contract military pilots overseas

[JohnnyP]

.....

Bastard child of a Shorts and a Casa-212?

Shorts 212-----God that would be an ugly plane....Can you imagine?.......

I wouldn't bag on the contract pilots too much....A lot of them have been around the neighborhood for quite some time and know the areas very well.....Flying 100hrs+ per month for a few years in the area gets you pretty well seasoned up after a while....And the barrel roll & river running crowd is a super small minority.....every place (mil included) has its 1%.....

 

["Luke"]

There have been civilian pilots spraying poppy fields and other "combat type" missions for years. Air America did a pretty good job using civilian pilots as well. I personally think it's just a way for the politicians to line their friends pockets with the money from the contracts. Anyway, the Army needs more boots on the ground, not in the air.

 

[Deuce130]

Flying a civilian airline does not qualify you to be a military pilot. It's not harder ...

No, it sure doesn't. And, yes, it is.

 

[jherk02]

You would have to know how the "contract" was written to get a complete answer to your question. There are contracts out there that seek to hire civilian pilots, but one requirement might be a "graduate from USAF or USN UPT course."

Also, there is a liability issue if the aircraft is owned by the USGov. If that is the case then they (USGov) are probably going to want it flown by DoD rules, and one way to ensure that is to hire the pilots with that type of background. As long as there are enough applicants, there is no need to lift that requirement.

 

[727flier]

looking for contacts myself......

 

[avbug]

Why is the US military and state department using contract pilots to fly missions into what is obviously a combat zone.

What has being a combat zone got to do with the price of tea in china?

You're aware that half of the personnel in any such given area, often performing the same or similiar missions, are civillian, are you not?

Thanks to those who have put in their two cents, I am not trying to say contract pilots are inferior, I am just saying in house seems like a better fit for those soldiers who have to use that transportation.

Not really. No.

I do think there are good contracts out there, but when I am in country, and need to be transported to the other side of Afganistan or Iraq, I would rather have it be by a military pilot on a military bird.

That may be, but when you are in that place, at that time, what you think or want really doesn't matter.

Keeping those positions in house would be better for all involved. Contract flying might be good for some, but I think the professionalism of a commissioned officer (warrentls included) flying would be a better fit.

How perfectly closed-minded, arrogant, and ignorant of you.

Thats not what I am saying, I am saying I am not willing to give up my job as a Captain at an airline.

You needn't say any more. That single sentence sums it up quite clearly.

Of course, you'll hear only what you want to hear, and whine and cry about what you don't.