Its going to be an interesting time for military flying.

[electron_si]

Its rough reading about some of you AD guys waiting a year or so to start progression when guard guys are expected to be up and flying within 30-60 days after flight school graduation. It was about 75 days for me because I was starting a new job and didn't want to request 3 weeks off right when i started. Other than that AD is a good deal b/c your only job is UH-60 duties/additional duties. I have to manage a civilian career and fly as often as I can get on the flight schedule so 5 & 9/apart/flight physical all gets worked in around my civilian job. I guess there are pro's and con's of both.

[SBuzzkill]

A lot of it has to do with timing of when they are bringing new guys into units. It's not that everyone is going to experience that, but the majority probably will.

 

Edit: Not a year of waiting, but it's likely you wont start flying within the first few months at a unit.

Edited February 14, 2013 by SBuzzkill

[akscott60]

I waited six. Dudes I knew that were on rear D waited over 8-9 in hawk units.

 

Some started right away.

 

Fact is the Army doesnt need any pilots, or at least not nearly the rate the schoolhouse cranks them out...but with a stroke of a pen the budget woes can go away.

Edited February 14, 2013 by akscott60

[electron_si]

The way i look at it is that some people are getting laid off as a result of the economy, a lot of contractors are losing their positions, federal employees have fewer and fewer positions to move up and advance now. Although I'm an M day pilot I work for the guard full time and I maintain the same currency hours as AD.

 

So having my flight hours cut sucks, but I'm glad to be gainfully employeed and able to support my family.

 

My wife and I are looking at buying a house pretty soon, and theres something to be said for guaranteed income and not having to worry about a foreclosure.

 

I was also flying at 135KTS 100' AGL last week on a low level training route improving my terrain masking techniques. So at least the hours I do get to fly are fun.

[akscott60]

135kts?

 

Wonder what that is like.

[electron_si]

Yeah us 60 Drivers dont have to pedal our helicopters

[SBuzzkill]

135kts?

 

Wonder what that is like.

 

I saw 147 over the ground back in January and over 150 back in October. It was cool. Then the 60 who was with us pitched it over and passed us like we were standing still. He said he got it up to 198.

Edited February 15, 2013 by SBuzzkill

[electron_si]

I saw 147 over the ground back in January and over 150 back in October. It was cool. Then the 60 who was with us pitched it over and passed us like we were standing still. He said he got it up to 198.

 

The highest i've seen indicated was 172KTS, We were 25 deg nose down and 55 deg left bank demo'ing manuevering limits to one of the new crew chiefs, the IP I was with was on the controls. I felt like i was on a roller coaster, all i could see was ground on the front windscreen.

[akscott60]

Oh I saw over 140 the other day, ground speed, but we indicated only about 97 with 93% TQ.

 

Gotta love tailwinds.

[SBuzzkill]

I've seen over 135 indicated while mushing through 10,000 feet. Not a fun place to be.

Edited February 15, 2013 by SBuzzkill

[akscott60]

Ah, no. No it would not be.

[Velocity173]

174ish in a dive. 155 level at 100 % TRQ. 212 ground speed once in Germany. Heard of some hitting over 180 indicated in a hawk. Not sure I believe it. Anything over 155-160 is pretty rough. It's not a place where she likes to be.

 

With cutbacks you'd be lucky to get 140 kts out of a UH-60 these days. Just trying to stay on thread.

[SemperGumby]

LOL I saw 115 once in a TH-67. I was all like, we're flying fast now! hahaha

[air_1]

It doesn't look like they'll be cranking them out at Rucker like they used to.

 

"If the legislated spending cuts known as sequestration take place more than 500 student pilots and 3,700 hours of aviation training will be lost at Fort Rucker."

 

http://www.wtvy.com/...-191297361.html

Edited February 15, 2013 by air_1

[electron_si]

Whew! Glad I got through there before all this started happening.

 

Maybe i should look at a UAS transition, I dont hear congress threatening any of their flight hours

[Flying Pig]

I dont post here much, but I think this is relevant.

 

We had 4 Marine UH1Y 's come in to my airport a couple days ago. The pilots were Captains, were in their 5th-6th year and were still under 1000hrs. Actually, they were between800-900hrs.

