Originally Posted by Rgrball

Thank you all for the advice and more importantly some confidence in my chances to get into a major. It's obviously a major transition leaving the military and while I have the utmost respect for regional pilots it doesn't make a whole lot of financial sense in my case to go from $120k+ military job to $35k regional job. I hate to say it's worth going on cruise for another 100 traps and 300 hours if it means not sacrificing my family's quality of life (even the one they have when I'm not home).

Aside from my kids getting older I realized that I have (as have many others) used up many of my nine lives in service to this country and in my 20's its been great. I've been privileged to fly hornets and serve with some of the greatest Americans to walk this earth. I've seen friends of mine die, eject, lose their families because of their time away, and risk their lives time in airplanes flown well past their engineered lifespans in service to this country.

I've been shot at, I've killed, and I've found myself in situations where I've been so scared that I've prayed to God to just get me through. This business asks a lot from us and with all due respect to the AF guys here, you can imagine but not comprehend, what it takes to hook up to the catapult on a pitch black night, take a shot into the darkness, knowing that even after risking your life in country you have to bring back your hornet/rhino back to the boat.

I look forward to my last few years in this business, teaching the next generation, going back out there one last time, and standing on the back of the boat with radio in hand to make sure my friends get aboard safely. After I finish, I want to take care of my family, to see my children, and continue flying in another way. Thank you everyone for your advice.

Originally Posted by midrats

With all due respect to the AF guys here, you can imagine but not comprehend how much we on a currently deployed carrier laughed at this post.

Originally Posted by Rgrball

Thank you all for the advice and more importantly some confidence in my chances to get into a major. It's obviously a major transition leaving the military and while I have the utmost respect for regional pilots it doesn't make a whole lot of financial sense in my case to go from $120k+ military job to $35k regional job. I hate to say it's worth going on cruise for another 100 traps and 300 hours if it means not sacrificing my family's quality of life (even the one they have when I'm not home).

Aside from my kids getting older I realized that I have (as have many others) used up many of my nine lives in service to this country and in my 20's its been great. I've been privileged to fly hornets and serve with some of the greatest Americans to walk this earth. I've seen friends of mine die, eject, lose their families because of their time away, and risk their lives time in airplanes flown well past their engineered lifespans in service to this country.

I've been shot at, I've killed, and I've found myself in situations where I've been so scared that I've prayed to God to just get me through. This business asks a lot from us and with all due respect to the AF guys here, you can imagine but not comprehend, what it takes to hook up to the catapult on a pitch black night, take a shot into the darkness, knowing that even after risking your life in country you have to bring back your hornet/rhino back to the boat.

I look forward to my last few years in this business, teaching the next generation, going back out there one last time, and standing on the back of the boat with radio in hand to make sure my friends get aboard safely. After I finish, I want to take care of my family, to see my children, and continue flying in another way. Thank you everyone for your advice.

Originally Posted by duece12345

I wasn't sure if he was being serious.

Originally Posted by andrewtac

I hope he wasn't, that was a bit bold.

Originally Posted by Rgrball

Thank you all for the advice and more importantly some confidence in my chances to get into a major. It's obviously a major transition leaving the military and while I have the utmost respect for regional pilots it doesn't make a whole lot of financial sense in my case to go from $120k+ military job to $35k regional job. I hate to say it's worth going on cruise for another 100 traps and 300 hours if it means not sacrificing my family's quality of life (even the one they have when I'm not home).

Aside from my kids getting older I realized that I have (as have many others) used up many of my nine lives in service to this country and in my 20's its been great. I've been privileged to fly hornets and serve with some of the greatest Americans to walk this earth. I've seen friends of mine die, eject, lose their families because of their time away, and risk their lives time in airplanes flown well past their engineered lifespans in service to this country.

I've been shot at, I've killed, and I've found myself in situations where I've been so scared that I've prayed to God to just get me through. This business asks a lot from us and with all due respect to the AF guys here, you can imagine but not comprehend, what it takes to hook up to the catapult on a pitch black night, take a shot into the darkness, knowing that even after risking your life in country you have to bring back your hornet/rhino back to the boat.

I look forward to my last few years in this business, teaching the next generation, going back out there one last time, and standing on the back of the boat with radio in hand to make sure my friends get aboard safely. After I finish, I want to take care of my family, to see my children, and continue flying in another way. Thank you everyone for your advice.

Originally Posted by tomgoodman

With all due respect to the Navy guys here, you can imagine but not comprehend the horror of being served lukewarm tea and stale crumpets at Commander's Call. We had to give the servants a sharp reprimand!