Career AF pilot

N

Nytoga330

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2022
Messages
78
We are new to this. What is the typical "lifetime" of an AF pilot look like? DS wants a career, but I doubt the AF allows you to keep flying fighters after a certain age. Do you move to desk duty at some point? Or instructor? Or a whole different job with the military?

I assume once you stop flying the cool stuff in the military, pilots then transition to civilian airline or corporate pilot positions? I'm wondering the % of pilots who get to full pension. With the new hybrid retirement, it may make more sense to opt for the new offering.
 
DH -25 years in AF flying F15C and F22 continuously with only 3 months attending ACSC and 10 months not flying while at Air War College. Retired at age 50, now at Airlines as Captain. Lots of friends who stayed in past 25 yrs and continue to fly occasionally.
 
Last edited:
pv123 said:
25 years in AF flying F15C and F22 continuously with only 10 months not flying while at Air War College. Retired at age 50, now at Airlines as Captain. Lots of friends who stayed in past 25 yrs and continue to fly occasionally.
Click to expand...
Nothing but respect for you and your honorable career
 
Flew all 26 years in my career. Did 10 1/2 years Active Duty and the rest in the AF reserve. Flew for an airline while in the reserve. Now a Captain at my airline. It was the best of both worlds.
 
I flew every day for 20 years, BUT I stayed a major. The "typical" path will have time at the pentagon and a staff job somewhere. I also did 10 years in the reserves. His "going in position" should be focused on learning and growing. Get an assignment completed then he can make an informed decision.
 
It depends. (As always!). You can do all flying assignments, and probably make it to 20yrs, but it will limit promotion competitiveness after Major. If only staying for your UPT commitment (10yrs after graduation from UPT), there is a good chance to fly all of it.
If you want to promote past Major, you will probably need to take at least one non-flying tour/deployment and be sure to do all schooling SOS/ACSC/AWC (some is online, some can be in person, if you are a top performer).
Reserve and National Guard are also options, with a lot people choosing to go part time guard/reserve and fly civilian airlines after their active duty commitment is up. (Or the big brain move of getting hired by a Guard/Reserve unit and not doing AD at all.)
 
raimius said:
It depends. (As always!). You can do all flying assignments, and probably make it to 20yrs, but it will limit promotion competitiveness after Major. If only staying for your UPT commitment (10yrs after graduation from UPT), there is a good chance to fly all of it.
If you want to promote past Major, you will probably need to take at least one non-flying tour/deployment and be sure to do all schooling SOS/ACSC/AWC (some is online, some can be in person, if you are a top performer).
Reserve and National Guard are also options, with a lot people choosing to go part time guard/reserve and fly civilian airlines after their active duty commitment is up. (Or the big brain move of getting hired by a Guard/Reserve unit and not doing AD at all.)
Click to expand...
Wow, this is such an excellent explanation!

We’ve been learning about Air National Guard. Lots of Pros:don’t have to move around, you know what you will be flying. Plan C/D is getting Commercial pilot rating at a 4 year school, get in with a commercial airline to start seniority, then rush an ANG. Seems like the best of both worlds. If it was up to me, this would be DS’s Plan A!
 
ChaggyC17 said:
Flew all 26 years in my career. Did 10 1/2 years Active Duty and the rest in the AF reserve. Flew for an airline while in the reserve. Now a Captain at my airline. It was the best of both worlds.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a great career! May I ask if you of you actually enjoy commercial flying? Or is it just a job to you? DS is worried it won’t be much fun and really wants to fly the “cool’ stuff in the military. He’s getting his PPL right now and the FBO owner is an army guy that thinks going commercial over military flying is taking the boring route.
 
T-37IP said:
I flew every day for 20 years, BUT I stayed a major. The "typical" path will have time at the pentagon and a staff job somewhere. I also did 10 years in the reserves. His "going in position" should be focused on learning and growing. Get an assignment completed then he can make an informed decision.
Click to expand...
Great advice. One thing that’s unclear to me is whether pilots have the typical “leadership” opportunities. DS loves flying, but he really loves the leadership portion of civil air patrol. Can you share what leadership responsibilities you had in your career?
 
I scratched the “cool stuff” flying itch for a long time. Flying blacked out landings into the mountains of Afghanistan on NVGs under fire was exciting for sure. Airdrop missions during day and night ops, night air refueling of 120,000 lbs over the Black Sea.. I was blessed to fly the C-17 in almost every environment possible (no Ice Ops in Antarctica.). Refer to my post where I said I got the best of both worlds. When I was younger, I got to do the “cool stuff.”. Now that I’m older, I hung up those spurs and enjoy the airline life. Do I miss the C-17 flying? Yes, I do. However, I just tell myself that I rode that horse pretty hard for 20 years and I am grateful to have left on my own terms.

The beauty of flying in the ANG or the AF Reserve is that you get to wear different hats and truly get the best of both worlds. Tell him to send me a PM if he wants to learn more.
 
ChaggyC17 said:
I scratched the “cool stuff” flying itch for a long time. Flying blacked out landings into the mountains of Afghanistan on NVGs under fire was exciting for sure. Airdrop missions during day and night ops, night air refueling of 120,000 lbs over the Black Sea.. I was blessed to fly the C-17 in almost every environment possible (no Ice Ops in Antarctica.). Refer to my post where I said I got the best of both worlds. When I was younger, I got to do the “cool stuff.”. Now that I’m older, I hung up those spurs and enjoy the airline life. Do I miss the C-17 flying? Yes, I do. However, I just tell myself that I rode that horse pretty hard for 20 years and I am grateful to have left on my own terms.

The beauty of flying in the ANG or the AF Reserve is that you get to wear different hats and truly get the best of both worlds. Tell him to send me a PM if he wants to learn more.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the generous offer to speak to him!
 
Pilots have all of the leadership opportunities available to them. Having said that, many just want to fly, and be a leader within your crew, formation, etc. The best leaders I have seen, seldom had commander listed in their job title.
 
Nytoga330 said:
Sounds like a great career! May I ask if you of you actually enjoy commercial flying? Or is it just a job to you? DS is worried it won’t be much fun and really wants to fly the “cool’ stuff in the military. He’s getting his PPL right now and the FBO owner is an army guy that thinks going commercial over military flying is taking the boring route.
Click to expand...
Ha! It is the boring route. Commercial flying is a "job."...Military flying is an adventurous lifestyle.
 
Nytoga330 said:
Wow, this is such an excellent explanation!

We’ve been learning about Air National Guard. Lots of Pros:don’t have to move around, you know what you will be flying. Plan C/D is getting Commercial pilot rating at a 4 year school, get in with a commercial airline to start seniority, then rush an ANG. Seems like the best of both worlds. If it was up to me, this would be DS’s Plan A!
Click to expand...
"Know what you will be flying" in the Air National Guard isn't always the case in so far as actual airframe as that can change. Heavies versus fighters, yes, but one of my pilot friends was in a guard unit that flew F16s then they swapped to A10s and now they are back in F16s. The thing your DS needs to decide is the lifestyle they want. Honestly, I'm an old Army Special Warfare Officer, I have two DS at USAFA right now and my DD is a LtCol equivalent in the Royal Australian Air Force (they call them Wing Commanders) and all three have thrived in the permanent military environment where they are surrounded by like minded people. Others do not enjoy that lifestyle so it really is a personal choice of how that career might fit you best. Good luck to your DS no matter what path they choose.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top