I flew with a military pilot that went on and on about "going to the academy"... I'm sitting there thinking "yeah you and every other pilot around here, you think you're so special with your $100k flight training... well let me tell you something, anyone who went to some fancy aviation school, they just act like pricks afterwards"

So, I'm totally with ya man, they don't deserve it.

Fixed. |

....can't.... stop......laughing.....

So you can push a few buttons and swing gear, and you are really patient waiting for upgrade. Congratulations. I picture this guy:

Thank god for UAVs, they'll have this military pilot thing fixed up soon.

Not really... I know quite a few that don't want to fly night cargo or a 737 for the rest of their career.

I would! But not everyone's cup of tea.

"Former Marine" if he left on good terms - but that is semantics.
It is said somewhat tongue in cheek.
Naval Tactical aviation didn't shoot ILSs back in this guy's day.
So what....he probably flew ACLSs which is practically the same thing. I'm betting that by the time he finished his first sim session that he was just fine.
I hadn't seen an ILS, VOR, or NDB in nearly 20 years too and somehow I made it through training.

The military has produced, and will continue to produce, good and great pilots. They have operated aircraft in all climes and conditions and throughout much of the envelope. Basic piloting skills are usually pretty good. The airlines like this standard of training. I'm not sure there is necessarily any 'preferential' hiring like you are imagining. They go through the same interview process that the civilians do correct? If I remember the demographics correctly - the percentage of military pilots in the airlines has generally been shrinking has it not? I'm sure some internet warrior can come up with a graph for that stat.

Ah darn....I thought someone was really that ill-informed but I got intel that it was an insider joke.
Sorry I missed it!

USMCFLYR

True, but it would be foolish to assume that it doesn't carry a premium

To each their own. What one wants/desires out of this career will NEVER be uniform. But I'll bet if you asked ANYBODY that went to FX/SW pre 9/11, they don't regret their choice. And those that did go, but jumped ship, especially to UAL probably do have some regret.

But that's fine, DON'T apply to FX or SWA and stay the hell out of the way of those that do want to work there.

No, I didn't. I simply agreed that service members have paid their dues.

Military will ALWAYS have a preference. Always been that way, always gonna be that way. Get used to it. But here's a little tidbit/morsel/nugget of information for you to chew on. New hire classed at (insert airline here) have had pretty much a 50/50 breakdown of backgrounds. Shocking!!!!!!

Ohhhh boy. I'll let USMC deal with this one. Not just because he's a Marine, but he knows more than you can possibly fathom about military aircraft, they're equipment, etc etc etc. Neverming the fact that your alleged DAL CA came from a different time period/era.

I can see two sides to that military pilot paying their dues thing. We are all thankful for what they have done and feel like they have paid their dues....... to their COUNTRY.

So if I worked as a Dr. for many years and saved lots of lives and dedicated my time to medicine and such (paying my dues) would I have preferential hiring at an airline? I paid my dues to something. Doesn't make me a better pilot than anyone else though.

I don't think it has anything to do with paying your dues so much as a traditional bortherhood of buddies helping buddies with that ole fraternity-free masons kind of treatment. It's a loophole to the usual hiring process.

I can see how guys working very hard to try and reach their goals to only be ignored due to this culture of hiring might be annoyed and frustrated.

I can also see why an airline would acknowledge that someone who could serve their country with such courage would bring a lot more to their company than just flying skills.