Azhigher Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Some rotor companies will let you continue to accrue seniority when on deployment. As such, there are also the stories going around of people who abuse that, get hired when they know they're shipping out for a while and accruing seniority without ever having spent a single day flying the line. Strange business we're in, eh? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Yes guard, and thank you all for very comical responses. I'm well aware of the requirements, just wondering what's out there. At 200-ish hours, flight instruction will be your only option although even that is highly unlikely simply because you won’t have any time in type (R22/44, S300)…. In your particular situation, you’ll need to pay to gain the required civilian experience to get any civilian pilot gig. It’s either that or; go full commitment in the military and gain the flight time there…… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 At 200-ish hours, flight instruction will be your only option although even that is highly unlikely simply because you wont have any time in type (R22/44, S300). In your particular situation, youll need to pay to gain the required civilian experience to get any civilian pilot gig. Its either that or; go full commitment in the military and gain the flight time thereGotcha, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBuzzkill Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 (edited) I'd work on CFI and getting some Robinson hours on your own dime. If you don't supplement your military flying it's going to be a long while before you're employable. Over 6 years on active duty and I'm just now entering the low side of entry turbine job mins. Unfortunately there are no helicopters outside of the Army here, and only one ridiculously overpriced fixed wing that you can't rent outside of training. Edited June 6, 2015 by SBuzzkill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 "I don't care what you have time in until the number exceeds 1500hrs". True story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted June 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2015 six years? Good gracious... I didn't think it would take that long... Apparently I have some career path planning to do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akscott60 Posted June 7, 2015 Report Share Posted June 7, 2015 You aren't in this for the time. Get a solid deployment and most of that 1500 will be flown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BH206L3 Posted June 7, 2015 Report Share Posted June 7, 2015 Well its going to be a tough road for you till you get your flight times up- You could do Cherry Drying- Fly Co Joe for a couple of seasons, its short seasonal job - june to august, Almost retired has been doing it for about five years now- the company he flies for will put low timers in the left seat and you can go from there- Brewster, Washington is a nice place to spend part of the summer if you are so inclined! Flying just with Guard it will take years to get to the flight times you will need to actually get hired. Its doable but you are going to have to have staying power and be very flexible on where you are wiling to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r22butters Posted June 7, 2015 Report Share Posted June 7, 2015 Not all low timers! ,... The S-55 is fun to fly though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotormandan Posted June 8, 2015 Report Share Posted June 8, 2015 Cherry drying is not a time builder. Mainly because there's not much time to be gained waiting for rain east of the cascades that time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_P148 Posted June 8, 2015 Report Share Posted June 8, 2015 six years? Good gracious... I didn't think it would take that long... Apparently I have some career path planning to do...Well, first you need to look at making pilot in command in the Army that's gonna take anywhere between 1-2 years. An employer is gonna have a hard time hiring a pilot who has never actually been responsible for there aircraft they are flying, sometimes it's more than just hours. Your aircraft is going away, you may have a harder time getting the flight hours you need with the divestment. In any case you do have semi annual minimums so you can bank on flying at least 100 hrs a year, more if you jump on you guard aftps. You have your foot in the door, and a leg up on a lot of people but, corporate is flat out not gonna Hire you at your hour level. I'm a 2,000 Hour W3 with multiple combat tours and I don't have enough time to get into corporate at least not competitively. Honestly, You still will have a decent chunk of turbine time from flight school, do your best at your unit and network with those guys. Build a good reputation and youll open up doors in the guard community. I think at your hour level, law enforcement or instructor is your best chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted June 8, 2015 Report Share Posted June 8, 2015 Law Enforcement law enforcement or instructor is your best chance.Law Enforcement with an agency that trains pilots from within. Those that hire pilots externally do so for most of the same reason civilian companies do. You wont find any 250 hour external hire LE jobs. But most people aren't interested in doing the academy, FTO, probation and then only have just a chance of possibly getting selected. One of the big issues people have with agencies that have their own training programs is that they have their OWN training programs. Meaning they are set up to train who they want. So someone coming in with as a pilot already may not be as important. You can argue and complain all you want about the process, but its not a battle you will win.That being said. As a military pilot, if a guy did his research and chose the right agency. It may work out. Then again... that's a lot of time and effort for a maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avbug Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 How do the chinook and blackhawk guys have their schedules set up? Do they only get called to fires on weekends? The government may only utilize military for fires after all available civil resources have been used, including CWN on on-call ships. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted June 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Great insight, thank you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.