what to do?

[viper548]

well I appreciate the help guys, I might have prematurely because of lack of experience but I felt like I did the right thing at the time. I have no problem serving my country and I was planning on doing it anyway, I just did the airline thing till I got the call. The lifestyle I was talking about has nothing to do with time away from home.

NOTHING happens fast in the military. If you're still waiting for a pilot slot, you won't be going for at least a year. When I enlisted, it took 9 months from the day I told the recruited I wanted to join until I was in boot camp. That was for the air force reserves. I'm sure active duty army will get you there faster...before you change your mind. Good luck getting a pilot slot if that's what you decide to do.

Part of a Captain's job is to mentor FO's. If you were uncomfortable with a couple loops being defered he should have taken the time to explain to you why he felt it was safe to go with it. There are plenty of A-hole captains out there and it will be like that at any job, civilian or military.

Chief pilots don't always back your decisions, that's just the way of life. Move on...the CP probably already forgot who you are. You can always try to avoid flying with the a-holes. It doesn't look good to quit over some bs thing like this

 

[The_Russian]

There is something I think some of you don't fathom. Not because you are not smart enough or because you are ignorant. It is because you aren't applying the facts to the type of work airline pilots do. Our primary job is safety. We have to do things by the book to provide a safe point to point flight for the customers in the back. If someone is not complying with that, then they are a rogue. Our business has no room for that. The original poster was right for refusing to fly the plane.

On the other hand, poster, you should have stuck to your guns instead of just quitting. You have to get used to that sort of thing in this biz, no matter what the type of operation.

 

[bubbers44]

I agree.

 

[Say Again Over]

There is something I think some of you don't fathom

Oops, sounds like someone else that may have had a problem with a captain.

I don't think we can really debate the issue without the complete details of what took place, obviously the chief pilot backed up the captain (and he still wasn't satisfied), I think the poster should give us all the details so we can comment.

 

[OKAV8R]

Good Luck with the Military and hopefully you can get a Slot.

 

[Mud Eagle]

Good luck with the AF....but realize that the quality of life may not be as fantastic as you think!

(this post written from a plywood building in Afghanistan)

 

[Huggyu2]

Exactly! I had a 365-day deployment to Baghdad dropped on me two weeks ago (it was rescinded on Wednesday), and I'm certainly not the first or last pilot to have this happen. Our ACC TRSS Det Commander just got a 179-day to Kabul, so even O-5 CC's aren't exempt.
You'll be sent where the big shots need you, so be "jiggy" with that.

 

[Say Again Over]

(this post written from a plywood building in Afghanistan)

You guys are awesome.

 

[bagasticks]

do I have the job of jobs for you. . . .Get a heavy in the guard or reserves. I wouldn't fly regionals for 20k a year, sit reserves away from home and have some "go" oriented captain chastise me for inquiring about an issue either (I am making the assumption that you weren't disrespectful in your questioning of him). I can guarantee you that in a crew operated aircraft (atleast in the units i've been associated with) if you are uncomfortable about something that you feel is a safety of flight issue (not inconvenient) you will be heard.
Be assured though that there are A**hole's both civil and military.

Another benefit to tying on a heavy in the Guard/reserve is that you'll most likely be in the left seat in 2-3 years if you're decent and your unit has the resources.

Crewdawg-finish upt before you project your infinite wisdom of military aviation upon us. . . .if a jet is broke and no one is atleast discussing it, you're a moron awaiting a future as grainular pink-mist (unless of course, operational necessity dictates the use of your broken jet ie.combat/support)

 

[McGillicutty]

Good luck with the AF....but realize that the quality of life may not be as fantastic as you think!

(this post written from a plywood building in Afghanistan)

Quality of life doesn't get any better once KBR finds swarms of wood eating beatles and ants in the plywood, either.

 

[Say Again Over]

do I have the job of jobs for you. . . .Get a heavy in the guard or reserves. I wouldn't fly regionals for 20k a year, sit reserves away from home and have some "go" oriented captain chastise me for inquiring about an issue either (I am making the assumption that you weren't disrespectful in your questioning of him). I can guarantee you that in a crew operated aircraft (atleast in the units i've been associated with) if you are uncomfortable about something that you feel is a safety of flight issue (not inconvenient) you will be heard.
Be assured though that there are A**hole's both civil and military.

How do we know who the a**hole is, he hasn't supplied us with enough details to decide? Did I miss something?

