Mustangcbra

Hey folks,

I was wondering if ya'll would not mind giving me your two cents on a little dilemma I am facing. I am down here at Columbus Air Force Base, two months away from graduating UPT. My Guard Unit recently gave me the news that they are making the transition to the MQ-9 from C-130's and asked if I would stay on with them or separate and try to find another unit.

Having only 400 hours of flight time I do not believe that I can take the chance of going Reapers and sitting on my flight time. I did that once already when I graduated college and really regretted it when I got to UPT.

With my units blessing I am now looking at several different options and was wondering what you all think.

Here is my current list:

1. Guard pilot slot to Pittsburgh for KC-135's

2. Reserve pilot slot to Dover for C-17's

3. Taking my chances and getting racked and stacked with the rest of my class and going active duty. I am currently middle of my class for ranking but expect to move up after my final graded check ride.

My end goal is to fly with for UPS or Fed Ex, I think that any of these options would eventually work. The questions is what is the best option to get me there fastest and be a good experience for my family and I. I am not against guard or reserve bumming for hours as much as I can to increase my flight time.

If anyone has any constructive feedback or info on these units or experience with this please leave me a response. I could use all the advice I can get as my time is running out.

Thanks

hindsight2020

#2. Go reserves, better money pot than the Guard. Trough as much as you can. In four years you'll be in good shape to apply to the majors assuming your unit doesn't seat lock you in the copilot seat for years with no end.

Unfortunately your timeline looks as though you might miss the front end of the hiring wave, which might make for a hung start of an airline career outlook if the airlines hiccup in the 2020s. Under no circumstances go AD. That's a choice you do only with money on your mind. You lose all control of QOL by going curtain #3. It also locks you out of the hiring window for 12 years sans a RIF.

Go AFRES. Good luck whatever you do. It's what ultimately makes or breaks your career anyways...

hawgdriver

100% agree with hindsight. If you want to build time fast consider the regionals but realize the pay sucks and so do the hours. It may get you to your end goal sooner. Stay away from AD.

trafly

Regionals may not be an option. The rule requiring an ATP for all Part 121 operations is slated to go into effect in August 2013. As proposed, even with military training, they will require 750 hrs for a restricted ATP certificate. Just one more thing to keep in mind.

Good luck.

hindsight2020

A blessing in disguise if you ask me...

ExAF

All good advice. Don't go AD. Reserve or Guard would give you the most flexibility and I think a better path to your goal.

Timbo

If you go AD, what is the commitment, in years?

Is it 6, or 8 or 10? If your long term goal is to get to FedEx or UPS, you don't want to be locked into a long term AD gig. Go Guard/Reserves KC135 or C17 and fly your buttocks off, get as much time as possible, start applying to FedEx and UPS, you'll get hired in a lot fewer years than if you get sucked into a long AD commitment.

PittsDriver

Definitely avoid AD if at all possible. You are looking at 10 years after wings, and probably just as likely to end up in a predator to boot. Probably throw in a non-flying assignment in there too. Stick with the guard or reserves if you can find someone else to hire you.

KYTBRD

Personally I'd go reserve Dover C17. Of course I'm biased after 10 yrs of C17 flying. Stay away from AD. Too many folks worried about your up or out potential. I've watched too many great young LTs and Capts get screwed because they were only halfway through their masters when "applying" for SOS when they pinned on Capt. AD is not concermed about your ability to fly an airplane, only that you check all the boxes. UPT is just another box nowadays. Back to the original question.

Either reserve job would be great. But, personally I really enjoyed all the exciting missions and locations the C17 provided.

1. On AD you'll likely end up as in a UAV anyway.
2. Dover will "most likely" not change airframes again
3. Good location close to Philly or Baltimore for commuting

thrust

Stay as far away from AD as you can. It's awful.