I'm probably going to **** a few people off here but here goes anyway. Your situation about whether to fly the heck out of the C-17 and upgrade/build time or go to a regional to stuff your resume is a no-brainier to me. It's like this,
"I'm the starting quarterback at Notre Dame University, but should I coach my nephews Pop Warner team to look more attractive to the NFL scouts."
Helmets on, so you guys can start lobbing the grenades at me.

 

I work too much for too little pay. Other than that, it's not a terrible gig when there's nothing else better out there.

 

No doubt the C-17 AC time is better than RJ SIC time BUT the poster has pretty low total time. Flying the snot out of a C-17 is worth 600 hours a year? He can get 1000 pretty easily at a regional or a regional combined with MIL. The 121 training event looks good on the resume and the experience flying in and out of the class B airports is really good experience and will make IOE at the majors that much easier.

 

Speaking from experience of doing both, I personally enjoy having the regional gig. Tight budget at the squadron? Fly the regional. Sick of deadheading and reserve? Fly at the squadron. It is so easy to do both. You always have work available. Commuting is the real game changer. Don't do it. Given, if you have a family that changes things. Also, with the way things have changed with the AF, my sanity only lasts so long at the squadron. F2F, OPR's, CBT's, etc get old real fast. 2-3 days and I'm ready to get off base. C-17 time is extremely valuable and you will make it to a major soon. My advice is do what makes you the most happy, along with your family. Just my .02 as a single dude.

 

Is that because you're trying to max out your AFTP's?

 

On average I work 200 hours a month. I always max out my RUTAs and AFTP's. You leave money on the table if you don't.

 

Yep, that's at least 48 more 12-hour days and 12 full weekends of work, or 96 12-hour days a year if accomplished weekdays-only...for less total money than an AGR, and a more expensive healthcare bite than an AGR or even TR. The opportunity cost is of course, centered around the homesteading angle (and that is very unit dependent) and/or the ability to quit the job for an airline gig without the potential for the military involuntarily retaining you. In times of no airline hiring, the job is coveted. In times of hiring like right now, the job is often scoffed at and difficult to sell.

This also creates an additional hardship; ARTs usually comprise supervisory positions, and that tends to make people who no one wants in those roles, end up in them by gravity and lack of better applicants, creating morale problems amongst the TR cadre and toxicity at the unit level. Very hard to get rid of an ART once he has dug his/her heels on the job. Not all ARTs are this way of course, but it's a widespread enough stigma to hold true as a generality. I've seen it first hand in the several AFRC units I've been a part of.

The biggest false economy relating to ART jobs is the proposition of making it to the MRA. That is simply intellectually dishonest when we're talking about G-pulling jobs. Perhaps one would be able to coast on a crew aircraft. Then there is of course the idea of dealing with the DOD corporate qweep (the very thing driving people into the airlines in the first place mind you) for a full 10-15 years longer than even an Active Duty guy would have to. That's a pretty tall glass in it of itself.

 

I'm assuming an extra 200 hours a month. I find it funny that Art's are afraid to leave money on the table. I think aviation is the only business were people are unhappy making six figures.

Could you work your 40 hrs a week, one weekend a month?

 

I don't want to hijack this thread into an ART life discussion. I'm happy making six figures, but when I can make six figures and work less than half the hours, it's no contest. Apples to oranges.

 

Your right, I was just pointing out that you could work less hours and still make six figures and be gone less than flying for an airline.