At the 10 year mark, about the time you have the first opportunity to get out most fighter guys will have probably 1500TT with about 1200 or so of that in their primary platform. Heavy guys probably 2200TT. Obviously results will vary from platform, branch of service, deployments, but those numbers are also coming down, rapidly.

The 4000TT mark is a hurdle even guys retiring at 20 will have a hard time clearing, especially in the fighter world.

I had 4000TT as a heavy guy in AF after 10 years. 3 years were spent flying a Lear 35, and 6 years on the C-5. 11 months were spent deployed to the sandbox.

The problem with a lot of C130/17 guys is the war was/is fought from within theater. Cargo being put in Atlas cargo jets and brought to the sandbox then transferred to a 130/17 to take into Iraq or Afghanistan. You don't get to fly from your home base, you sit in the back of a kc135 to get to where you are deployed to.

From there it's basically local flying. 1.5 here... 2.0 there... The combat sorties rack up, but the hours don't.

And, remember in the USAF, flying is your secondary job, although that's not the Company line. In most units, mine for example, copilots would get to fly maybe twice, three times a month at most. With sequestration, training flights were being cut dramatically and the simulator was being touted as the way of the future. Deploying changed that, you're flying every other day or every third day, but most flight times are around 3-4 hours a day at most, unless you're doing an airdrop only day then it's about 2 hours of flying.
Secondly, military times are counted from liftoff to touchdown. Most guys add five minutes for taxi time, but that's about it. In the -130, especially in a deployed situation, a lot of time on the ground was spent with engines running, time in the civilian environment that would be counted. Doesn't make much of a difference, about 300-400 hours at most over a career.
Later in one's career, or usually at least once, you get a non-flying job. These can range to 179 days deployed (mine was around 165 days, but I had two of them in my career) or a 365 day, not to mention some that get a three year non-flying assignment. That hurts.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the assumption the high min hours was due to insurance requirements. If that's just folklore, then I'll consider myself corrected. Delta, United, FedEx and others can publish low minimums and know they can weed out later, and are confident that prospective Captains will have thousands more hours within the company if they're hired with low times. I don't believe Spirit or Virgin America have that luxury.
Just my opinion, but I'd guess as hiring continues, the published minimums will go a little lower. For the military guys, I think we'll see the number of hours they come to the party with will be lower still. I'm guessing guys entering UPT today will really struggle for cockpit time and will barely have ATP mins by the time their 10 year commitment is up. I hope I'm wrong.

Don't forget ATP mins for miltary guys is soon to be 750 hours.

Obviously you can't paint everyone with one brush to answer that dudes questions, but with the money getting turned off I'd venture to say you're not only the exception but guys like you will be like unicorns here soon.

Very true, but didn't it say something about a "restricted" ATP license? Not sure what "restricted" would entail, but 750 should be attainable in a 10 year career.

Getting a RPA assignment, a 179 non-flying TDY and an increased reliance on simulators might make it tough to accrue a whole lot more.

I really think I retired right at the right time! :eek:

Yes, unless of course you're an NK pilot doing an ERO. Once the door opens, engine running or not, you're off the clock.

This smelled of delta before you even mentioned it. I can assure you that finding folks that are a good fit is the number one priority at Spirit and not 4000 hrs. Remember we are all on the same team as ALPA pilots and your "better than you" attitude doesn't help unity.

If you don't know already, delta pilots have that reputation and you are feeding that bad stereotype because there are in fact great guys there. Although, i have sat on more than a few DAL jumpseats where all i heard for three hours was sortie this and squadron that. I know you guys must have hobbies and families right?

By qualified guys do you mean the kind that chase code enforcement officers around the airport tarmac with their DC-3 or the kind that lock their wives' up and use as sex slaves? That shrink eval sure has helped you guys find your share of nut jobs...but they're the best of the best!