 

[JungleJett]

do I have the job of jobs for you. . . .Get a heavy in the guard or reserves. I wouldn't fly regionals for 20k a year, sit reserves away from home and have some "go" oriented captain chastise me for inquiring about an issue either (I am making the assumption that you weren't disrespectful in your questioning of him). I can guarantee you that in a crew operated aircraft (atleast in the units i've been associated with) if you are uncomfortable about something that you feel is a safety of flight issue (not inconvenient) you will be heard.
Be assured though that there are A**hole's both civil and military.

Another benefit to tying on a heavy in the Guard/reserve is that you'll most likely be in the left seat in 2-3 years if you're decent and your unit has the resources.

Crewdawg-finish upt before you project your infinite wisdom of military aviation upon us. . . .if a jet is broke and no one is atleast discussing it, you're a moron awaiting a future as grainular pink-mist (unless of course, operational necessity dictates the use of your broken jet ie.combat/support)

Every crew member is "go" oriented or at least they should be. There are ways to mitigate problems (MEL's,..) with the airplane and still get the "mission" done...and done safely. I am sure you have taken a broken airplane up once or twice..right? What one persons idea of safety may not be someones else's. As a captain at a regional (making well more the 20K a year and have sat reserve for 13 days since I started), I take seriously all input from everyone on the airplane to include the FA. If I cannot satisfy everyones sense of safety, then we land.

As for Crewdawgs comment, (which you showed a wonderful CRM example of what NOT to do by shutting him down), I think he/she meant that the stresses of UPT are pretty high and something the young former regional pilot needs to consider. (But I could be wrong as I am not a military pilot.)

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

The Coast Guard is a good option.

If U want to fly fixed-wing, go AF. If you want to fly helos, go Army.

Realize that the services may not be into following their own safety rules. It depends.

You also may get shot down and/or killed in the military. Less chance if you stay civvy.

cliff
YIP

 

[Mud Eagle]

Quality of life doesn't get any better once KBR finds swarms of wood eating beatles and ants in the plywood, either.

Maybe I can move in to one of those "buildings" made out of a commercial shipping container with a door cut into the side....that would be movin' up!

In all seriousness, the B Huts aren't nearly as bad as the Temper Tents in Camp Andy back in the day at The Deid. At least there are sort-of walls between the beds in the B Huts. At The Deid, it was 12 racks to a tent, open-bay style circa early '03.

 

[SIG600]

Maybe I can move in to one of those "buildings" made out of a commercial shipping container with a door cut into the side....that would be movin' up!

I'll bet those are cozy in direct sunlight.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I experienced two completely different cultures in the military.

I flew helos for MAC. EVERYTHING went exactly by the book. Safety and following the AF regs was Job 1.

Then I went -135s to SAC. EVERYTHING was about getting the job done, regardless of what the AF regs said, or safety. They were pretty much, night and day, opposite cultures.

During one -135 flight, I was trying to get the Instructor pilot (dumba$$) to follow the safety and regulation procedures. He didn't want to.

I asked my buddy, who was also on the flight (there were about 6 pilots on the training flight), why he didn't back me up. He said there were parachutes in the back, and we could always jump out if it wouldn't have been safe to land the plane.

cliff
YIP

 

[skywiz]

I would agree with what most are saying. If you want to fly fixed wing for the military, try and go AF or Air Guard. If you want to fly fixed wing, but wouldn't mind flying Helos, go Navy. (1/2 of Navy pilots fly helos)

Regardless of which service you go into, realize that you do lose control of you life. You are not guarenteed any aircraft (ex: you want to fly fighters... but you might get tankers)

You may not get your first choice of duty station, you most likely have to do a non-flying tour, get shot at, be gone from home for long periods of time, etc.

Another thing to remember is that flying in the military is only part of your job. Unlike the airlines, being a military pilot involves other duties that involve being a leader and dealing with all the other BS that you deal with in the service.

Realize that the extra flight time you have will help, but don't rely on it. I knew a guy that had 400 hours and he almost failed out of primary because he didn't spend enough time studying. Eventhough you already know how to fly, you will have to learn the AF/Navy way. Just be humble and you will be fine.

On the other hand, the pros of being a military pilot are great: pay is pretty good(i make 75k/yr at 27yrs old), get to see the world, know that you are a military aviator (in my case a Navy pilot - a job very few do), and later on down the road get the benefit of being very marketable to the airlines.

Whatever you decide, make sure you think hard about the commitement you will make because it will be a big one (10+ years)

Good luck.