Actually what you got going for you is your age! Don't let this chaff......deter you. They just want to keep your resume out of AirlineApps. Who knows, next week they will decide they want pilots with white jet time. You never know.

TY for that link. Sadly networking is probably my weakest of skills. I barely keep in touch with my parents, let alone all the old bros. Of my airline buds, I concentrated on the SW guys but they don't look like they'll be hiring any time soon. This is what most scares me, jumping ship and having no job. Just like everybody else, I've got the mortgage and 2 college educations to deal with. Retirement pay will keep me from starving but not much else .

The other thing I'm a bit concerned over is stop-loss. AFPC won't 'fess up to it, but the new bonus (to quote a bro) reminds me of a guy standing at the bottom of a cracking hoover damn with an umbrella. I need to wait long enough to get hired but not so long that I eat 6 bonus months at the 'Deid or Khandahar or worse yet, get stop-lossed.

As for hours, I'm about 50/50 white jet vs. fighter so I'm good either way .

Oh right! That's another huge concern! Stop-loss is coming, even though not many talking about it. I predict late 2014 to 2015.
Save those pennies! Tell mama to start cutting back now. If FedEx were to call, are you aware that you have to cover the expense of a place to stay during training? You could do a crash pad, but not a conducive study environment. But the good news, you'll have a retirement check! You're in a good spot, me , can I get a do over??

The pilots hired at CAL from 2005 till they stopped and furloughed in 2008 HAD to use airlineapps. The pilots hired at DAL in 2007-08 as well as 2010, and will be hired at DAL in the future HAVE to use airlineapps. Those military pilots you speak of that got the call at UAL? They HAD to use airlineapps ALSO. It's simply a matter of checking the appropriate boxes and filling out the appropriate addendum.

Take a look at this link also;

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/hi...e-corners.html

The networking is IMPORTANT. Do what you can, get on linkedin, get on facebook. There's A LOT of guys that didn't even think about it but got on various sites and were able to get in touch with long lost buddies. Check into any of the squadron alumni sites, anything. Also, these guys you know at SW, chances are they have either mutual friends, or friends of theirs that can provide MORE chances to get in touch with those you may know.

And as always, DON'T discount the job fairs. Yeah, it's a weird concept. Pay money, get suited and booted, and wait in line with a bunch of other clones/drones that are just like you. Looking for a job, trying to stand out in a crowd of THOUSANDS of highly qualified pilots. And chance are, you may run into buddies there also.

I'll have to second my F15/MD11 friend's opinion.

This:
is really bad advice. You're already waiting close to a year as it is since you're not available until April. Can't tell for sure but I don't think this opinion is coming from a military pilot.

Mike,
Make the jump at your earliest opportunity. You sounds like the typical about to retire military fighter/instructor pilot and your quals are as competitive as the next guy in your position. If you're a normal type bro, you probably have some buds that are already at the airlines that are hiring. Networking is key. Start now, get the apps in, fill all the squares, get some recommendations and let the airlines you apply to know you're available next April. Can't hurt to throw your app at the regionals too. At the very least it'll give you some interview practice and at best it will give you a place to go if your dream airline is a little slow in calling, get you some 121 experience and shows commitment to the career.
Good luck.

Handgrips ......... .raise
triggers ............ Squeeze

Used to be. Then it became

HANDGRIPS-RAISE

And now, with the crappy new seat, it is

EJECTION HANDLE-PULL

What's the crappy new seat? Did they change the one in the T-38 or are you talking about the T-6? Can't be much worse than sitting on a 40mm shell in the -37 (?could it?).

-38 seat is now Martin Baker, you can punch each other out and it has ankle and thigh straps. Handle looks a bit like the F-16

Can't promise you will live the dream if you get out. Can promise you won't if you stay in. I looked up at an empty Middle Eastern sky enough nights alone to say "..as God is my witness if I can get out of doing this again I will..." Its been a good ride since. I bailed in 2002, while the 9/11 ashes were still smoldering...and it worked. I cannot promise rainbows and skittles, but I think things are a lot better now than then for a future in the airline business...