When do you transition?

[BRM21o]

How many hours/tours do you typically need before you are competitive for a Southwest or Aloha :icon_wink job? Would you have enough hours after your initial commitment in jets/P3s/E2/C2 to switch over or do pilots mostly retire from the military and then switch? Just curious, Thanks!

 

[MasterBates]

Just let your CO you want enough hours for the airlines and then get out .. He will make sure you have enough :icon_smil

 

[FrankTheTank]

Fleet Tour + Training Command IP = Enough...

Fleet Tour + Anything else flying (RAG, Wing, etc..) = Maybe...

Fleet Tour + Not Flying = Hell NO...

Jet guys never have any PIC problems but some buds of mine that were dual cockpit have had a tough time making PIC mins...

 

[Heloanjin]

Generally speaking, assuming you are a flying fixed wing and you do more than one flying tour, once your commitment is up, you should have the minimum flight hours commercial carriers are looking for.

Of course, flight tempo varies over the years. Not sure what kind of time fleet guys are getting now. Those who faired best went to a training squadron (FRS, primary or advanced) after their nugget tour.

You should know that those who go jets end up serving about 10 years before their commitment is up.

 

[MasterBates]

Keep in mind that most airlines don't give a rats rear about helo time. Sad but the way it is..

I personally think that flying a larger helo (60 and bigger) would be more transferrable to flying airliners than T-34s, but I am not an airline pilot.

I'm basing my opinion on the managing a more complex aircraft, multiple powerplants, where you put the cargo DOES matter, gross weight is an issue etc.

 

[Heloanjin]

Some airlines will now consider helo time, but you still have to have multi and fixed wing minimums. The helo time just helps you look better than the next guy.

It seems the airlines have discovered helo pilots know a lot about crew coordination.

On the flip side, there is a big demand for helo pilots in the civ world today.

 

[FrankTheTank]

Mins vary but here is my company:

1500 hours total fixed-wing time as pilot-in-command (PIC) or second-in-command in multi-engine turbo-prop A/C or jet A/C or combination thereof, including a minimum of 1000 hours total fixed-wing pilot-in-command in multi-engine turbo prop A/C or jet A/C or combination thereof.

Note: PIC for this purpose is defined as Captain/Aircraft Commander of record, not simply the sole manipulator of the controls.

Note: FedEx considers only pilot time in fixed wing aircraft toward minimum qualifications. This does not include simulator, helicopter, flight engineer, bombardier, navigator, RIO, EWO, WSO, NFO, or Special Crew.

I will say it again as I have said it before---The VTs is where it is at! Flight time galore and networking.. Because you need more than the mins; you need to know people!! Sometimes there are those that pull it off without the network but rarely.. Very important for the majors.. Not so much for the JV airlines... You don't have to make that decision for a long time and then the Navy will be tempting you with the Devil's Money anyway.. :icon_smil

 

[ChuckMK23]

Keep in mind that most airlines don't give a rats rear about helo time. Sad but the way it is..

The nice exception being American...

 

[bunk22]

Fleet Tour + Training Command IP = Enough....

Certainly agree with the first. Guys coming back as O-4's with 3000 hours.

Fleet Tour + Anything else flying (RAG, Wing, etc..) = Maybe...

This was certainly true of me and maybe other COD folks. Had around 1600 hours after first sea tour and FRS tour. Just no flight time for CODs unless on cruise or FCLPS/CQ at the FRS. I think SouthWest requires 2000hrs total and 1300 PIC time.

 

[MasterBates]

On the plus side for the Airlines, I just went over 200 Hours in FW Monday..

Only 75 PIC though...

 

[Gatordev]

Only 75 PIC though...

Where'd you get all that? Post-winging?

 

[MasterBates]

Civ here and there.

VT-28 logged our 4 solo flights a PIC/Aircraft Commander so I got 8 PIC hours in the TurboWeenie. I'm not trusted to fly it by myself anymore though..

 

[Gatordev]

Gotcha. I just didn't think you had fixed-wing/PIC ability on the civilian side, pre-Navy. Sorry if it sounded dickish.

 

[MasterBates]

All my PIC FW has been Cessna here, Warrior there. And the 8 T34 hours.

Depending on how they log it I will pick up some more PIC in the T45.

 

[phrogdriver]

You think that's bad--I don't know which circular file civil aviation will throw my logbook into when I retire. The EMS/oil helo guys will shitcan it to the F/W barrel, and the airlines will shitcan it to the helo barrel. Then they'll piss on it, pur Jet A on it, and set it on fire.