I wanted to run this by the community to get few opinions. I recently separated from the USAF as a C-17 Loadmaster. I have CPL (asel), CFI, 350 hours total time, 1900+ hours C-17 Loadmaster time, and I am currently working as a UAV pilot. I am about a year away from completing my degree with ERAU and have my sights set on an AF pilot slot. With my background and qualifications, I am confident that I would do well in the selection process. My only potential snag is that I would require an age waiver as I will be just over 30 by the time I could get to UPT. Any of you think they would go for it?

Active-duty: No.

Guard or Reserve: maybe.

Apply and interview for any job you might have interest in. Only after you get an offer will you have a decision to make.

I would apply to some UAV jobs if I were you.

I can get you some specific answers--PM with your email address and we can discuss more details. I have AF recruiting experience and folks to reach back to but will need more info. AD AF OTS is very competitive and ebbs and flows based on yearly need. We always had older students in UPT years ago from guard and reserve.

Try the guard. I'm the UPT hiring guy for my AFRC unit and the age waiver process for AFRC units is the same as it is for active duty and equally difficult to obtain. I think most guard units can get it waived by the State Adjutant, or something similar to that. Best of luck!

I am still waiting to get PM approved. As soon as I do I will send that your way and thanks for the help!

It could happen in the guard or reserve, my unit hired a guy at 30 years old to fly the c-17, mind you, he was lucky and the board could have Easily said "thanks, but no thanks" and he knew that. Apply to every single unit hiring and see what happens. You will need a waiver because of your age. Good luck!

You can try, but the problem is the farther you are past the waiver, the less likely they are to approve it. The trend I've been seeing is that guys are getting hired into a UPT spot, then waiting about a year to actually get to UPT, so if you are already 30 when you get hired, there's a high chance you will be over 31 by the time you begin UPT, which makes it even tougher to push through. Just a thought, but no reason not to try.... Army flying will take you up to 35 though, and there are Army guard aviation units hiring too.

Definitely try the Guard slots though...worst that can happen is the "no thanks" and I do not think the Guard units are going to be turning away a lot of people as the airlines are re-calling furloughee's faster now. On the active duty side, I still think there is always a glimmer of hope. I know they look at guys for maturity and what not. And I had an ex-maintainer who got the age waiver in my UPT class. Now...that was a few years ago......10ish, so things may have changed.