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Staff guy to regionals

Old 01-17-2018, 06:02 PM
  #41  
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Post Seeking similar advice

Professionals, thanks for the dialogue. I am a Marine helo pilot in a similar position: currently a planner on a Corps-level staff, but up for orders and want to run my plan by the experience/expertise on these forums. O5 currently at 20, but taking orders for 2-3 more for top 3 and GI Bill transfer for my daughter.

Basic data:
-~2450 hours total but no ME FW
-CPL FW & RW SEL, INST
-No flight time in 4 years, before that 14 years straight

-500x UH-1Y time
-1700x UH-1N time
-600x NVG time (~300 LLL)
-900x Instrument time
-Unknown amount of sim time (mostly helo except Primary flight training)
-20x AH-1W time
-15x Mi-24 time
-100x TH-57B/C
-90x T-34C time (SE FW)
-20x C-152 time

-NATOPS, INST, Division Lead, Flight Lead, Flight leadership instructor and evaluator
-half of RW time is instructional time
-I haven't converted any of this to CFI yet, but plan to before my exit plan.

Exit plan:
Goal - skip the regionals and fly for UAL (goal but won't be picky)

Base plan: take orders to fly UC-35 or C-12 to get FW ME time - options below

Option 1) CONUS flying - likely less flight time overall, but no moves & out in 2-3 years with ~600 hours of FW ME
Option 2) OCONUS flying - (Japan/Phil/Western Pacific) more opportunity for overall flight time, but two moves and retire in 2-3+ years after orders obligation and retirement move back to CONUS

Questions:
1) Is my goal plausible, or only with close to 1000 FW ME hours? What role does FW ME PIC time play in this equation? Is jet time (UC-35) a better choice than C-12 if I have an option?

2) Will international flight time flying around the Pacific translate into anything more than flight hours and excellent experience for my application?

3) Is it smarter to get out sooner with less hours or stay in for a couple hundred more hours? Does it matter what aircraft I am flying?

4) Does my UH-1N/Y time count as turbine time? multi? (UH-1N = twin T-400) (UH-1Y = twin T-700s) or does RW make that low quality time?

5) Does my aircraft commander time qualify as PIC time?

Thanks in advance for the insights.
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Old 01-17-2018, 07:22 PM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by z06stinger View Post
Professionals, thanks for the dialogue. I am a Marine helo pilot in a similar position: currently a planner on a Corps-level staff, but up for orders and want to run my plan by the experience/expertise on these forums. O5 currently at 20, but taking orders for 2-3 more for top 3 and GI Bill transfer for my daughter.

Basic data:
-~2450 hours total but no ME FW
-CPL FW & RW SEL, INST
-No flight time in 4 years, before that 14 years straight

-500x UH-1Y time
-1700x UH-1N time
-600x NVG time (~300 LLL)
-900x Instrument time
-Unknown amount of sim time (mostly helo except Primary flight training)
-20x AH-1W time
-15x Mi-24 time
-100x TH-57B/C
-90x T-34C time (SE FW)
-20x C-152 time

-NATOPS, INST, Division Lead, Flight Lead, Flight leadership instructor and evaluator
-half of RW time is instructional time
-I haven't converted any of this to CFI yet, but plan to before my exit plan.

Exit plan:
Goal - skip the regionals and fly for UAL (goal but won't be picky)

Base plan: take orders to fly UC-35 or C-12 to get FW ME time - options below

Option 1) CONUS flying - likely less flight time overall, but no moves & out in 2-3 years with ~600 hours of FW ME
Option 2) OCONUS flying - (Japan/Phil/Western Pacific) more opportunity for overall flight time, but two moves and retire in 2-3+ years after orders obligation and retirement move back to CONUS

Questions:
1) Is my goal plausible, or only with close to 1000 FW ME hours? What role does FW ME PIC time play in this equation? Is jet time (UC-35) a better choice than C-12 if I have an option?

2) Will international flight time flying around the Pacific translate into anything more than flight hours and excellent experience for my application?

3) Is it smarter to get out sooner with less hours or stay in for a couple hundred more hours? Does it matter what aircraft I am flying?

4) Does my UH-1N/Y time count as turbine time? multi? (UH-1N = twin T-400) (UH-1Y = twin T-700s) or does RW make that low quality time?

5) Does my aircraft commander time qualify as PIC time?

