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26 minutes ago, Waingro said:

I don't know a single pilot that stayed in, took another assignment, took the bonus etc. because of the pandemic. Maybe five guys in my squadron retired or separated during the pandemic, all are gainfully and happily employed now, to include those who wanted airline work. UPS and FedEx never slowed down. Maybe it was different in the heavy world, but in the fighter world, the pandemic did virtually nothing for retention. 

Anyone who stuck around because of it was likely a tire-kicker and not ever serious about getting out anyway. 

I know one fighter pilot who retracted their retirement paperwork last spring because of the pandemic. I do not recall what their plan was had they retired, though. However, I think you're right. The pandemic may have delayed exits ever-so-slightly but not enough to fix the problem.

Edited by Muscle2002
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3 hours ago, 08Dawg said:

I love how the AF thought the Rona had put the airlines down for 3-5 years and short changed the bonus....only for most airlines to rebound in a year and open up hiring again. Bold strategy, Cotton...

 

I'm not defending the AF, but Congress had the biggest hand to play in the bonus. After all, Congress has had its eyes on the bonus for a while, and according to some discussion with A1 folks, the AF had to fight to even keep the paltry numbers programmed this year.

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I'm not defending the AF, but Congress had the biggest hand to play in the bonus. After all, Congress has had its eyes on the bonus for a while, and according to some discussion with A1 folks, the AF had to fight to even keep the paltry numbers programmed this year.


Yet doctors don’t have to fight for pro pay every year...
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4 hours ago, Muscle2002 said:

I'm not defending the AF, but Congress had the biggest hand to play in the bonus. After all, Congress has had its eyes on the bonus for a while, and according to some discussion with A1 folks, the AF had to fight to even keep the paltry numbers programmed this year.

While the numbers were a joke, the few folks I know that were actually thinking about it, won’t sign because of the 5 year time commitment verse 3 years. 

I can’t imagine Congress cares about commitment, they care about money.
 

Thus I still solely blame the AF, but anyone can feel free to enlighten me. 

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49 minutes ago, BroncoEN said:

I can’t imagine Congress cares about commitment, they care about money.

Have you seen the spending bills passed over the last 15+ years?  Not to mention the absurdity being proposed in the current Congress?  Congress doesn’t care about spending money...but they do care who receives it.

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15 hours ago, HeloDude said:

Have you seen the spending bills passed over the last 15+ years?  Not to mention the absurdity being proposed in the current Congress?  Congress doesn’t care about spending money...but they do care who receives it.

And right now maintaining military and defense spending isn’t high on their priority list. 

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On 4/21/2021 at 9:30 PM, Muscle2002 said:

I'm not defending the AF, but Congress had the biggest hand to play in the bonus. After all, Congress has had its eyes on the bonus for a while, and according to some discussion with A1 folks, the AF had to fight to even keep the paltry numbers programmed this year.

Congress authorized the max amount the services could give for the bonus. The individual services decide how to use it. So, the 5 year minimum commitment, no bonus for 11R, etc, falls squarely on the AF. 

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Congress authorized the max amount the services could give for the bonus. The individual services decide how to use it. So, the 5 year minimum commitment, no bonus for 11R, etc, falls squarely on the AF. 

Not entirely accurate, the current language requires the service to make a business case analysis when authorizing the bonus levels.


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1 hour ago, CaptainMorgan said:


Not entirely accurate, the current language requires the service to make a business case analysis when authorizing the bonus levels.


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So they’re lazy AND they don’t care. Checks. 

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2 hours ago, CaptainMorgan said:


Not entirely accurate, the current language requires the service to make a business case analysis when authorizing the bonus levels.


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That’s my point. The results of said business case(s) and how to manage their bonus structure was entirely up to the AF, not Congress. Nothing in the NDAA prohibited maxing out the bonus for everyone.

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Not entirely accurate, the current language requires the service to make a business case analysis when authorizing the bonus levels.


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That’s my point. The results of said business case(s) and how to manage their bonus structure was entirely up to the AF, not Congress. Nothing in the NDAA prohibited maxing out the bonus for everyone.

Let alone making a case to Congress to increase the maximum amount that was set in the, what, 1990s?
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On 4/21/2021 at 3:47 PM, ThreeHoler said:

 


Yet doctors don’t have to fight for pro pay every year...

 

This. I'm curious how much is spent on dentists and doctors every year. I think we can safely argue that the Air Force would run just fine if it had neither. Kinda need those pilots though.....

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  • 2 weeks later...

Anyone have experience with Kalitta Air (cargo)? Thoughts?

I honestly hadn't heard much of them until recently. (I guess just based on where I grew up) But according to the gouge sheet on APC they seem competitive with other major carriers. 

Edited by FLEA
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I bet you already saw this.

https://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/cargo/kalitta_air

Their new contract sets them up nicely amongst the ACMIs. Unfortunately I don’t know anyone over there. But former K4 guys now at FedEx have told me repeatedly—guys are generally happy at K4. One dude told me he was so comfortable that he even debated putting an app in with FedEx.

