PBRstreetgang
Registered Abuser
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2002
- Posts
- 3,241
Hey,500-1000hrs ex-military pilots?? What mil pilot leaves the military with that few hours? Any military pilot going straight to the majors has approx 2000-3000 hrs of fixed wing time. Realize also that especially now a days, ex mil pilots serve a minimum of 10 years flying in the military before they apply for civilian jobs.
I used to be a civilian CFI/I and am now a mil pilot. Its not that military pilots are so "special", its more to do with the fact that while they might have fewer hours than their civilian competition at the regional level, they have undergone different flight training programs and done various types of flying - some more demanding than others.
Even as a CFII with 700 + flight hours, I had to work very hard, especially toward the end of flight school. It wasn't easy. I remember a time that I wasn't yet ready (when I should of been) to carrier qual at the boat. I went to a progress review board and they basically told me that I had one more chance. If I didn't pass, I was kicked out.
There shouldn't be this animosity towards mil pilots. Every group pays their dues. While I respect the fact that regional pilots go thru lots of spending their own money for training, crappy schedules, low pay, etc... mil pilots pay their dues as well. It isn't a stroll in the park for 10 years of mil flying before walking into a major airline job.
I have flown with a lot of military trained pilots, fixed wing and rotor. To a man they were a true pleasure, qualified and competent. The few who disparage military aviators are just envious and feel that their meteoric rise through the pilot ranks are being hampered by these military pilots. Military selection for pilot slots is intensive and very selective. Training for said pilots is high pressure, 0 defect oriented, with few M.Renslows proceed through the process. Gimme a military trained pilot, keep your puppy mill renslows for yourself.
If the "military mafia" keeps hiring their buddies, good on them, who needs more M.Renslows in the cockpit?
PBR