Thanks in advance for the insights.
Your helo time won’t count for much with majors with the exception of JetBlue. Sure the helo turbine PIC is good experience, and I argue until I’m blue in the face that the judgment/SA/hands on/stick/rudder flying is worth a lot more hour per hour than being on autopilot for all but 10 minutes of a 3-5 hour sortie. Helo time is helo time, SE or ME. Sure it’s turbine, but again no one really counts it except here at JB. For anything, except maybe TMAAT stories. That said, even most regionals didn’t count helo time when I made the switch. Now with as desperate as they are, they all count it. But majors still don’t.

Don’t discount the regionals. Your quest to go straight to a legacy with 1k hours (or less) of ME FW turb (1k FW turb is UAL/DAL’s mins) is a long shot. If it was F18 time that’s one thing. King Air time meh...some guys go straight from king airs to big 4, but probably with more than 1k hours. UC35 time is a little better. Another thing, you still need an ATP/CTP, which a regional would pay for. If you are transferring your GI Bill, you’ll have to come out of pocket to pay for that ($5k-$10k?). Also, regionals pay decently now, $60k or so first year, so with an O5 retirement it’s not bad. Also, 500 hours PIC multicrew multiengine mil time is creditable towards the 1,000 hours of required 121 SIC time for upgrade. So theoretically you could upgrade at a regional at 500 hours and check the 121 captain box.

The longer you stay in, the more seniority/longevity you give up. Your major airline job will pay more than any additional time in. Sounds obvious, but whatever decision you make, it should be with the goal in mind of getting a seniority number at a major as soon as you can. A mix of mil FW (esp PIC) and regional 121 time should make your app competitive. I just think if you plan to get on with big 4 with 1k or less FW (esp king Air) time, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Not impossible, but not likely. Staying in for a year or two extra to get a few hundred hours of king Air time...you’re better off at a regional.
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Old 01-17-2018, 08:36 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by z06stinger View Post
Professionals, thanks for the dialogue. I am a Marine helo pilot in a similar position: currently a planner on a Corps-level staff, but up for orders and want to run my plan by the experience/expertise on these forums. O5 currently at 20, but taking orders for 2-3 more for top 3 and GI Bill transfer for my daughter.

Basic data:
-~2450 hours total but no ME FW
-CPL FW & RW SEL, INST
-No flight time in 4 years, before that 14 years straight

-500x UH-1Y time
-1700x UH-1N time
-600x NVG time (~300 LLL)
-900x Instrument time
-Unknown amount of sim time (mostly helo except Primary flight training)
-20x AH-1W time
-15x Mi-24 time
-100x TH-57B/C
-90x T-34C time (SE FW)
-20x C-152 time

-NATOPS, INST, Division Lead, Flight Lead, Flight leadership instructor and evaluator
-half of RW time is instructional time
-I haven't converted any of this to CFI yet, but plan to before my exit plan.

Exit plan:
Goal - skip the regionals and fly for UAL (goal but won't be picky)

Base plan: take orders to fly UC-35 or C-12 to get FW ME time - options below

Option 1) CONUS flying - likely less flight time overall, but no moves & out in 2-3 years with ~600 hours of FW ME
Option 2) OCONUS flying - (Japan/Phil/Western Pacific) more opportunity for overall flight time, but two moves and retire in 2-3+ years after orders obligation and retirement move back to CONUS

Questions:
1) Is my goal plausible, or only with close to 1000 FW ME hours? What role does FW ME PIC time play in this equation? Is jet time (UC-35) a better choice than C-12 if I have an option?

2) Will international flight time flying around the Pacific translate into anything more than flight hours and excellent experience for my application?

3) Is it smarter to get out sooner with less hours or stay in for a couple hundred more hours? Does it matter what aircraft I am flying?

4) Does my UH-1N/Y time count as turbine time? multi? (UH-1N = twin T-400) (UH-1Y = twin T-700s) or does RW make that low quality time?

5) Does my aircraft commander time qualify as PIC time?

Thanks in advance for the insights.
Sorry man.... You aren't even close to competitive with a major with that plan in the CURRENT environment, especially UAL/DAL/AA/SWA/FEDEX/UPS. I don't have a crystal ball, so I won't try to guess what things look like in three years. (Caveat- I do not currently work for a major, and am retiring in a couple of months after nine years out of the cockpit. I am making this statement based upon a year of preparing for my transition and closely monitoring hiring trends and data. I am sure there may be others out the with differing opinions.)

