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Just selected, and got....

zippy

Freedom!
pilot
Contributor
Hiring kind? I have observed that the airlines are valuing all types of backgrounds and hour experience levels. We had jet, tanker, RJ and props in my new hire class. Low guy had just over 1700 hours, high civilian pilot had 9000. At the beginning of the hiring wave instructor and NATOPs quals were valued as equivalents to LCA and CFI/MEI/CFII. With all the hiring and going through the most qualified you have guys and gals who aren't instructors getting hired. I bet in a few years the dynamic will change some more as the available pool of qualified pilots shrinks. I still think the majors will be able to be pick from the best applicants while the regionals will struggle to find people willing to work for their shit pay.

From what I have observed (my training partner was a marine F18 bubba) all the skills translate well regardless of what community you come from. Yeah. Maybe the maritime or transport guys have a leg up with CRM and flying larger planes but that is a very small hurdle that any professional pilot that is willing to learn can overcome. New plane. New company. New type of flying. New procedures. We have all gone from different aircraft with our military backgrounds so this should come a little easier to us.

The few issues I have heard and seen are mostly civilian guys and gals with high hours and are older. They have a harder time adapting to a new plane, or switching seat positions (left seat to the right).

If your eventual goal is the airlines do well and enjoy the community you are in while in the Navy. Build up the required hours to get your ATP and network, network, network.

I've got a buddy who just hired on with delta with 400 harrier time, and about 1650 total time, including 30 or so multi-engine piston time (to get the rating) and flys 777s now.

It seems like all military fixed wing hours are hiring hours these days...

Sadly I know few recently departed VP guys who are at the majors yet. Most of them are starting out at other flying jobs (regionals/ISR) to get current thanks to the disassociated sea tour setting back their flying career a couple of years. Meanwhile I know plenty of jet guys who have gone direct from their last flying job to the majors. Looks like right now, the VP guys who selected the community to become an airline pilot 10 years ago chose more poorly.

Why do I even mention it? A reminder to folks not to pick communities over theoretical future job prospects. A lot can happen between selection day and wings +8.
 
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Raul B

Member
Hey all, I just started Maritime advanced and already loving it. Looks like they're still selecting P-3's and surprisingly, even EP-3s along with P-8s. Any word up in Whidbey how the transition is going? Also, can anyone confirm/deny whether they're sending ppl out of the P-8 FRS up there?
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Hey all, I just started Maritime advanced and already loving it. Looks like they're still selecting P-3's and surprisingly, even EP-3s along with P-8s. Any word up in Whidbey how the transition is going? Also, can anyone confirm/deny whether they're sending ppl out of the P-8 FRS up there?

Pro tip: If you use the search function, you can come up with 5 or 6 additional threads in which you can ask the exact same question.
 

utswimmer37

"Descent Planning"
pilot
Hey all, I just started Maritime advanced and already loving it. Looks like they're still selecting P-3's and surprisingly, even EP-3s along with P-8s. Any word up in Whidbey how the transition is going? Also, can anyone confirm/deny whether they're sending ppl out of the P-8 FRS up there?
Transition WAS going swell, VP 4 complete, but there may or may not be a sliiiiight delay to that transition now. I'm sure you'll here more later but they are taking about 2-3 per class. Just put in for Whitney but the delay might kill my dreams.

Edit: Select P-8s if you can help it...
 

jbuck387

Gene Police: You!! Out Of The Pool!
pilot
Hey all, I just started Maritime advanced and already loving it. Looks like they're still selecting P-3's and surprisingly, even EP-3s along with P-8s. Any word up in Whidbey how the transition is going? Also, can anyone confirm/deny whether they're sending ppl out of the P-8 FRS up there?

VP-4 (I'm there now) completes P-8 transition May 5th. We have been receiving new P-8 pilots and NFO's from VP-30 since we arrived to Whidbey last September. With VP-47 about to begin, and VP-9 right after them the chance of getting P-8 in Whidbey exists, but there are far more P-3 spots than P-8 in Whidbey for now. Feel free to PM me any questions.
 

nittany03

Recovering NFO. Herder of Programmers.
pilot
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I still aim for it every time. You can take the pilot out of the P-3, but you can't take the P-3 out of the pilot.
:D

6888aa0dfe7410a2301995a6e7f6f974.jpg
 

xj220

Will fly for food.
pilot
Contributor
Hey, after being stuck at the hold short for 15+ min every time I go fly because you're always "min fuel," I feel it's justified.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Hey, after being stuck at the hold short for 15+ min every time I go fly because you're always "min fuel," I feel it's justified.

You mean the 3 min delay followed by the 10 mins it takes to taxi in position and hold?
 

xj220

Will fly for food.
pilot
Contributor
Oh no, I've been stuck at the hold short for over 20 min before because "jets."
 
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