Army Helo pikot NYC looking for flight time

CharyouTree · November 14, 2015

And I'll echo what Charyoutree wrote. Don't join the Army to build time. In this climate (military drawdown and budget uncertainty, with very few deployments), once you leave Rucker you'll be lucky to get 150 hours a year.

This is what I really meant, with the additional subtext about actually WANTING to be in the military as a side.

Lindsey · November 14, 2015

This is what I really meant, with the additional subtext about actually WANTING to be in the military as a side.

I know

RACKMAN · November 14, 2015

Again, to both of you. Thanks for the reply.

I meet with a recruiter on Monday Am.

We'll see where it goes from there.

SBuzzkill · November 17, 2015

You'll be lucky to see much more than 2-3 hours a week in the Army. Of course there will be people coming in here saying otherwise. They're the lucky ones

Edited November 17, 2015 by SBuzzkill

CLRDHOT28 · November 17, 2015

In the Marines I got on avg about 200 hrs per year. One year I got 100 hrs. The most per year I got was 500 and that was when I was instructing.

A lot depended on what Squadron you were with and where you deployed to. After two deployments I had 900 hrs total. I had a friend in the same time who flew the same airframe as me did three deployments to Iraq with another Squadron and had around 2800 hrs total.

I know I'm a better pilot from the experiences I got in the Marines. The situations you will be put in as a very junior pilot is pretty crazy. I was flying a 24k lb helo landing on aircraft carriers with 300 hrs total time (200 in helos). No way any civilian company would allow that especially with the insurance companies the way they are.

As for prior experience, it can help you in the beginning but most guys catch up pretty fast. As an instructor I found the guys who had prior flight experience were the hardest to teach. I knew several flight students who didn't get their wings who had commercial ratings. Not everyone who had prior flight experience was like that but I flew with hundreds of students and that was my experience.

Rackman- if you go into the military go in to serve, not to build flight hours. In the Marines we had a saying about pilots, "you're an Officer first and a pilot second." When I was in the Squadron I spent more time doing my second, third, and sometimes fourth job than I did being a pilot. Good luck.

akscott60 · November 17, 2015

We all got an email out here at Bragg stating that we should expect 12 hours per month.

Joe_P148 · November 18, 2015

We all got an email out here at Bragg stating that we should expect 12 hours per month.

Even as an IP?

akscott60 · November 18, 2015

No, that was just a general email to all pilots out here.

CharyouTree · November 19, 2015

It's still above minimums for a FAC1 aviator. (Assuming you -47 guys are similar to -60)

akscott60 · November 19, 2015

True.

Sliderk · February 9, 2016

I know this is a slightly older thread, but I wanted to share my experience so far. I was a Kiowa driver in the Army I got out in 2014 with 873 hours under my belt. I really thought I wouldn't have an issue getting a job but I was sorely mistaken. I have a great network of senior aviators in the civilian sector but plain and simply I don't have 1000 hours. I did get my commercial and instrument during flight school 21 and in doing so I am not able to go back and redo flight school through a va approved school. Now in saying that I could go back and get my cfi and cfii and maybe a couple other small courses and get a handful of hours, but nothing to what I need to be hired anywhere. I am in the process now of triple checking but what I am going to have to do is to surrender my commercial rotory wing license.... So I can go back and redo my whole flight training while I go to school full time. This way would ensure I could get over a 1000 hours and at least I could possible get a job as a cfi. If anyone has information on this I would appreciate your input or if I am wrong I would welcome it.

Lindsey · February 9, 2016

In your case I would recommend looking into a busy flight school that flies S300s. Get your CFI/CFII, and teach your way to 1000+ hours. With the oil sector laying folks off, that 1000 hours isn't as realistic as it used to be. Hope it is, but count on more. Normally I would recommend R22s for maximum hireability, but with the SFAR that requires you to personally buy a lot of hours you don't necessarily need. Look into Schweizers.

Flying Pig · February 9, 2016

I still curious about the Marine UH1 pilot/Captain I talked to a not long ago who was getting out with about 800hrs TT with No job lined up. He was confindent he was going to be picked up by an EMS company simply for having been military trained. In fact...... His entire "getting out" plan was hinged on it he was so confident.

Wally · February 9, 2016

I still curious about the Marine UH1 pilot/Captain I talked to a not long ago who was getting out with about 800hrs TT with No job lined up. He was confindent he was going to be picked up by an EMS company simply for having been military trained. In fact...... His entire "getting out" plan was hinged on it he was so confident.

No way in the USA.

Sliderk · February 9, 2016

I would not think so either. Its the hours that really count. I really wouldn't mind redoing my training it's been since 2011 since I've last flown the OH-58D. I would want to qualify for the sfar for the r-22 also. Plus one of my in jobs is in a R-44. I'm just kinda in a dead zone at the moment. I should find out today what the va will say about the training. There is no way I have the funds to pay for the training myself now that I am out of the Army.