Right now you don't qualify for an R-ATP, but I think would be an easy in for a regional rotary transition program. Even if you execute your plan, my guess is that you will be looking at a regional for a couple of years to build time and punch the 121 block, especially if you have low ME PIC hours.
I understand the value of transferring post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to your daughter, and since you asked in question 3, IMHO it is smarter to get out sooner if you really want to end up at a major, since you will most likely be going to a regional anyways. From what I have been told (over and over and over), seniority is life, and every day you spend on active duty after 20 is a day wasted, and another seniority number lost. YMMV, and best of luck!
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Old 01-18-2018, 06:17 AM
  #44  
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If you skip the regionals, it may save you some pride, but it is going to cost you big time in seniority and compensation at career end.

The only thing you have which the majors value is wings with an anchor. Your going to need ME FW turbine time. The competitive minimums might come to you as the shortage spools up, but right now I'd guess you'll need about 2000 hours in a jet.

King air? I don't know, might be long wait with no jet time. Acceptance of civilian light prop time is inconsistent, SWA probably had the best track record there. I've seen some majors recently giving extra credit for regional pilots with prop type ratings, but they all had jet time too.

Probably not what you wanted to hear. But I've seen numerous helo people in the reserves achieve success through the regionals, and quickly.
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Old 01-18-2018, 06:49 AM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by z06stinger View Post
Professionals, thanks for the dialogue. I am a Marine helo pilot in a similar position: currently a planner on a Corps-level staff, but up for orders and want to run my plan by the experience/expertise on these forums. O5 currently at 20, but taking orders for 2-3 more for top 3 and GI Bill transfer for my daughter.

Basic data:
-~2450 hours total but no ME FW
-CPL FW & RW SEL, INST
-No flight time in 4 years, before that 14 years straight

-500x UH-1Y time
-1700x UH-1N time
-600x NVG time (~300 LLL)
-900x Instrument time
-Unknown amount of sim time (mostly helo except Primary flight training)
-20x AH-1W time
-15x Mi-24 time
-100x TH-57B/C
-90x T-34C time (SE FW)
-20x C-152 time

-NATOPS, INST, Division Lead, Flight Lead, Flight leadership instructor and evaluator
-half of RW time is instructional time
-I haven't converted any of this to CFI yet, but plan to before my exit plan.

Exit plan:
Goal - skip the regionals and fly for UAL (goal but won't be picky)

Base plan: take orders to fly UC-35 or C-12 to get FW ME time - options below

Option 1) CONUS flying - likely less flight time overall, but no moves & out in 2-3 years with ~600 hours of FW ME
Option 2) OCONUS flying - (Japan/Phil/Western Pacific) more opportunity for overall flight time, but two moves and retire in 2-3+ years after orders obligation and retirement move back to CONUS

Questions:
1) Is my goal plausible, or only with close to 1000 FW ME hours? What role does FW ME PIC time play in this equation? Is jet time (UC-35) a better choice than C-12 if I have an option?

2) Will international flight time flying around the Pacific translate into anything more than flight hours and excellent experience for my application?

3) Is it smarter to get out sooner with less hours or stay in for a couple hundred more hours? Does it matter what aircraft I am flying?

4) Does my UH-1N/Y time count as turbine time? multi? (UH-1N = twin T-400) (UH-1Y = twin T-700s) or does RW make that low quality time?

5) Does my aircraft commander time qualify as PIC time?

Thanks in advance for the insights.
Helo hours will get you credit at JetBlue and Hawaiian but even then you’re going to need at least 500hrs multi. Everywhere else you have some nice talking points for when you get an interview.

Originally Posted by rickair7777 View Post
King air? I don't know, might be long wait with no jet time. Acceptance of civilian light prop time is inconsistent, SWA probably had the best track record there. I've seen some majors recently giving extra credit for regional pilots with prop type ratings, but they all had jet time too.
Mil Helo folks with only king air time as their primary fixed wing qualifying source who were able to start doing ISR (@ 600-700hrs a year) are currently taking 3-5 years to get to the Big 3. Less time to get to SWA if they’ve got the 4 year degree and the type rating.

You’re best off retiring ASAP and getting to a regional. Is the remainder of the service commitment for GI Bill transfer waived as long as you’re retiring from the service? That’s something to talk to the VA about. During TAPS or whatever they call it now, the VA makes it clear that or certain benefits they interpret things differently than the military and what the military would like for folks to qualify for VA benefits doesn’t really matter in their minds.

With your resume, your best bet is to get to a 121 regional. A tour flying C-12s/35s will help some but won’t overcome the lack of fixed wing time to go direct. Lots of military folks try to shy away from the regionals because of the stigma they retain from the race to the bottom during the lost decade (low pay, Bad schedules etc) Regional FOs are getting picked up by Legacies these days with 0 TPIC so it is a proven path that works.
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Old 01-18-2018, 07:32 AM
  #46  
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What's up with the Mi-24 time? Sounds like a great story.

