06butters Posted May 20, 2021 Report Share Posted May 20, 2021 BLUF: Looking for advice on the most effective and cost efficient route to go through ARNG flight school AND become an airline pilot. Should I try to get my ATP before or after IERW? My background: USMC Comms Officer (0602) about to EAS. I've always wanted to fly and had a flight contract in the Marines, but got "needs of the Marine Corps"ed into a ground contract. I've been working with the MT ARNG and will get boarded for a flight slot in June. I'm working on the assumption I'll get selected. I do want to fly military, but have recently been looking at airlines and the eventual paycheck and benefits are very enticing. ATP flight school has a fast track where I could get into a regional airline cockpit within 9 months, so I could theoretically get through that flight school and start getting airline hours before I even ship to Ft Rucker. However, from what I understand, IERW gets you an FAA commercial rating which means my PPL course would be waived if I waited to start the airline course until after IERW which would save me about $6k. Plus some the IERW flight hours would count towards airline course hours. Plus it looks like some airlines (Horizon in particular) offer incentives for helicopter rated pilots. Anyone with experience out there?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbussma Posted May 20, 2021 Report Share Posted May 20, 2021 I'm a NG RLO and Regional FO. If ATP flight school is associated with it, I can guarantee you it's not the most cost effective route. You may want to check the program you're looking at. It's probably a "zero to hero" program that gets you all your ratings up to CFII/MEI in 9 months, not to ATP mins and in a 121 cockpit. It will probably get you to the neighborhood of 250-350 hours then you'll have to flight instruct your way up to 1,500. Graduating from a military flight training program lessens that to 750 hours. If it were me, I'd get on with a unit and get through flight school. Once you graduate, take another look and re-evalute what's being offered. RTP programs may be spun back up by then and you may not have to pay anything to get your ratings. I'm sure you have the GI Bill which will decrease any costs even further. If you're looking at NG aviation I wouldn't worry about trying to do anything prior to hearing back from the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkray Posted May 20, 2021 Report Share Posted May 20, 2021 Also you can use the Army Credentialing Program and get $4K per year toward your ratings and you won’t ever touch your GI bill using that funding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJo88 Posted May 25, 2021 Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 On 5/20/2021 at 6:51 AM, jkray said: Also you can use the Army Credentialing Program and get $4K per year toward your ratings and you won’t ever touch your GI bill using that funding. $1,000 per year now for aviation certs. https://www.cool.osd.mil/army/docs/CA_Aviation_Funding_Reduction_Policy_21MAY21.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkray Posted May 25, 2021 Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 37 minutes ago, JoJo88 said: $1,000 per year now for aviation certs. https://www.cool.osd.mil/army/docs/CA_Aviation_Funding_Reduction_Policy_21MAY21.pdf Just saw that today. It says “for this fiscal year” so hopefully it will go back to $4000 next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM1 Posted May 25, 2021 Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 That doesn’t apply to guard and reserves. It’s still 4K for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaurus Posted May 25, 2021 Report Share Posted May 25, 2021 06Butters What is your reasoning in not going AF Res or AF ANG for fixed wing? Fixed wing time is most preferred in airline hiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkray Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 3 hours ago, GM1 said: That doesn’t apply to guard and reserves. It’s still 4K for them. Sorry to say but it applies to everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaurus Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 How much flight time can you get in a Cessna 152 for $1k? 6 maybe 7 hrs. The Army is really going out of their way in protecting their aviation assets, their soldiers from commercial airline harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLEDGE HAMMER Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 2 hours ago, jkray said: Sorry to say but it applies to everyone. An updated one dropped yesterday with applicability only being AD: https://www.cool.osd.mil/army/docs/CA_Aviation_Funding_Reduction_Policy_for_AD_Soldiers_21MAY21.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkray Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 9 hours ago, SLEDGE HAMMER said: An updated one dropped yesterday with applicability only being AD: https://www.cool.osd.mil/army/docs/CA_Aviation_Funding_Reduction_Policy_for_AD_Soldiers_21MAY21.pdf Damnit, just when I think I understand what’s going on I miss the change haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM1 Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 4 hours ago, jkray said: Damnit, just when I think I understand what’s going on I miss the change haha Yeet…. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBuzzkill Posted May 26, 2021 Report Share Posted May 26, 2021 (edited) Fast tracking to the airlines is going to take 100% of your time, and army flight school will hold you back. If you want to be an Army Aviator so be it, but understand that it will significantly slow down your progression to the airlines. If you really want to do both, start working on your airplane ratings and time building now. Do not wait for RTPs to come back and definitely don’t plan on them for your ratings. Edited May 26, 2021 by SBuzzkill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nil5038 Posted May 27, 2021 Report Share Posted May 27, 2021 And are they still guna ask for two extra years of your life but for 1,000$ now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedude Posted May 27, 2021 Report Share Posted May 27, 2021 5 minutes ago, nil5038 said: And are they still guna ask for two extra years of your life but for 1,000$ now? It's only extra if you're already outside of another ADSO. It runs concurrently so anything you do prior to the last two years of the initial ADSO doesn't increase your obligation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nil5038 Posted May 27, 2021 Report Share Posted May 27, 2021 Yea I know. Was just curious if they’re still asking for the same return for 1/4th of the payment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver236 Posted July 11, 2021 Report Share Posted July 11, 2021 If your goal is to fly for an airline then I highly recommend flying for the Air Force Reserve or Guard and fly a fixed-wing. You will have the flexibility to work full-time/part-time at your unit. I am about to finish up UPT2.5 here at Vance got about 150hrs between the T6s and T1s. I was an 0602 in the Corps myself and punched out in 2020. I wrote an article regarding inter service transfer on BogiDope so check it out if you have time. https://bogidope.com/rated/inter-service-transfer/#Conditional Release Approval Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stump Posted July 15, 2021 Report Share Posted July 15, 2021 So... I'm going about this sort of the opposite way and that's purely from a "play the system" game with the airlines. At the airlines, seniority is everything. I want to serve, and I want to fly helicopters. Ideally in the next 5 to 6 years I will be accepted at my *retirement* airline after a few years at a regional or some special 121 like Amentum. If Fedex/Delta/Southwest etc interviews me and offers a class date I'm going to be looking at rushing various guard and reserve units so I can guarantee myself a helicopter slot in a specific area. It'll take 2+ years to go through the training pipeline and you're not missing much money your 1st year at any airline, much less holding a stable line, and they have to keep your seniority number active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06butters Posted July 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2021 On 5/25/2021 at 5:04 PM, zaurus said: 06Butters What is your reasoning in not going AF Res or AF ANG for fixed wing? Fixed wing time is most preferred in airline hiring. I talked to an ANG recruiter and he gave me some vague rambling answer that boiled down to they don't want prior USMC commissioned officers. Gave me a really weird gut feeling to be convinced to NOT join rather than vice versa. Plus the age limit is 30, I'm almost 31, and I know slots are competitive, so I'd likely have to join a unit, get a waiver, and fight for a few years even to get the chance at a flight slot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver236 Posted September 9, 2021 Report Share Posted September 9, 2021 Come fly for the Air Force reserve or Guard! I got out of the Corps as an 0602/Captain and went through UPT as 31 year-old. Let me know if you need any help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBuzzkill Posted September 10, 2021 Report Share Posted September 10, 2021 06butters, meet your new best friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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