But, the heavy will get you the required hours for a major quicker.

Now you guys can go back to playing Crud.

Did you lose your fork again? Check your pen pocket! :p

It's a spoon Slice.

It is pretty easy to see who flies what through response. I am certain that if I am offered the fighter I will take it.

My concern is just game planning for the future for when the seasoning days run out. I am not one of these dillusional guard babies who thinks they will get a technician slot after those days end.

Apparently, in the C-130 world, I should get plenty of opprotunites to bum on trips around the country and in the theater. In the fighter, I would be out on my own w/ low time (maybe 800 hours).

Hey guys, I am new here
I am a 135 Guard Guy about to graduate from UPT, and I am trying to look at my options after my 5 fun months in BFOK. My unit was brac'd and is going from a superwing to just the one squadron, so it looks like my bumming options might be limited. Anyways I am thinking of a couple regionals, but I dont want to commute to both jobs if I can help it. Any you guys got any ideas? I have some thoughts but I'd like to see if there is anything that I havent thought of.
Thanks in advance

Dude, you need to switch to a spork; they are the swiss army knife of plasticware! :D
Now that I'm flying a P4 (Pentium 4), I carry the full plastic ensemble in my top drawer. :(

You can find a regional job after you are all checked out in a fighter. It's not so competitive out there that there won't be immediate jobs with the regionals for you.

BTW, I'm a former heavy equipment operator; KC-135, T-38 IP (not so heavy), RC-135.

Dutch, Ask yourself. Do you want to fly around the flagpole at some AFB in a fighter getting 1.0 per sortie or do you want to travel the world and see stuff? Also, do not bother wasting the $$ right now to rent an aircraft for 50-100 hrs of flight time. Have Uncle Sam pay for it fo the next few years.