yacko

I know this military stuff has been covered time and time again on here but I would like some of your opinions on this. I am currently a CRJ 900 FO. I was previously an F-16 crew chief in the Air Force. I have my B.S. in Professional Aeronautics, Masters in Aeronautical Science, CCAF in Aviation Maintenance Technology and my A&P license, 26 years old. I have been talking with the guard base near my home and they have a FX opening immediately and I would have an excellent shot at it. I am turning in a resume and meeting with them just to see what I am officially offered. My ultimate goal would be to get a pilot slot with them eventually but this is not a gurantee. My question is, would being a flight engineer help my career when applying to majors or be indifferent? Would being in the guard help or hurt my civilian career? What if I decide to go corporate instead of airlines, how would being in the guard affect my career? Any airline or corporate guys out there have a silmilar situation? I appreciate all of the advice and opinions, thanks in advance.

BoilerUP

Being a military FEX would be a HUGE help for the most important thing in a job search - NETWORKING.

For pure 91 (not manufacturer demo), they have to give you time to serve per USERRA, but many (not all) won't consider an employee that they can't rely on because many are only 2-3 pilot operations and training for bizjets is really expensive. A fractional carrier is a much better alternative IN MY OPINION than a pure 91 carrier and being ANG isn't as much of a detriment.

Is going to Charm School down in TYS and becoming a Nav an option for you? That'll knock the officer part out that would stand between you and a Pilot Candidate slot as a Flight Engineer...

rickair7777

I agree with Boiler. It will help you network, but majors won't care about the experience...pax airlines no longer use FE's.

Even FDX and UPS (which still assign some junior pilots to the panel) only require an FE written. Their hiring is focused on pilot skills.

ANG/reserves will not be an issue at any airline I've ever heard of, but smaller 91/135 ops may not have the manpower to cover for your absence...technically they cannot discriminate, but there is always a way around that. Personally, I will not consider corporate until I retire from the reserves for that reason.

yacko

Being a Nav was brought up by the guard unit when talking with them. I am meeting with them this week to talk about all of the options available to me, but it sounded like FEX was what they really wanted out of me. I'll know more the end of this week though.

Roper92

If you really want to fly for the unit, I would go full on after the pilot slot instead of taking the FX position. How long is FX training? I don't know if your unit will want to send you to FX school to turn around and send you to UPT and have to hire another FX to replace you.

Other than that, Boiler is right about the networking. Most of the pilots in your guard unit probably fly at the majors and would willing to help you out in the future.

Slice

I think at 26 you're wasting time at pursuing anything but a UPT slot. You've got a great sounding resume for a guard UPT candidate. I find it hard to believe you wouldn't get an offer somewhere by this time next year if you really went after it full speed.

eyefly

Being a FE is a great way to get into the flight deck, but at age 26 that might be exactly where you stay by the time you get through FE school. You have to be in UPT before you turn 30 unless you are able to get a age waiver. Try to ask around about the pilot/nav vacancies.

zondaracer

Some airlines take military FE time, I can't remember which airline but I saw one that gave half credit up to 1000 flying hours (so they gave 500 hours of credit if you had 1000hrs as a military FE). I met a C130 reserve FE and I asked if he ever thought about trying to commission and go UPT, but he told me he was already a 737 pilot at UA and was content doing the FE thing. If I were you though, I would be going for the UPT slot, but don't count out the FE. I don't know of any airlines that take NAV hours.

Bobs98tlr

F that....go FLY the plane with your resume. I see a fighter pilot down the road.

HawkerJet

Pilot, Nav, FE, whichever you choose, having a job in the Reserves / Guard is great backup in this current climate (besides a lot of fun). I know many from my days in the AF that are thankful to have had a ANG flying gig after being furloughed, once, twice, etc.

Good luck.