DS will commission in May -all set for RPA. He was just offered a pilot slot-needs to decide by Friday. Can anyone offer some advice or questions for him to ask himself? His degree is Mech Engineering and always felt that with his RPA experience will do well for him. Now he is conflicted
AFROTC Pilot Slot
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Pima
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To me it is basically simple, would be happy flying any type of airframe over going RPA. IOWS how would he feel about getting KC135 (refueler) over going RPA? Does he only want a pointy nose jet? How does he feel about flying from a desk with a computer screen?
RPA pilots also have grueling schedules like fixed wing, so I would not place that into the equation. There is a positive and a negative when it comes to the RPA world. He will not move as often as fixed wing pilots because there are limited RPA bases.
~ We have a friend that retired about 18 mos ago as an RPA CC. They lived at Creech for 10 yrs.
~ IE my DS is a C130J pilot. He has 4 bases he can rotate around worldwide.
RPA pilots also have grueling schedules like fixed wing, so I would not place that into the equation. There is a positive and a negative when it comes to the RPA world. He will not move as often as fixed wing pilots because there are limited RPA bases.
~ We have a friend that retired about 18 mos ago as an RPA CC. They lived at Creech for 10 yrs.
~ IE my DS is a C130J pilot. He has 4 bases he can rotate around worldwide.
The question is does he want to fly. Does he enjoy flying. Or would he rather fly a drone. They have different lifestyles. My son is in UPT and will be stationed at some base based on what airplane he flies. He will probably go to other places around the country and the world. The RPA pilot will probably spend a lot of time in Nevada. Does he only want to be a figher pilot and will he be disappointed if he flies a transport plane. If he becomes a pilot, he has to serve 10 years after he gets his wings. RPA serve I think 8 years. UPT is tough year long program while RPA is somewhat shorter. I think the two jobs are distinctive enough that he should be able to choose. The two days makes it tougher. The thing is that flying isnt for everyone. The problem is that most people figure that out only after they go into training. If he has never flown before, i would tell him to go out a take a one hour flying lesson and see how he likes it. I would assume he has flown in a commercial jet, but that is different than flying your plane. Good luck on whatever he chooses.
rdhdstpchld
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Yeah but only one of those 4 sucks -- LOL!
The fighter/attack route = really awesome to fly, but very low hours. If you take a year off to go to a career broadening experience (staff work, etc.), you can easily find yourself well behind your peers in hours when you get back to a flying squadron. This translates into a loss of seniority. There isn't a whole lot of action here unless you are downrange. Lot's of exercises and training.
The airlift (transport) route = very interesting places to fly (especially C-130s). However, you eventually realize you are just driving a flying bus around most of the time. No issues with hours, but you're gone a lot.
The bomber route = Somewhere in between the two above.
RPAs = the future of aviation. Lot's of hours, but it's questionable how that will translate with the airlines. High attrition in this AFSC, likely due to some of the psychological drawbacks.
Having a rating opens up a few more doors to an AF officer (the biggest of which is wing commander, which nearly always requires a rating). However, the worst thing in the world is an AF pilot who just isn't that big into flying a bus around the world anymore. It's really cool for the first 3-4 years, but after that, the 12 year ADSC gets to be a drag.
The airlift (transport) route = very interesting places to fly (especially C-130s). However, you eventually realize you are just driving a flying bus around most of the time. No issues with hours, but you're gone a lot.
The bomber route = Somewhere in between the two above.
RPAs = the future of aviation. Lot's of hours, but it's questionable how that will translate with the airlines. High attrition in this AFSC, likely due to some of the psychological drawbacks.
Having a rating opens up a few more doors to an AF officer (the biggest of which is wing commander, which nearly always requires a rating). However, the worst thing in the world is an AF pilot who just isn't that big into flying a bus around the world anymore. It's really cool for the first 3-4 years, but after that, the 12 year ADSC gets to be a drag.
Pima
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JMPO, but if I was looking long run, I would probably say go RPA and unless he says he would spend the rest of his life asking What If?
Here are my reasons why
1. Defense contractors will pay good money with military experience.
~ My DH flew fighters as an F15E WSO. He hit his ADAF retirement button with a 1 yr notice to the AF. Prior to hitting the button he already had 3 job offers with defense contractors. It came down to working with the 22 program or the 35. He opted for the 35. Please note neither of these planes have WSOs, but bc of his military experience in fighters and weapons, they needed someone that had the experience and tell the manufacturers, NOPE that ain't gonna fly from the AF's POV. (no pun intended). He could explain exactly why from real experience.
~ The same impo would be true for anyone going RPA.
2. The commitment is shorter.
~ Once operational, they can start on the Masters degree, using the AF dime since it runs concurrent. By the time they hit the 6 yr marker they will also have their grad. degree. See above
3. Technology is moving very fast.
~ Think about it. 10 yrs ago Amazon was just starting to hit their stride, nobody envisioned packages being delivered by drones.
4. Commercial pilot shortage.
~ Everyone keeps thinking this is a good reason to go pilot. This is wrong to me.