I'm with everyone else, based how things look now if you stay in for 3 more years for some fixed wing time, you're still going to end up at a regional for a bit. So if getting to UA (or any major) asap is your goal, staying in is the wrong strategy.

However, if you want to stay in, glad to hear someone is. You'll still get there.
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Old 01-18-2018, 07:59 AM
  #47  
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Gi Bill transfer is actually a service retention tool, not a VA entitlement. You have to do the time (time was reduced for old hands when the program started).
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Old 01-18-2018, 08:19 AM
  #48  
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To Z06stinger;
BLUF: IMHO, fly ME in the CONUS, prep for retirement, and get the GI Bill transferred. Go C-12 your a$$ off, and fly some local stuff on the weekends just for fun.

Let's talk college; is daughter #1 going to a low-cost state school, or a pricey private school? I'm assuming you don't have a big 529 nest egg saved up since you're planning GI Bill. And that's OK, the GI Bill, with Yellow Ribbon, is AMAZING. If she wants to go to (Pick a name) State U, she can attend ANY State U on the GI Bill at In-State tuition if she enrolls within 3 yrs of your retirement. That's in all 50 states...

If she's looking for that Ivy League program...the GI-Bill with Yellow Ribbon will cover a huge chunk of it, and in many cases, ALL of it. My daughter will attend a pricey Private school, and the Yellow Ribbon will cover all of it. Zero cost to me...nada...zilch. PM me for more details if you'd like. I feel truly blessed to take adv of the opportunity. She has earned it, and I can provide it thanks to GI Bill w/ YR. All I did was keep making O-5 pay for a few more years beyond 20.

Now I can focus on slogging it out in the regionals for several years (I'm not there yet), eating Ramen noodles as a family on low wages, with out worrying about how to pay for college.

I have my full (top 3) O-5 pay, a nice VA check each month to help offset the regional low pay, and the wife can go work at Wally World or something. But I don't have to worry about paying for college.

Just my 2 cents, best of luck in your planning.
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Old 01-18-2018, 08:39 AM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by Castle Bravo View Post
Now I can focus on slogging it out in the regionals for several years (I'm not there yet), eating Ramen noodles as a family on low wages, with out worrying about how to pay for college.

I have my full (top 3) O-5 pay, a nice VA check each month to help offset the regional low pay, and the wife can go work at Wally World or something. But I don't have to worry about paying for college.
I know it’s still a common saying, but “slogging it out” in the regionals, while making $60k from pension and $60k+ from first year pay at a regional, with tricare to boot, sounds tough. To me “slogging it out in the regionals” was applicable when regional pay was $20-30k for the first few years, upgrade took 3-5 years (or more), and there was no hiring at the majors. For perspective, I got out as an O3, no retirement, no medical, a new kid (married into a couple more), and made $19k my first year, $40k my second (half at a regional and half at JetBlue), and still haven’t caught up to my O3 pay (but will this year). And I consider myself lucky I got out of the regionals when I did. Point is, the horror stories of having to go to a regional for a year or two and eating ramen are not really applicable today. Certainly not for a retired O5. Swallowing pride as a retired O5 as you pull gear for a 24 year old regional captain could be an issue. Pay, not so much.
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Old 01-18-2018, 09:23 AM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by BeatNavy View Post
I know it’s still a common saying, but “slogging it out” in the regionals, while making $60k from pension and $60k+ from first year pay at a regional, with tricare to boot, sounds tough. To me “slogging it out in the regionals” was applicable when regional pay was $20-30k for the first few years, upgrade took 3-5 years (or more), and there was no hiring at the majors. For perspective, I got out as an O3, no retirement, no medical, a new kid (married into a couple more), and made $19k my first year, $40k my second (half at a regional and half at JetBlue), and still haven’t caught up to my O3 pay (but will this year). And I consider myself lucky I got out of the regionals when I did. Point is, the horror stories of having to go to a regional for a year or two and eating ramen are not really applicable today. Certainly not for a retired O5. Swallowing pride as a retired O5 as you pull gear for a 24 year old regional captain could be an issue. Pay, not so much.

Hey man, you make a great point, but I don't care.

Your story is different than mine, so my definition of slogging it out is different than yours.

I will happily swing gear for you someday, because that means I am not in this cubicle doing crap nobody else cares about, and I will have completed "Slogging it out" from my perspective at the regionals.
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