Also posted in Career section, but this might be a better spot.

BLUF:C-130/DC-9 guy, O4 w/24 yrs service (incl 10 yrs enlisted time), 2700TT/1650PIC/ATP just received orders to 3 yr non-flying staff tour. Two options given: take the orders and retire in 2-3 three yrs with no recent flight time, or refuse the orders and be on the street by last day of February with a pilot job market looking quite bleak. Does anyone have a clue whether any outfit would look at a guy with my hours in 2-3 years with no current flight time, even with a few GA hours in a Mooney occasionally? How long can you go with no flight time before you are considered persona non grata?

Thanks for any input!

Have you looked to see if any Guard or Reserve Unit will pick you up? The other question is, are you willing to fly for any of those hiring now? Basically, would you be able to support you and your family with your retirement check and a regional first year fo paycheck? No airline is going to hire you if you are not current. If you can jump now and pick up a flying gig, go for it. You will keep flying now and have a chance to move up in the world of you do desire.

Aside from bring a good thing to do for those in need, this may be a good way to retain at least GA currency in your Mooney if you do bail and it takes a while to get picked up. I don't know anyone doing this program, but I know the Angel Flight folks stay pretty busy so I imagine you could fly quite a bit.

http://www.palservices.org/In_the_news/In_the_news.php?id=1697716668287321958

Unfortunately I'm USMC and Guard is not an option. Reserves is sort of pointless when I can take retirement. I put some cash away for the lean times that I hope will help bridge between making peanuts in the commuters, but I don't know if the 3700TT/1650PIC hours I have will get me hired with them right now and how long I can hang on if the majors take forever to start hiring again.

If you can afford it, take retirement now if you want to keep flying. You could get something (anything) to keep you flying. Most people can't afford it though. I think the RPA will make it a big hill to climb when the time comes. Its taking you down a different road from airlines...Something to consider. Thanks for your service. You should have enough flight time. Many dont have their crap together for the transition either. That is probably the bigger hurdle. JMHO. Good luck!

Sky

In first post you listed 2700TT and this one you list 3700TT. You have a third option. You could retire after a year in your new set of orders. Recency will be the key and it doesn't matter what airframe you get that recency in. From the research I've done, 100 hours in the last 12 months is the most common recency requirement. Depending on how much leave you have saved, you could bag out hours your last couple of months in your current job, go terminal 3-4 months prior to your 12 month point in the staff job and still be current. All that being said, I'm not sure anyone can tell you how the hiring/recency requirement will be in 2/3 years when we are supposedly in that hiring bubble....

3700TT is what I have now. My head is spinning with numbers right now with weighing the advantages between staying on the government dole but likely ending my chances of flying after the service, or trying for the regionals to wait out the hope for future hiring in the majors. I would certainly apply to the majors and the box companies concurrently, buy none are hiring now so I have to take anything available to buy time/currency.

Getting off the nipple is tough. If you like the Marines then stay, make O6 and then consult. If not retire, collect half pay and move on to a new world if you can afford it. It won't be easy but can be done. It will require a new lexicon and some out of box thinking to adjust. Ultimately there are tons of avenues out there from contract flying to non mil govt flying to corporate to expat. Lots of options. If you are trying to make the decision in a week, then maybe you should do the one year thing. If I didn't like the direction my career was going then I would bail on my terms. There's stuff out there but you'll probably start at the bottom in the field. Good luck. It's tough.

Don't forget the govt is currently poised for a haircut. It might not be high and tight but there might be a little off the top and sides.

I'll speak from the non-mil gov't type of flying - not the airlines - but in my experience currency is VERY important. If you want to continue to fly, coming off that flying tour (even if staff) and at least 100 hrs in the last 12 months is key.

USMCFLYR