Boss, I quit...

[Butters]

It's totally cool. This guy could kill you with a spoon. Glad he isn't on here. Cheers!

Why would he use a spoon? Why not a knife or something?

[Shortbus]

Why would he use a spoon? Why not a knife or something?

It would hurt more.

[Cap-10]

What are they going to do for employment when they get out? Just curious.

Since I got out on 30 Apr:

- Not shave (not employment, more like a hobby).

- I have a Reserve job flying T-38's

- I have a CFI job at the local airport

- waiting for an airline to call...I do have a tentative offer to get an Phenom 300 type and help shuttle some aircraft around...could be fun.

- if I still need more cash, I'll work at Lowes part time (i LOVE that store)

Bottom line: I have control over what I do and for how long I work there...when I don't like it anymore, I'll leave.

Cheers,

Cap-10

[bagasticks]

What are they going to do for employment when they get out? Just curious.

to name a few..

-all the major business jet OEM's are hiring (citation, gulfstream, bombardier, embraer etc..)

-all the major avionics mfg's are hiring (Honeywell, Garmin, Rockwell-Collins etc..)

-Jet engine mfg's are hiring (rolls royce, GE, Pratt etc..)

-Feedback I got at NBAA last fall and EBACE last week, is that corporate pilots are in demand (part 135 and part 91)

-Fedex is hiring around 12 a month

-CBP just finished another round of hiring, and is expected to hire more this year

-International ISR contract work is still in demand if your single (airscan, dynamic, avenge etc..)

these are just off the top of my skull.. i work in management at one of the aforementioned and we have had trouble filling sales manager jobs (that include flying the company aircraft to peddle goods). It's not a terrible time to seperate, its not 1999, but it ain't bad. Not all of these are flying gigs, but most AF pilots are marketable depending on squadron jobs, engineering backgrounds, former mx, etc..

On top of that, many ANG/Res units are hurting for qualified dudes (heavies atleast).

[Karl Hungus]

What are they going to do for employment when they get out? Just curious.

If folks don't have a contingency plan in place by now (employment, using GI Bill for a real, worthwhile masters, beer liaison for the underaged, whatever), especially with all the writing on the wall (non-continuation for passed-over majors, budget cuts, RIFs, failed VSPs, drawdown in Afghanistan), then perhaps they're best served by fighting to stay AD as long as possible.

Enjoy your 365 iTDY (or two) to a shithole. Hope that retirement is there in another 5-10 years. Hope that 18x pipeline gets up and running.

[matmacwc]

Shack 1

[scoobs]

Plus all the regionals are hiring, supplemented with reserve pay its livable. The reason I was asking was how many were still thinking of flying for a living once they got out. Interesting times not just for the military side of flying.

[OL Patch]

Scoobs it's been years thankfully....just what experience do you have flying regionals and living on reserve pay?

Pls correct me if I've forgotten how old you are/were.

EDIT to clarify. Yes Gearpig that is what I meant. Flying regionals whilst also a member of AF Reserve.

Edited May 25, 2012 by OL Patch

[Kaman]

Sitting on reserve anywhere sucks the big fat one...So, do the regionals...been in the regionals 8 years...

[Chida]

My outlook is this: I have basically one chance to continue flying for a living b/c if I give that up now and go do something else (chairbound), I can't really go back and pick up the flying gig because I'll have lost currency, proficiency, etc. However, if I do the flying gig until it plays out or until I'm tired of it, those non-flying jobs will still be there, or I'll have my own business (more likely). Hell, I would start my own flying business if I thought I would make money (odds are against that, though, so I'll be a flying employee for a while longer).

[Butters]

My outlook is this: I have basically one chance to continue flying for a living b/c if I give that up now and go do something else (chairbound), I can't really go back and pick up the flying gig because I'll have lost currency, proficiency, etc. However, if I do the flying gig until it plays out or until I'm tired of it, those non-flying jobs will still be there, or I'll have my own business (more likely). Hell, I would start my own flying business if I thought I would make money (odds are against that, though, so I'll be a flying employee for a while longer).

I do not know why people think this. I guess it is because they knew a guy that talked to someone whose brother did not get hired because he had not flown in a while. There are people that just got hired at Boeing that had not flown in 5 years. FAA, hasn't flown in 7 years. Alaska, 2 years. I depends on your flying background, why you were not flying, and your personality.

