I don't know what it's like getting in right now, but from the inside, unless you're getting deployed, I can tell you that you're not going to be flying much -- especially at the start of the next fiscal year. I'm sure it's similar with most aviation units in other branches; it's all part of the budget cuts and draw down from Afghanistan.

I can tell you from a CAB that just got back from Afghanistan that the "flying got really stupid." In other words, the missions were sparse and the missions were mostly extraneous (e.g. transporting three or four soldiers from FOB to FOB because they put in a request to fly there). Two CABs and GSAB set to deploy in 6 and 12 months may go as a smaller unit or not at all. If you're looking for flight hours, they're going to be a fraction of what they were a few years back... unless, of course, the unlikely event we get into another conflict happens.

 

Long term international contract with US basing. The difference was made with the salary and choice of where to live. This position is one that a pilot could retire at.