e6bpilot

A little background on me: Navy 707 pilot who is looking to possibly retire in Dec of 2014 and apply to the majors. Back that up with terminal leave and permissive TAD, and I will be done showing up to work around late August to early September.

I am just putting the final touches on my United application. All in all a fairly detailed, but easy application process through airlineapps. I was just wondering what to put in the "availability date" block. Should I base it off of when I want to interview (about a year from now) or when I am available to start class (Sep 14). I would like them to at least be able to look at the application prior to me starting terminal leave.

Anybody "in the know"?

KYTBRD

Having just gone through this procesrlier in the year, I would recommend you put the absolute earliest date you think you'll be available to start class. Then manage your leave carefully over the last year to be maxed-out on 1 Oct. Don't forget that you earn leave while on terminal leave, and you'll need to be at 75 days on 1 Oct so you do not lose leave. I was very blessed in my scenario to start class 3 days after the start of terminal leave (99 days including permissive). You want to interview before you start terminal leave. Hopefully 1-2 months before terminal leave starts. If you have to upload a resume then you can put the info on you resume as "Available for training: xx xxx 14". Before an interview go to your FINANCE office to officially confirm what your earliest available date is. At my interview the interviewer confirmed my availability date which I moved 5 days earlier due to finance input and that's how I got my training date. And when they offer a class I recommend taking the earliest possibility and move everything else to the side. Seniority number is EVERYTHING. Could be the difference between furlough or a job later on in your career.

e6bpilot

Great gouge with some gotchas that I didn't even consider. Thanks!

F15andMD11

Dang...you scored beyond belief. Especially considering hiring really hasn't pickup yet. Congrats! Go play Powerball.

KYTBRD

One other gotcha to keep in mind is that the permissive tdy is used prior to the your leave. Being that you're crossing over 1 Oct, that could effect you. Good luck. Remember, if don't get called, to maintain recency of experience as late as possible. You can sell 60 days of leave. Then add: permissive + the amount of leave over 60 + the leave you earn = the last day on active duty when you could fly. Unless of course you work all the way to your last day and then sell 60. In which case you would lose leave and the permissive.

F15: I actually did think about the powerball when it reached over $500m. Would have been my first tocker ever. I was very fortunate: I was actuallyon a trip passing through OTBH on 8 Feb when I got the call. Was able to Skype back from there and confirm my date for 18 Feb. Out processed the air force on 11 Feb and signed out on terminal on 15 Feb.

Gilligan13

Did you have any internal refrences?

Mox Nix

KYTBRD (or anyone in the know): At what point do you have to establish your terminal leave date, and can it be changed depending on your situation? I know when applying for separation/retirement, THAT date is solid and not adjustable... and you have to apply NLT 120 days prior to starting terminal.

So in your scenario above... say I want to start terminal (be available for class) 1 August, and for argument's sake I have 60 days leave, with my DOS established at 1 Oct (not-changeable). The job offers don't come, or maybe I get an offer to start class on 12 November. At what point can I change my mind and tell the AF that I'll work all the way up to 30 Sept and sell the rest of my leave? And then could I change my mind again if there's a sudden opening and I get offered an earlier class date on 10 September.