TacAirlifter

Haha, maybe I'll call the AF/A1P office and inquire!

Hopefulflyer389, AFPC referenced Chap 6 to me...specifically ARC to AD transitions. Said that program is not currently active, but they are in talks to possibly activate it

I have all the faith in the world in the U-2 guys, and zero in the bureaucracy of AFPC. Unfortunarely, if I put all my eggs in the VLPAD basket and they aren’t comfortable with it, then I’m outta options. From a higher level perspective, I still can’t quite unterstand why the AD isn’t willing to take any and all Pilot that wants to come to them from within their own service...but I don’t understand a lot of what they do...

Solid input, thanks a lot. I'd honestly be willing to finish out 20 (another 10 years). I have been talking to them quite a bit but frankly VLPAD was something I was afraid to bring up for fear of not looking committed. Now that I've hit so much resistance at AFPC, I am definitely willing to bring it up and see what they have to say. To answer your question about being guaranteed the airframe, and forgive my ignorance on this if I am missing the mark, but they used to be able to interview Guard and Reserve (in the same way they do with interservice guys now) and if you don't get hired, you go back to your humble Guard job. At least that is my understanding of it. Love it...it took em 10 years to even admit they had a problem...and they still refuse to believe its root causes

I agree with you completely. It's a great program with almost no downsides. The reason I am trying to stay away from it is that I am wanting to get into the U-2 program and I am pretty sure they want nothing to do with a 3-year guy. This is an assumption and I will definitely ask it specifically because that is the easiest solution...but have a feeling they will not want to pursue me if I am in a temporary status.

Yep, you read that right. I have been a Guard Pilot for about 7 years and I am wanting to make a lifestyle change and transition to Active Duty. I have sent a lot of emails and made a lot of phone calls and for some reason keep hitting walls. I was told by AFPC, to paraphrase: Nah, that process doesn't exist...it might at some point, but it doesn't now. Have a nice day. Given that there is an explicit and often used process for interservice transfers, I am really surprised to find that there is not an easy way to transition from the ARC...especially with all the TFI they constantly cram down our throats. The Active Duty is in a Pilot shortage crises (as we all know) and I am willing to sign an ADSC, it seems like complete lunacy that the door is shutting in my face. Does anyone know of any back doors (sts) or work-arounds to make this happen? I know of the VLPAD program, but I am looking for a permanent transition. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

I can't say I agree with you, ThreeHoler, but I can't really come up with a coherent interpretation... Para c is pretty clearly talking about only an ATP certificate. So if it were to apply only to military pilots with other than a multi-engine airplane rating...then who DOES it apply to? Helo and single engine guys? And for what purpose would that be in there? It doesn't make any sense at all. I know that it USED to be the case (for decades), that mil dudes ATP written didn't expire. And that is what I think the intention of this is, but it sure is worded confusingly. The SFAR is a whole separate issue...and unfortunately in my case my deployment orders ended about a month too soon.

Shoot, I left out an important detail. I'm a Guard guy. So...both, to answer your question

Here is a question that maybe somebody can weigh in on, I have been searching for an answer and calling the FAA for weeks with no satisfaction. I took the written a few days before the deadline back in 2014 expecting to take the checkride well before now. I recently got hired at Skywest and they bumped my training date to the point that my written will have expired prior to completion of training. They are willing to send me to a CTP program, but the last think I want to do is take that damned written again! Somebody had once told me that if you were a current and qualified military pilot, that your ATP written didn't expire so I went digging and found some pretty clear verbiage that essentially allows any current/qualified guy to extend their expiration date (references to 8900.1 and 61.39 are below). The problem is, when I went to the FSDO, they really had no idea about these paragraphs, so they just said "no" with really no explanation. I then called the FAA Airmen Certification Branch and, once again, they had no familiarity, so they said they'd call me back, but probably "no". Again without explanation of the reg or why it didn't apply to me or thousands of guys like me that got in under the wire on the written. I mean, it even tells them what to write on the written certificate. It couldn't be any clearer to me. They did keep mentioning the SFAR 100-2, which, to me, doesn't seem to apply to these regs in any way...just amplifies it. Does anybody have any experience or success with this? Thanks for your help guys...I really hope that I can get some light on this to help everyone out. (I removed paragraphs that didn't apply) From 8900.1 5-807 EXTENDING VALIDITY PERIODS OF ATP KNOWLEDGE TEST RESULTS—REFER TO § 61.39. Except under the following conditions for extending the validity of an ATP knowledge test, the FAA does not accept expired knowledge test reports. C. U.S. Armed Forces Pilots. For any ATP Certificate, U.S. Armed Forces pilots currently assigned as a flightcrew member in U.S. military air transport operations at the time of the practical test, who have completed the PIC aircraft qualification training program that is appropriate to the pilot certificate and rating sought, may have the validity of their ATP knowledge test report extended per § 61.39. D. Extending Validity Period of the ATP Knowledge Test. If a pilot applicant qualifies for extension of their ATP knowledge test validity period, in accordance with § 61.39, the following will be stamped or typed on the airman’s knowledge test report: “The validity period of this ATP knowledge test form is extended in accordance with the applicable provisions of § 61.39.” Following this statement, the authorizing inspector or examiner will sign, date, and show their current Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) or certificate management office (CMO) assignment. And then from 61.39 (pay close attention to paragraph C) (b) An applicant for an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating or an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane type rating may take the practical test with an expired knowledge test only if the applicant passed the knowledge test after July 31, 2014, and is employed: (1) As a flightcrew member by a part 119 certificate holder conducting operations under parts 125 or 135 of this chapter at the time of the practical test and has satisfactorily accomplished that operator's approved pilot-in-command training or checking program; or (2) As a flightcrew member by a part 119 certificate holder conducting operations under part 121 of this chapter at the time of the practical test and has satisfactorily accomplished that operator's approved initial training program; or (3) By the U.S. Armed Forces as a flight crewmember in U.S. military air transport operations at the time of the practical test and has completed the pilot in command aircraft qualification training program that is appropriate to the pilot certificate and rating sought. (c) An applicant for an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating other than those ratings set forth in paragraph (b) of this section may take the practical test for that certificate or rating with an expired knowledge test report, provided that the applicant is employed: (1) As a flightcrew member by a part 119 certificate holder conducting operations under parts 125 or 135 of this chapter at the time of the practical test and has satisfactorily accomplished that operator's approved pilot-in-command training or checking program; or (2) By the U.S. Armed Forces as a flight crewmember in U.S. military air transport operations at the time of the practical test and has completed the pilot in command aircraft qualification training program that is appropriate to the pilot certificate and rating sought.