Advice for military 707 pilot w/ 2000 hours
#31
Covfefe
Joined APC: Jun 2015
Posts: 3,001
Why wouldn't you just do your 20 years and retire from the military then fly? I don't understand how guys do their 12 year commitments and leave with nothing...At the 20 year point, you will have much more flight time and a guaranteed income for the rest of your life..Seems like a no brainier to me..You can still have a 20+ year career at the airlines after retiring from the military...
You don't know what the right timing decision is until age 65. Being on the front of this hiring wave is huge. That said, I'd get a seniority number and go find a guard unit to bum in until 20 and at least get something, and be able to drop mil leave when times get tough, furloughs happen, etc.
#32
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,299
Easier said than done if he doesn't have the ATP written done. No major/LCC/cargo airline will be interested, and the written isn't exactly cheap or easy to get. Regionals now pay for it, however. The written costs as much as getting an ATP/type. Plenty of AF/Navy/Army guys in the regionals with no skeletons. And based on his timeline he doesn't have a written that will be valid when he starts.
#33
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2012
Posts: 456
Stop thinking regional unless you have a skeleton in the closet. Get your app into Delta tomorrow. In one year the numbers you posted will be just fine! Apply to AMR, SWA and UAL as backups. If you live in Atlanta and want to stay in Atlanta Delta should be your first choice.
Don't discount the regionals. Don't think the majors are waiting to kick your door in and take you. I know a guy who got the call 3 weeks after he put in his app with no recs, IP time, jet time, etc...I know guys whose dads are legacy CAs who are still waiting. Hell, I know a woman whose only heard crickets, and she's got the golden ticket, right? Point is, it'll happen, maybe tomorrow, maybe not. Be prepared for everything.
And staying until 20? Getting out was a no brainier. Unless I really wanted a UAV. That's the present. Understand the past was much better for you older guys.
#35
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2015
Posts: 64
#36
Atlas is a good carrier. "Best of the Worst" as they say. Lots of mil guys get on with them and either stay or move on quickly to greener pastures. I know a few that went to Delta.
As far as WGA? Well, you're new to the game, so you really don't know how badly they suck, because you've got nothing but your military background to compare them to... But they're about the worst of the worst. You'll figure it out eventually; I thought Southern Air was great until I woke up and pulled my head out of my @$$; and back then Suddern was run by the same crooks and shysters now running WGA.
APU in Cairo? Who needs it? It's a "crew convenience" item anyway. Let them roast!
Yeah, you'll make more money flying for a scumbag ACMI charter company than you would for a regional (at least, initially) but you'll pay for it, in spades. A pound of flesh, they say? More like ten.
True, the flying is more challenging (sorta) but the abuse is epic as well.
If the OP wants to stay in Atlanta, then there's really only one choice, and that's ASA/ExpressJet, with a concurrent app in at Delta at the same time. But you might as well apply at Atlas; at least there you'll be treated more like a human and less like steerage when you commute. Business Class makes all the difference in the world.
Network, go to job fairs and keep your nose clean and you'll most likely be wearing the Delta hat within a year.
#37
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2015
Posts: 64
As of now I'm not going to be able to get my ATP until February since I'm on a 6 month deployment...
Should I wait to start sending out resume's or start now? I have a bit of time. If I exit the Air Force it will not be until around September of 2016.
Should I wait to start sending out resume's or start now? I have a bit of time. If I exit the Air Force it will not be until around September of 2016.
#38
Covfefe
Joined APC: Jun 2015
Posts: 3,001
I would fill out airlineapps while you're deployed with an available date of sep 16 and just have something to update later. Not much else to do on deployments. Then again, with an available date that far out and no ATP, you likely won't make it through the computer filters to get looked at. But no downside in my opinion. Filling those out is a pain.
#39
Banned
Joined APC: Oct 2012
Posts: 167
Oh that sucks if the military doesn't let you work the full 20 years if that's what you want...I always thought guys just leave by choice at the 12 year point or when their commitment is up...its 2 years for upt and then a 10 year commitment correct? That's 12 years so what's another 8 to get a decent pension forever with full benefits...That would really suck if they let you go when your really wanting to stay and looking forward to retirement...
#40
Banned
Joined APC: Oct 2012
Posts: 167
By staying active until 20 (for your said reasons) my uncle gave up 8 years of widebody captain pay at delta, experienced the furlough for a while until he got recalled. His Lt Col retirement hardly covers that pay disparity. Sure it's security, but without that "security" he would have been more secure at DAL, would have not been furloughed, and would have had a lot more money at retirement. And probably a higher QOL for longer at DAL. And that's not even counting the intangible cost of dealing with being active duty and the lack of QOL associated with it.
You don't know what the right timing decision is until age 65. Being on the front of this hiring wave is huge. That said, I'd get a seniority number and go find a guard unit to bum in until 20 and at least get something, and be able to drop mil leave when times get tough, furloughs happen, etc.
You don't know what the right timing decision is until age 65. Being on the front of this hiring wave is huge. That said, I'd get a seniority number and go find a guard unit to bum in until 20 and at least get something, and be able to drop mil leave when times get tough, furloughs happen, etc.
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