Military currency and applications
 

I've seen in most of the applications for the majors the requirement for 200 hours in the last year, sometimes two.

How hard up is each company for military guys to meet this wicket? If a guy did a deployment on the ground out of the cockpit prior to leaving is that going to be a big hinderance?

I can only address what happened to me. 13 years ago I got out of the AF to become an airline pilot. I had done a three month staff tour in Saudi, came back, got back in the seat for 4 months (C-141's). Had well over the 200 you mention in a year. Took 6 months off to travel/see family hadn't seen in years. Went to interview with a Legacy. I thought the interview went well until the Captain in the interview was walking me out and literally put his hand on my shoulder and said "You need to do some flying." I knew the answer right then and thought to myself--13 years flying M.E. Heavy Jets, mostly PIC/Instructor, White jets, 4,000+ hours, etc and 6 months off makes me unqualified to fly right seat from MIA to DFW!?!?! I was bewildered and pi$$ed, but the writing was on the wall. I got on with a regional almost immediately, and got hired by another Legacy within 6 months. Sorry for getting long winded, but back then during that hiring wave, YES, it made a difference. I wish you the best of luck and that it's different for you.

Short answer, yes, it becomes more difficult, particularly if the people you are competing with are current. With some companies it may not be as much of an issue, so get on with them until you build up currency to be with the company you actually want.

It's a hyper competitive hiring market right now, just doesn't get any simpler to explain than that.

Just to expand on your points, I've heard that EXACT same thing from other mil guys. Even before 9/11 it was still competitive.

And when the candidates are compared/ranked/racked and stacked to their peers, IE mil compared mil, for a guy that was in your shoes, there was probably at least 5 other guys with the same/similar experience level that had taken their most recent flight the day/week before they interviewed and had the currency requirements.

Sucks, but that's the way it goes.

Thanks guys. Not my situation, I'm not even close to walking out the door (if I choose to). It was a ready room discussion the other day, guy taking an IA will come back and doesn't know if he should take follow on orders to get back in the cockpit. Conventional wisdom said yes, no one knew if they'd over look it given that it's just another variable in the military career.

The conventional wisdom hasn't changed, even a regional might very well want some recency.

I had not flown for a year prior to getting on with AirTran last summer. I had some VERY good connections though. You just never know...

I'm looking at probably 100 hrs/year my last two years. Should I be worried (not that I'll be able to do much about it)?

That was enough for Delta when I got hired in 2010. ;)

More on currency...
 

So, a pile-on question (that I probably know the answer, but curious to hear other opinions)...

For those of us stuck in RPA's, assuming we have enough "real" time to meet the mins or better, will our recent flying count towards currency?

Cheers,

Droopy