~~ A. Just like any industry there will come a day of equilibrium. The hiring phase will slow down and they may find that they will have to take the bonus from the AF bc the airlines are not hiring as fast as they are currently
~~B. Airline starting pay is low, low, low. The old days many stayed until 20, so they could survive on airline starting pay by using their retirement pay. They also took the bonus to build up their savings. These days, many are like my ADAF DS, saving a ton of $$$ so they can continue to live on that small pay instead of accepting that 6 figure pilot bonus. The amt of pilots taking the pilot bonus (250K) is insanely low.
~~C. See above #3. 20 yrs ago, many airlines had a crew of 3 in the cockpit. (pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer). Now it is 2. This included companies like FedEx and UPS. I bet in 10 yrs from now, with the technology coming down, you will see companies like FedEx and UPS having a co-pilot that is automated, thus, they will only need 1 pilot in the cockpit. Hence, the hiring craze will be reduced. Plus, if technology grows like that, they are going to need the RPA pilot on the ground
~~D. I have 3 friends. Their fathers are all AF pilots (fighters) that now fly commercially. Their kids all went/going to private pilot schools (commercial) instead of college. The parents had no issue with this because airlines don't care if you have a college degree, they care about hrs. In essence it came out to be the same cost as college. They understand that they will have to work their way up the ladder. However, it is only 2 yrs. for the program, and they will be competitive for commercials within 6-9 yrs after winging. They too will be in the pilot shortage equation.
Just saying my opinion and with $2.07 you can get a small coffee at Starbucks.
Good luck
Here are my reasons why
1. Defense contractors will pay good money with military experience.
~ My DH flew fighters as an F15E WSO. He hit his ADAF retirement button with a 1 yr notice to the AF. Prior to hitting the button he already had 3 job offers with defense contractors. It came down to working with the 22 program or the 35. He opted for the 35. Please note neither of these planes have WSOs, but bc of his military experience in fighters and weapons, they needed someone that had the experience and tell the manufacturers, NOPE that ain't gonna fly from the AF's POV. (no pun intended). He could explain exactly why from real experience.
~ The same impo would be true for anyone going RPA.
2. The commitment is shorter.
~ Once operational, they can start on the Masters degree, using the AF dime since it runs concurrent. By the time they hit the 6 yr marker they will also have their grad. degree. See above
3. Technology is moving very fast.
~ Think about it. 10 yrs ago Amazon was just starting to hit their stride, nobody envisioned packages being delivered by drones.
4. Commercial pilot shortage.
~ Everyone keeps thinking this is a good reason to go pilot. This is wrong to me.
~~ A. Just like any industry there will come a day of equilibrium. The hiring phase will slow down and they may find that they will have to take the bonus from the AF bc the airlines are not hiring as fast as they are currently
~~B. Airline starting pay is low, low, low. The old days many stayed until 20, so they could survive on airline starting pay by using their retirement pay. They also took the bonus to build up their savings. These days, many are like my ADAF DS, saving a ton of $$$ so they can continue to live on that small pay instead of accepting that 6 figure pilot bonus. The amt of pilots taking the pilot bonus (250K) is insanely low.
~~C. See above #3. 20 yrs ago, many airlines had a crew of 3 in the cockpit. (pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer). Now it is 2. This included companies like FedEx and UPS. I bet in 10 yrs from now, with the technology coming down, you will see companies like FedEx and UPS having a co-pilot that is automated, thus, they will only need 1 pilot in the cockpit. Hence, the hiring craze will be reduced. Plus, if technology grows like that, they are going to need the RPA pilot on the ground
~~D. I have 3 friends. Their fathers are all AF pilots (fighters) that now fly commercially. Their kids all went/going to private pilot schools (commercial) instead of college. The parents had no issue with this because airlines don't care if you have a college degree, they care about hrs. In essence it came out to be the same cost as college. They understand that they will have to work their way up the ladder. However, it is only 2 yrs. for the program, and they will be competitive for commercials within 6-9 yrs after winging. They too will be in the pilot shortage equation.
Just saying my opinion and with $2.07 you can get a small coffee at Starbucks.
Good luck
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Not true anymore. Any separating military pilot is going to be going to be competitive enough in hours to go directly to the majors. First year pay for a FO at the majors is now $91/hr with a 74-75 hour guarantee per month. That means first-year starting pay is about $80,000. There is much opportunity to make more that this, it is only the minimum. Second-year pay goes to $140/hr or $136,000. $80,000 is a pay cut for them but it is hardly poverty wages, and it only lasts a year.
Also, top retention bonus for fighter pilots is $420,000. And, still, very few are taking it.
Stealth_81
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Fly real planes.
UPDATE...as of yesterday he accepted PILOT. He spoke to lots of folks and made the best decision he could in little time. He is not interested at this time in flying commercially but very interested in finding some balance with his engineering degree after. He was also told he may be able to go Reserve after some time which helped soften the 12 year blow.
Thank you all for your input! Every angle helped for sure
Thank you all for your input! Every angle helped for sure