 

Their commander was a Lt Col was coming up on his 20yrs and had 3200. Awesome way to serve your country and get your foot in the door, but it seems the military applicants need to have a back up plan for how you can get your time up on the civilian side otherwise you are going to be sitting in the unemployment line with the rest of the low timers. These guys had already done deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and were still in that low time boat. Im not arguing the quality of their time at all. But it seems in the civilian industry, quality doesn't really matter much until you have the quantity.

 

Im at 2000 airplane and almost 1000 helo and I cant do anything in the way of secondary helicopter employment. I cant even teach because I only have about 10hrs of Robbie time. Fortunately I have a full time flying job, but still........

 

I view military aviation the same way I do LE aviation. Join the military to serve your country first, if you end up as one of the fortunate few who get to do it as a pilot, even better. (That advice comes from an 8 year machinegunner. If I could log the time I have in the back of military helicopters.... Id be da bomb!!! )

Edited February 15, 2013 by Flying Pig

[electron_si]

I absolutely agree. I didn't pursue military flight school so that I could segway into the civilian aviation world, as I am sure most others would say. I joined the military because we GET PAID to fly awesome aircraft on great missions, work with our friends, and have some cool stories to tell we're older while protecting others.

 

If someone joined the military to get them to where they wanted to go on the civilian side, good for them, but I would say thats the minority.

 

If I do get to fly after the Army I'll consider myself one of the lucky few, and it will be as a contractor MTP for the military or DAC (if that even still exists in 20 years).

[Velocity173]

Well lets not get carried away with not using military training for a civilian job. Yes, we join to serve but we all need to prepare for life after the Army as well. If that means wanting a job as a pilot, well then a certain amount of hours will be necessary.

 

There were plenty in my class who got out after 6 yrs and went on to fly. Not everyone wants to serve 20 + yrs and then get out. I don't hold that

against them. In fact, there really weren't many in my class who went on to retirement as I did. Most that stay until retirement already had enlisted time, so it only made sense to stay in.

 

So, being a warrant, flying cool machinery, and serving your country is great and all, but after 6 yrs and just over 1,000 hrs, you'll be thinking about life after the Army.

 

[SBuzzkill]

I don't intend to stay in past my commitment.

[Lindsey]

I don't intend to stay in past my commitment.

 

I'm curious--just because? Any particular reason?

[Flying Pig]

Probably the same reasons everyone gets out.... they all have their own reasons regardless of what job you end up with.

[Rob1237051]

If I already had WOCS, then I'd feel pretty confident as I'd be very well qualified for 151A. Unfortunately, I'm only an ATTRS cancellation away. One thing is for sure...If I'm Qualified-Retroactively-Unselected I'll be working on my civilian resume.

 

Maybe our legislative and executive branches will save us...

 

*Logs into USA Jobs*

 

It doesn't look like they'll be cranking them out at Rucker like they used to.

 

"If the legislated spending cuts known as sequestration take place more than 500 student pilots and 3,700 hours of aviation training will be lost at Fort Rucker."

 

http://www.wtvy.com/...-191297361.html

[stearmann4]

Remember, the military isn't in the business of setting you up for a follow-on civilian career nor does it make any promises to that affect, that's just a convenient by product of your training. If you envision a civilian career as a professional aviator after the military, you'd probably be best served taking some of your GI Bill benefits, or even footing the bill yourself and go get a Robinson endorsement with the intent of doing some instructing on the side if/when your schedule allows it. Not only will you build time towards the magic 2,000 hour insurance minimums, but you'll already be adjusted to the civilian way of flying which can get some getting used to after flying heavy, dual piloted turbines for 7-8 years. The best part is that you can take the R-22/44 jobs and not be burdened with the 80K of debt or crappy hourly wages the hard working civilian CFIs have had to deal with to get a foot in the door. Again, my advice is worth what you just paid for it. Mike-

[SBuzzkill]

I'm curious--just because? Any particular reason?

 

Let's just say I like what I do right now but 20 years tied to the Army was never my goal.

[SemperGumby]

Let's just say I like what I do right now but 20 years tied to the Army was never my goal.

 

If I had stayed in the first time around, I would be more than half way through. Instead, I have 15 years left to go. It should be pretty interesting.