Again, all secondhand info, so nothing to base your decision on. Just be careful perusing the APC forums for actual info...it’s a ton of sport bitching and over emphasized negativity by a vocal few.

Hopefully someone on here can provide you with some firsthand info.

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IM(biased)O, K4 should be the seventh app for any .mil airline applicant, barring those who can say for certainty that they couldn't stomach certain aspects of the sector (16 day lines, planet lapping, etc).  They are easily on top of the heap of regionals and other ACMI operators.

That said, the latest contract was VERY incremental over the previous 2016 contract, due mostly to the drag on negotiations from the previous year's events. Likely scenarios will have a much more productive negotiating environment when this contract is up in four years.  However, expectation management: the best ACMI dog in the business will always lag parcels and pax, simply because it's a much leaner sector historically.  The organized labor lens can angst all day that management is making money hand over fist in the current environment, but that can change over a commercial break, and chaining a company to a contract that will ensure the doors get locked at the bottom of the next cycle...even this pilot group understands that reality.

But beyond that, there's a few -isms within the company that I think weigh it down on it's way to becoming a "destination job", namely a training dept that is being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, inability to sit any form of "in-base reserve", negligible retirement benefit, etc.  Crews are great, can't beat the 74 for bucket list type value; still highly recommend.

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4 hours ago, BFM this said:

The organized labor lens can angst all day that management is making money hand over fist in the current environment, but that can change over a commercial break, and chaining a company to a contract that will ensure the doors get locked at the bottom of the next cycle...even this pilot group understands that reality.

 

That is the best management logic for not giving a great paying contract that I've ever read.

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2 hours ago, Hacker said:

That is the best management logic for not giving a great paying contract that I've ever read.

46% of the voting pilots agreed with you.

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Thanks for the responses. I would like to make airlines work somehow, but I'm being murdered on PIC time. I have plenty of total time but a non-vul to RPAs followed by an MWS change that started me back as a copilot again have killed me. 

Recently met a guy from Kalitta who offered me a referral but I'm not sure how competitive it would be without the 500 PIC. 

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Thanks for the responses. I would like to make airlines work somehow, but I'm being murdered on PIC time. I have plenty of total time but a non-vul to RPAs followed by an MWS change that started me back as a copilot again have killed me. 
Recently met a guy from Kalitta who offered me a referral but I'm not sure how competitive it would be without the 500 PIC. 


I was in a similar position, but I have around 800-900 PIC from my Herk days. Due to BRAC, I was RPAs for almost 7 yrs, got pulled for a SQ/CC gig. My reward was I got to go to a manned flying squadron afterwards. Went thru an AC program but was a CP because that is what we do in the ANG. The proverbial switch flipped and I retired 1 Apr. Got hired at Atlas and start in a week. I didn’t get enough recency (100 hrs in 12 months, had 75) so I wasn’t really competitive for a major. I’m really looking forward to flying the 747 and building 121 time. I’m damn happy to be flying again. I know Atlas has started a R-ATP program that starts in the 737.


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1 hour ago, CaptainMorgan said:

Go to a regional for 2-3 years and PIC time shouldn’t be an issue.


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I have 13 years. Do you think this is a better COA than just staying in for the same length of time? I don't know if I have the financial capability to stomach regional pay for that long. 

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15 minutes ago, herkbum said:

 


I was in a similar position, but I have around 800-900 PIC from my Herk days. Due to BRAC, I was RPAs for almost 7 yrs, got pulled for a SQ/CC gig. My reward was I got to go to a manned flying squadron afterwards. Went thru an AC program but was a CP because that is what we do in the ANG. The proverbial switch flipped and I retired 1 Apr. Got hired at Atlas and start in a week. I didn’t get enough recency (100 hrs in 12 months, had 75) so I wasn’t really competitive for a major. I’m really looking forward to flying the 747 and building 121 time. I’m damn happy to be flying again. I know Atlas has started a R-ATP program that starts in the 737.


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It sucks that the RPA skill set is generally useless outside the military unless you have an LRE qual. Even then, the good gigs are all taken at this point from what I hear. I know the AF doesn't owe anyone anything, and I did enjoy some aspects about my RPA time, but it does feel like you get stiffed serving a 10 year commitment for a a different job than what you signed the commitment for. 

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I have 13 years. Do you think this is a better COA than just staying in for the same length of time? I don't know if I have the financial capability to stomach regional pay for that long. 

In that case, no. Regional pay wouldn’t be bad if you’re also getting retirement, but if you’re separating, I can understand not wanting the drastic pay cut.


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2 hours ago, FLEA said:

I have 13 years. Do you think this is a better COA than just staying in for the same length of time? I don't know if I have the financial capability to stomach regional pay for that long. 

Can you go do a UPT IP gig for that 2-3 years instead of regionals? That’ll get you plenty of PIC time.

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