Stats on AF ACP?

[BengalsFan]

Anybody out there know how many folks took the Air Force pilot bonus this year... percentage wise?

I'm a voluntary recall, who wasn't eligable this year, but would love to sign the damn thing. But voluntary recalls and interservice transfers were not eligable this year. Anybody work down at AFPC, or have any insight as to whether this will change in the next few years or not?

 

[C40_Pilot]

As published on AirForceTimes.com

Pilot retention in 2007 surpasses expectations




By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Aug 13, 2007 17:37:28 EDT

Pilot retention is not a problem for the Air Force in 2007.
As of the end of July, nearly two-thirds of the 853 pilots eligible to sign up for the pilot bonus had agreed to spend another five years in the service, according to Air Force statistics.
Pilots can begin receiving the bonus once their nine-year initial aviation service commitment is over.
When the 2007 pilot bonus program was announced, officials had been expecting about 50 percent of the eligible pilots to take the five-year bonus worth a total of $125,000. With two months left to sign up, 62.4 of the pilots had taken the bonus — officially known as aviator continuation pay.
The highest sign-up rates have been among pilots from Air Force Materiel Command at 75.9 percent and Air Force Special Operations Command at 67.6 percent. The lowest take rates were for Air Mobility Command, 43.4 percent, and U.S. Air Forces in Europe pilots at 40.6 percent.
The service’s largest command, Air Combat Command, had a sign-up rate of 48.8 percent.
In 2006, the Air Force had been expecting 55 percent of the pilots eligible that year to take the bonus. Instead, the take rate was 66 percent.
The 2007 and 2006 bonus programs were far less generous than what the service provided pilots as recently as 2004. That year, pilots, navigators and air battle managers could sign up for bonuses that would continue until they could retire at their 20-year mark. The current program ends the bonus with pilots still needing to serve another five years before they can retire.

 

[Deuce130]

Not surprised, with the airline industry in the toilet. I'm one of the "lucky ones" with a job at FDX (along with those at UPS/SWA), but I recommend to my AF buddies that, unless they absolutely hate the AF, they should stay put for a few more years, take the bonus, and wait for the airlines to recover. Or better yet, go to law school at night or get an MBA. Far too many of us pilot types think the only thing we can do is fly planes. Of course, being an airline pilot is the ultimate slacker job, so I can see why lots of us want to do it .

 

[BengalsFan]

Well more than likely I will have to wait until 2010 to take the bonus anyways (long story... but records get mixed up when you Palace Chase, and then get back on AD)... So hopefully they will need me enough then to show me the money... we'll keep our fingers crossed for the next 2 years (that might hur though)

Thanks guys