[TDART speculation / troughing]

4 hours ago, Jetpower said:

So apparently it's a funding issue. I just confirmed with my Reserve LNO. I was directed to reach out to the individual who is in charge of the TDART program so I will report back when he responds.  

Sounds good! I’ve heard that too.

[TDART speculation / troughing]

On 7/3/2021 at 8:19 PM, CharlieHotel47 said:

Guard tanker guy here... fresh out of PIQ. For the longest young guard guys thought the reserves bros had it good with the TDART program. Brings financial stability and continuity in the jet at a time that is critical in a young co’s career. Anyway, before I left for UPT back in 2019, it seem that post MCT the way to get paid or build time was to pretty much whore yourself out to the rainbow deployment lines. Stateside trips and TDYs aren’t that stable. The alert lines might cover some paydays but aren’t stable for just one person to hold for a long time. The rainbow deployments was the way to get paid and build time.
Now that the rainbow is gone and everyone is back in the bucket, I’m not sure what the new thing is gona be for young bum copilots to get paid and build time.

I also tried calling random units looking for a deployment... but everyone is co heavy...

At least in my unit we have way to many pilots, some that got furlough by the airlines. Everyone is looking for hours and trips which only leaves the young bums at the bottom of the food chain.

Perhaps if the airlines pick up again and the optstempo picks up as well, things might improve for us young bums. Until then, the struggle is real...


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Ha, I would probably recognize you seeing as I am pretty freshly through PIQ myself. I’ve heard about these rainbows you speak of. A few guys from my sqn just got picked up by to fly RJ’s, so that is a possibility although not great for continuity with the jet. 

[TDART speculation / troughing]

Well, I've heard about the feast / famine nature of the Reserves and with the recent hiring freeze of the TDART program, full time employment might be a little harder to find for younger reserve guys like myself for a little bit. I am still cautiously optimistic about getting some type of stable full time employment with my sqn, and would strongly like to do so if able, it seems like a great way to get plugged in to how it all works etc. If required I'll either take my shot at making a living troughing (bumming), or go get an RJ job once eligible for stable income and to keep stacking the flight hours, but for a variety of reasons I want to focus on just learning the airframe and the mission until sometime into AC (probably the next couple years...) and to really get to dive into learning one airplane instead of two.  Any speculation out there on the return of the program? And for anyone who troughs / bums and makes a living at it...how do you do it? Can you make a living if longer TDY's are not super abundant (realistically, maybe a week long TDY every 6 weeks or so)? I am learning all of the pay statuses etc for a while yet, still on MCT. 

[PCSM averages]

18 hours ago, Hopefulflyer389 said:

My information pertains to me chasing a fighter slot for about a year now and the common denominator is at least a ppl, pilot score is 90+, and PCSM 90+. This will range from unit to unit as some don’t really care what the scores are while others use the scores on a spread sheet to determine who to interview. Definetetly search around on this form as there’s more in depth information pertaining to this in various threads. 

Yea, it seems it really varies. The squadron(s) I am particularly interested in are big on the PCSM score..I think with some study practice with the math stuff I could get my AFOQT up to a more competitive level. 

[PCSM averages]

Hello Baseops, 

I was trying to get a feel for what a decent PCSM score looks like in the current Reserve/ANG hiring environment. AFOQT 75 for both Pilot and Nav, 127 or so hours flying time (have PPL, some XC time built up and 1/4 of the way through instrument training; working towards CSEL rating and maybe becoming a CFI while I work to get selected by a squadron and get to go to UPT). Current PCSM 69; I have another chance to take the AFOQT and I think I can raise it if I get some math tutoring help...I was able to find information about previous years on some forums somewhere and as I recall the median PCSM score for people selected for UPT in FY 16 or 17 was something like 66. Of course, the higher the better, but I was wondering if anyone had more current data or information. I'm pretty interested in flying fighters so that's some motivation to hit the books extra hard before giving the AFOQT another go.  

Thanks 

[Guard vs. Reserve]

6 hours ago, tk1313 said:

I've only rushed one squadron, and I have my first interview coming up for a fighter unit that I applied to but didn't have the time to visit (applications are usually due on the last drill weekend that applicants visit). Many people on this site and many that I've met have had multiple interviews, and a lot of people I know have gotten hired in just about every airframe the AF flies. I'm not one of them, but I'll give you my 2 cents as a fellow newbie pilot wannabe.

The ANG seems to put out way more hiring notices than the Reserves, and I don't really know why... But if the ANG/Reserves are hiring, get into contact with someone and show up for drill weekend.  As for the "Am I going to get hired off the streets?" question, I would say you have just as good of a shot as someone in the unit in many cases. Don't act like you're better, and don't act like you're worse. Yes, there are some units that prefer to hire from within, but a lot of units have been burned by their own dudes/gals because they couldn't hack it in UPT. So rush any and all units like it's your life's goal because, well, it is...

I think the "be a good dude" thing is kind of obvious, but my take on it is to just be yourself. Pilots have damn near perfect instincts. They can pretty much tell who is being genuine, and who is acting like an ass and saying "bro" every other word because that's what the 1LTs do. It's really embarrassing to see the senior pilots cringing once the "I'm gonna act like a 23 year old fighter pilot ace even thought I'm a guy off the streets" dude shows up and starts acting like hot shit. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fighter wannabe through and through. If asked why I want fighters, my answer is going to be unique (and the best answer) compared to someone else's response...

Hope that helps, dude. Good luck!

That does help. Thanks!

[Guard vs. Reserve]

I know a bit about how the two differ, but what about getting in? I know that the ANG in particular seems to like to hire from within, but how does one get hired into the guard as a pilot off the street? I have about four units (mostly KC135) in the west and northwestern U.S. that I'd like to shoot for but I see a bit of a roadblock in trying to get in to the guard when you're not from the unit. I guess the answer is "be a good dude" and do the best you can, but can it realistically be done if you're not from that unit?