Be ready or take myself out of the game?

[tkr-toad]

I posted this on another board so apologies in advance (also, I didn't know if this thread would be better suited for the mil forum):

I separated from AD Air Force after 911 and was fortunate enough to land a technician job in the Reserve. I stopped looking at the airlines for a while as I am also fortunate enough to work things to where I can, of late, work four week days a week and gross around 160 per year. Not bad, right? But, this desk job is nowhere near as enjoyable as a true flying gig and I've come to consider applying to the more secure companies (UPS/FedEX/SWA) when they begin to hire again. If hired, I would continue part-time in the Reserve and would qualify for two government pensions at 60. If I don't get hired right away, I stay in my lucrative current position while I wait.

But recently, I've come across the opportunity to apply for an AGR flying (lots of flying) position that in six years would allow me to earn an immediate active duty retirement (about 3K net/mo. in today's dollars). I could then, at 47, try to get on and start a career with the aforementioned companies.
This plan would only have me doing one job away from home at a time and also has the benefit of free medical until age 65. The downsides to this "secure" route are a 35K annual pay cut compared to my current jobs and it would take me out of the hiring pool for six years. Plus, if I can't get hired then, I have to find other work in the meantime to supplement my retirement check.

My questions is, with age 65 and the fuel situation, how much do I give away by waiting another six years to jump in (aside from seniority, of course)? A mil retirement and health care is nothing to sneeze at but if the above companies are my ultimate goal, am I better off being available as soon as possible?

 

[L'il J.Seinfeld]

I spent 10 years AD and grew to hate AMC with a passion. To say that I was bitter after 6 deployments in 2 years is an understatement. An ART job making 160k is a far cry from AD and the Blk 40 FMS makes the tanker fun to fly. You'd be nuts to give that up!!

There may be some guys from ABX, Astar, Aloha, ATA etc pretty peeved at your posting. Good luck though.

 

[tkr-toad]

I understand this is one of those, "We all should have your problem" situations but it's still a decision I have to make and it's unlike other "should I stay in or get out" questions that the search button would turn up.

What contributes to the difficulty here is that if I switch from ART to AGR, I get to fly the tanker even more and it would be in AFMC which means no more deployments/chem gear/mo' bags/tactics/etc. for the remainder of my career. Very little TDY but a serious pay cut (nothing like first year at UPS or furlough pay, though) and the opportunity cost of not getting hired with a carrier for those additional six years.

Trust me, we have a bunch of furloughed people in my unit and even an ASTAR guy as well so I definitely realize my good fortune. But, I still need to figure out what to do with the rest of my pilot years.

I apologize if this comes off as calllous or pompous to anyone.

 

[dutch747]

I retired after 20 yrs AD and did OK the first 4 years working for companies outside the US. But since my return to US companies, I have yet to get my income where I need it to be to have enough for retirement. So end up working more and more and now I have no QOL. I would suggest you consider this plus if you think after 6+ years of not flying you can still land a job at Fedex/UPS/SWA easily, wake up.

So to me if you can continue with your current position, getting a good flying job in a couple of years is just not going to happen. Take the AGR job if you wish to stay in aviation.

 

[GCD]

I left an AGR job to go back to my civilian employer. I regret it, now.

On the civilian side, I never break min guarantee anymore like I did before I left for the AGR job, so the money isn't as good; I dead-head 8 or 10 hours to someplace to get min rest, then find out I am scheduled to dead-head to some where else for another 8 or 10 hour flight; I fly "heavy" crews so much that I only touch the controls once or twice per month and get one landing a month; end up going to the simulator once every three months for landings. I'm the least proficient that I have ever been in my life. It was a dream job when I got it, but the dream has faded away. I'm back to picking up as many active duty tours as I can to get away.

STAY WHERE YOU ARE OR GO FOR THE AGR JOB!

 

[wickedride]

I stopped looking at the airlines for a while as I am also fortunate enough to work things to where I can, of late, work four week days a week and gross around 160 per year. Not bad, right?

WTF, is this a joke or what?? You better hope the general public doesn't see that statement , you may not be able to use the "poor me" syndrome anymore. You could always ask your prospective employer's human resource manager to see what they think.
BTW, could you send me your unit address so I can apply for the aforementioned vacancy.
Good Luck
WickedRide

 

[Mooseflyer]

A few thoughts:

- An active duty pension is worth it's weight in gold, especially in today's airline environment. Run some numbers if you haven't already done so. If you've got a chance at that after 6 years, I'd grab it. In reality, when you consider the value of the pension, you're probably getting a pay raise over your current job anyway.

- UPS and FedEx aren't hiring, and probably won't be for the next few years - at least that's the word on the street. SWA just started hiring again, but that type of flying is not for everyone (although some say that of FDX/UPS as well).

- IMO, the market for those looking for jobs in the US will be getting worse before it gets better. The market will likely be better in 6 years than in 2.

- You mentioned "no more mobility gear, deployments, etc". As an ART, why are you doing this stuff now? You also mentioned "very little TDY" with the AGR job. If very little TDY is what you're looking for, an airline job is not for you anyway.

- I had an airline job awhile back, and recently quit in favor of an ART job and I gotta ask - how the F are you earning the type of coin you claim? I'm just a lowly O4, but my paycheck isn't much over half of that. I'll have to assume that you're including your reserve pay on top of your civil service pay in your figure, and that you're working every waking moment. Still, 160k seems awfuly high - you're not the AFRC CV are you?

At any rate, I'll agree it's a tough call. Good luck with your decision.

 

[tkr-toad]

I'm an IP in an MWS and occupy a mobility position. We participate in the AEF cycle and got activated in '03. A high cost of living adjustment on the ART side and plentiful man days on the mil side make that kind of income possible if you max it out (combining civilain/mil pay). "Working every waking moment" is only a little exageration (some 16 hour combined days), and is what allows me the three day weekends (plus I'm burning leave). As usual, it's time or money - can't have both.

I'm not complaining (pilots never do that) or rubbing my good fortune in anyone's face, just inquiring if hiring trends might favor one job choice over another.