[Cap-10]

I do not know why people think this. I guess it is because they knew a guy that talked to someone whose brother did not get hired because he had not flown in a while. There are people that just got hired at Boeing that had not flown in 5 years. FAA, hasn't flown in 7 years. Alaska, 2 years. I depends on your flying background, why you were not flying, and your personality.

While true, a majority of airline apps ask for number of hours / approaches during the last 6 or 12 months...I've even seen one that mentioned they desire a minimum of 200hrs in the last 12 months....if airlines are asking for that info it's easy to see how potential applicants would want to have recency of experience.

Cheers,

Cap-10

[Butters]

Correct, they do ask for that, and the key words you included were “want” and “desire”, not “must” and “will”. Anyone doing hiring will tell you if you don’t have something that is desired, you better make up for it somewhere else. My point is you do not have only one chance to get a flying job. I would not pass up a great opportunity in a non-flying job, to take a shitty flying job, just to have regency of experience. Most of the senior pilots at the Boeing Company started out in non-flying jobs.

So, if you have not flown in 5 years, your resume should probably include over 5,000 hours (yes, 3K for fighter pilots, they get hired to), other aviation experience, test pilot/weapons/or safety school and a few real degrees never hurt. Oh, and try not to get arrested for fighting with a cop about your 4^th amendment rights.

[Prozac]

Right now there are guys with 6000+hrs and 737 type ratings who can't get an interview. There are a shit ton of qualified pilots out there and the few airlines that are hiring right now have the pick of the litter. I have apps in with Fed Ex, Alaska, Atlas, and a host of others and have yet to recieve so much as a phone call (current/qualified 3500 mostly heavy hrs). This is expected to change some time over the next few years, but right now, the market is pretty tough. Unless you have some VERY good contacts, I'd say the chances are pretty slim that your resume will get to the top of the pile if you've been non-current for a while.

[Butters]

Friend of mine had the same problem. No one would call him. Then got offers from 2 airlines on the same day.

Nothing is impossible unless you want it to be.

[backseatdriver]

Nothing is impossible unless you want it to be.

If you believe it, you can achieve it!

[billy pilgrim]

Your attitude determines your altitude!

[JPStryker]

If you can dream it, you can do it!

[sky_king]

I like turtles!

[Cap-10]

I heart boobs!

[HercDude]

HANG IN THERE BABY!

Edited May 26, 2012 by HercDude

[bagasticks]

Right now there are guys with 6000+hrs and 737 type ratings who can't get an interview. There are a shit ton of qualified pilots out there and the few airlines that are hiring right now have the pick of the litter. I have apps in with Fed Ex, Alaska, Atlas, and a host of others and have yet to recieve so much as a phone call (current/qualified 3500 mostly heavy hrs). This is expected to change some time over the next few years, but right now, the market is pretty tough. Unless you have some VERY good contacts, I'd say the chances are pretty slim that your resume will get to the top of the pile if you've been non-current for a while.

it depends. . . . i personally know two dudes in the last year that got hired at the mins (1 SWA last summer, and one FEDEX, weeks ago). I'm talking 3000 TT, 1000 PIC dudes. I know a chief pilot at delta who says in 2013 (starting), they wont be able to keep up with retirements. FEDEX still requires a sponsor, Atlas should call, and Alaska is a family network of good old boys.. good luck..

[Whitman]

it depends. . . . i personally know two dudes in the last year that got hired at the mins (1 SWA last summer, and one FEDEX, weeks ago). I'm talking 3000 TT, 1000 PIC dudes. I know a chief pilot at delta who says in 2013 (starting), they wont be able to keep up with retirements. FEDEX still requires a sponsor, Atlas should call, and Alaska is a family network of good old boys.. good luck..

Also of note with Fedex, while certain airlines have nepotism clauses against family hiring, FedEx actually encourages it. They've had a lot of success with families of FedEx pilots and there are numerous husband/wife, father/son, brother pilot teams at the company. It helps a ton with getting an interview. Also, your sponsor should be someone you've flown with that can vouch for the kind of pilot and person you are.

[HuggyU2]

I know ...

This phrase is key.

In aviation (and certainly many other career fields), your ability to have a large and diverse network will get you more places... far more... than your resume.

Until you figure this out and capitalize on it, you will be at the mercy of "the number of hours you flew".

And as we all know, while being the easiest way to give some sort of filter on "who is most qualified", "number of hours" is also the least accurate measure of someone's aviation ability.

[Guest]

Word.