Hey all,

Long time lurker on the board, 1st time poster. Still about 3-5 years from joining the industry, but I'd like your opinions on an issue for me.

My background: military, in my 2nd of 3 tours. By the time I finish this one, I'll have about 1100 hours of T-37 time and 800 hours in the F-16 (my current assignment). Plans for the next tour is back to a training job (T-6/T-38/F-16) then transition to the reserves while I try to get on with a major (too far away from trying to decide where I want to go now).

My question: when it comes time for me to interview in a few years, as far as my next assignment goes, do you think a hiring board will look more favorably upon my flying a T-38 and getting 1000hrs more multi time vs either flying the Viper and getting more single-engine jet time there or even the T-6 and having that last thousand hours be in a single-engine turboprop? I ask because I really enjoyed my 1st assignment in the Tweet teaching primary and I'd like to be able to fly the Texan as my next assignment, but if it's going to come at the cost of my follow-on civilian career, then I'd definately take the Viper or even the -38 if that's what would help me most.

I understand that's its difficult to know what the industry is going to be like in 3-5 months, much less 3-5 years, and I won't hold anyone accountable for their response a few years down the road...

Thanks in advance!

 

Flare,
Thanks for serving. You already have 1100 multi engine jet. You will have plenty of turbine PIC. I conjecture the airline HR dept. will not truly distinguish between a T-6 or T-38 at that point "Gee, such a great person, would fit in well with our airline, just wish they had flown the T-38 a little bit more rather than a T-6 and get even more of that restricted multi engine jet time". Fly the Texan if that is where the fun meter would be higher. IMO will not matter to HR.

 

Hey Flare,
Former Tweet FAIP here currently flying B-2/T-38 and starting at DAL in March. I don't have any single-turboprop time, but from my experience applying at all the majors, your IP time in the T-6 would be about as valuable as more Viper time or T-38 time. Most of them have categories like "military fighter/trainer time" or "fast jet time." Since the T-6 is an aerobatic turbine aircraft, I think you would be fine to go there. A common requirement is "jet PIC" - 500 or 1000 hours, and you shouldn't have any problems meeting that between all your aircraft regardless of what you pick next.

 

Delta Pilot Minimums:

Flight Time Requirements
Minimum of 1,200 hours of total documented flight time
Minimum of 1,000 hours of fixed wing turboprop or turbofan time
When evaluating the flight time of applicants meeting the basic qualifications, consideration will be given to, among other things, quality, quantity, recency, and verifiability of training; complexity of aircraft flown; types of flight operations; and hours flown as PIC in turbine powered aircraft. Applicants invited to interview must provide appropriate documentation of all flight hours.

Flare:

From what you've posted, you already meet the requirements for DAL. Although I think your resume would be better with more multi (T-38) or instructor time (T-38/T-6), the T-6 should not hurt you at DAL. It could possibly hurt you for example at UPS where you can't even submit single-engine turboprop aircraft.

A buddy of mine who had I think 1000 in a KC135, 1000+ in a T-6, and a couple of hundred hours in a KC10, was one of the first '07 new hires at DAL. I say, go have fun!!!

-Fatty

 

Flare, it's not going to matter. You'll meet the quals to be hired at every place you apply.
Spend the money on an interview prep; well worth it. It doesn't cost much and it'll help prepare you for any questions that you'll get.

Have you been good about keeping your logbook current? Better to get that up to speed early.

Also, if you haven't done it yet, start working on your ATP. It'd be good to get it out of the way early.

 

Flare,

Another T-37 FAIP and A-10 guy in MD-88 training here at Delta. I agree with the above posts. I know of several F-16 guys here, and at least one of them only flew 1 T-38 tour and the rest in F-16s. You've already met the mins with your previous Tweet time, and so I don't think that it would make much difference whether the rest of your time was single engine or not - especially since it was high-performance fighter/trainer time. Obviously I'm not an expert on the matter, but that's my take on it, FWIW.

 

3-5 years is a long, long time to forecast airline hiring profiles. I agree with Andy though, you're in great shape now and I'd expect for that to improve in 5 years.

 

Go where you'll have the most fun. I had lots of IP's in '99 pushing me to go P-3's because of the multi-engine time. Also remember some jet guys fretting over their, "centerline thrust" restricion.

Nowadays the jet PIC is gold, and a lot of folks who selected Orions can write off applying to several companies (UPS, FX, AS, World, Polar) due to lack of jet or multi-turbine PIC.

Hiring requirements may change between now and then (as they have since '99). So don't make a military career move now based on what you think civilian hiring requirements may be down the road.

You may also find yourself staying in vice getting out. Lots of pilots reconsidered after 9-11. If you pick an assignment you really enjoy, your performance will reflect it. May increase opportunities to stay in and promote.

As you already know, primary training is very rewarding. You'll work with a large cross section of people (heavies, bombers, fighters) and get the satisfaction of teaching the basics. I'm sure IFF, FTU, and advanced jet training tours are just as rewarding. But for me the IP's who had the biggest influence were the ones in Primary (aka UPT).

Cheers,

Fails2FX

 

It could possibly hurt you for example at UPS where you can't even submit single-engine aircraft.

-Fatty[/quote]

Unless it's single engine jet like the Viper or T-45 right?

 

There are plenty of P-3 guys at FDX and UPS...SWA too.

Nearly 700 or my 1500 TPIC was F-16. Neither SWA, FDX, or UPS had a problem with it.