Air Force pilot bonus (ACP)

[bssthound]

hold your cards close to your chest and not show them to anyone you cannot absolutely trust

You will find no better advice. Some advice as good but none better; and if you have any question as to whether you can trust someone . . . you can't.

 

[jke406]

Anyone heard of giving any consideration for Predator time as PICish (you're breaking things with missiles fired off an airframe, which is kind of responsible) as long as you're also current?

if they accept Predator time as "real", then all the hours I spent playing "Top Gun" on the Nintendo should count, too, right?

no way will that time count for anything.

 

[Wildmanny]

if they accept Predator time as "real", then all the hours I spent playing "Top Gun" on the Nintendo should count, too, right?

no way will that time count for anything.

AGREE! There will be NO credit for flying that thing--airlines won't consider that an airplane unless you are sitting in it! FWIW--Avoid the Predator at all costs, no matter what your aspirations. It may be the wave of the future in the USAF, but it won't give you one.

WM

 

[ualdriver]

Are you military guys seeing LESS pilots leaving the military for airline careers with all the stuff that has been going on for the past few years?

 

[Tanker Clown]

One thing in the calculations of getting out early and going to SWA that isn't factored in is things like: profit sharing, 401K match, and after the 401k is maxed then the account that it goes into for SWA guys. I think I heard that when a SWA guy reaches about $225K then that is the max amount of matching that SWA can do by law, so the rest of the matching goes into another account (402 or 403). Those numbers are also kind of hard to calculate for.

There is also something to be said for seniority. Your QOL is significantly better than the guy 10 years behind you. Not to mention that the airlines that are hiring currently have no domociles in Iraq.

I wish I could have gotten out earlier, but it was a bad time ('01). I still think if you leave for a place like SWA, FedEx, or UPS by year 16 or so you'll come out ahead in the long run.

A couple last thoughts for folks looking at an AF retirement and then going to the airlines: first, don't be a big a$$hole just because your the DO or Dept OG...those Capts that get out at the 10 year point will burn you if you are a massive....richard; two, you need to find a way to stay flying. I think SWA expects an average of at least 100 hrs a year for 3 years before employment. So get your nose out of the OG's crack and pick up a trip or something.

 

[Mud Eagle]

I wish I could have gotten out earlier, but it was a bad time ('01). I still think if you leave for a place like SWA, FedEx, or UPS by year 16 or so you'll come out ahead in the long run.

In what way? Certainly not financially...if you don't make more money by age 65 as the guy that gets out at 10, then how will you make more by leaving 6 years later?

Remember that the military guy's income also doesn't include the tax free, CZTE, hostile fire, etc that he'll get on his one or more deployments/remotes during that time.

Yes, there is slop on both sides financially...

The lesson is, though, when I first saw the "airline comparison" spreadsheet in 1999, there was just NO comparison...you made so much more money at the airlines that it was ridiculous. You'd have to be dumb to stay until 20.

Now, that is just not the case AT ALL. The decision is significantly more difficult today.

 

[Tanker Clown]

In what way? Certainly not financially...if you don't make more money by age 65 as the guy that gets out at 10, then how will you make more by leaving 6 years later?

Remember that the military guy's income also doesn't include the tax free, CZTE, hostile fire, etc that he'll get on his one or more deployments/remotes during that time.

Yes, there is slop on both sides financially...

The lesson is, though, when I first saw the "airline comparison" spreadsheet in 1999, there was just NO comparison...you made so much more money at the airlines that it was ridiculous. You'd have to be dumb to stay until 20.

Now, that is just not the case AT ALL. The decision is significantly more difficult today.

A guy who leaves (especially at the 10 year point) gets to the high career earnings much faster. He hit's the 12 year point where most airline scales max out and he's making (in SWA's case) $250K/ year. So, while Joe Blow LTC is making $150 (if he was on the 20 year bonus) and living in a place with high BAH he is making 100K less a year. Times that by the 10 years longer (since he got out 10 years earlier) and there you have a cool million. There is slop, but if you could leave for SWA at the 10 year point now (and don't forget there's only a 5 year bonus) then it is a complete no brainer. I figure it's break even at the 16 year point. Not to mention, the bs factor is significantly less at SWA.

 

[Mu2Driver]

Is the ACP money Taxable? So, the current bonus is for a 5 year period. What happens after that 5 years? Can you take another 5 years to get you to retirement, or do they have you at that point?


Thanks,
A new KC-10 pilot

 

[bssthound]

It may be the wave of the future in the USAF, but it won't give you one

LMMFAO!! How true. Now, back to the discussion at hand . . .

 

[rcbullock]

FWIW--Avoid the Predator at all costs, no matter what your aspirations.

Nah, I was gonna do it for the Guard. I was a nav so I've learned the 'time that doesn't count' lesson well, TYVM.

I was hoping it'd look good 'in addition to' like nav time (IMHO) does.

I was hoping nav+predator+CAL mins (my 1000+ PIC is all piston unfortunately) might get me there a little quicker.

I.e., how many feathers can I put in my hat quicker (I'm almost 37), since turbine PIC is still a ways off.

Probably be good for networking in the Guard too. Which might be the most valuable thing.