New Hire Question. What would you do?
 

I've been lurking and reading up on PSA's posts for several months now, and I'd like to throw my situation out there for y'alls' opinions.

I'm a new hire RTP guy finishing up my time with the Navy living in Pcola. I'll start my FW time building with PSA here in Pcola (one of the reasons I chose PSA's RTP) in January when I go on terminal leave. I'm not retiring -- just getting out at my earliest option (10 years), so no pension for now. I plan to affiliate locally for SELRES (part time) rotary wing flying.

This puts me finishing PSA training around May/June 2019.

My plan all along has been to move to the CLT area and live in base. From what I have gathered, here are the Goods/Bads of this plan:

GOOD:
-SAP (I'm not quite sure how this relates to being on Reserve/holding a line)
-Live in base for long reserve times as a FO
-Easy commute to other bases (when forced to upgrade)
-Easy to commute to my SELRES gig
-The only base I'd be interested in moving to. I like the area/close to family.
-Lots of lines

BAD:
-Very long (relatively) reserve times
-Displacement at 1.5-2 years
-Back on long-time Reserve after getting back from displacement

My main questions are:
1) Would it be better to move to CLT, live in-base, and be on long time reserves/deal with displacement?
2) Would it be better to NOT move at all and commute (for reserve) to CLT from PNS (it's the only one-leg commute) from here?
3) Bite the bullet and move to a base I don't want to live for improved quality of life? And if so, which of these is better and why?
DAY/CVG/ORF/PHL/DCA/TYS

Thanks for your time and advice! Most of all I'm happy to be flying. I'm an optimist by nature if that helps.

1) a year out is a long time in the current dynamic market

2) the PNS maintenance base offers the reasonable possibility of a PNS pilot base

3) I’d say sit tight for now

Yeah, that's kind of where I am now. Watching and waiting. A PNS base would be awesome, but I know it's an unpopular idea among current pilots.

Thanks for your input.

Yeah, I would definitely sit tight for the tight being; wait and see how things play out. There are quite bit of things in air such as possible changes to SAP/arrival of PBS, waiting for the shake out of new and old crew/maintenance bases.


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2nd point isn’t entirely true. We have several mx bases that are not pilot bases. One does not equal the other.

What is popular among pilots is of relatively little concern to the powers that be. They can force upgrades into any base right now.

But I digress...Sit tight. Wait and see what the next crew base announced is. There is a growing precedent for costal bases where military aviators are in good supply.

I am an RTP guy as well, and this is truly a long and challenging process. I would say break things down into phases and think of each individually. Treat this "process" as another deployment. Make sure your family, finances and any other personal matters are taken care of so you can focus on training. I showed up at Pensacola with 80 hours of cross-country time and it took four months to complete the program. (I also did ATP/CTP during this time) The weather was the major factor that slowed my training. Prepare yourself for FO school, it will be your next challenge and its no joke! I don't think it is talked about much, but there is a level of difficulty that you must prepare for. In military flight school, you spend much more time learning the material, not so much at FO school. There are some talented instructors in training and that makes up for it, but be prepared. As far as bases, well everyone wants CLT, even some of the older (senior) individuals in my class could not get CLT yet. I think some have bid twice now for it. Again everyone's situation is different, I chose to go with a more Junior base and move to base on the military's dime. I chose this because my wife and kids have an adventurous spirit, we see something new and spend less time enduring the suck and I can use the services on the military base. We figure three years there and we will move again if it all works out right. Either way, think things through break things up in parts and best of luck to you.

Live in Pcola... commute for a year, finish probation then drop mil leave for 5 years... go back upgrade drop mil leave again and come back just in time to flow... take the dogs swimming off the boat every day in Bayou Texar and wave to the CRJs on departure from PNS :D.

That's...beautiful. I don't think I would be very appreciated though :D

Thanks for the advice. I've toyed with Norfolk, but I spent all my effort while active duty in the Navy avoiding that town haha. Still beats Dayton winters though.