I am sorry to read Gorillas #23 post. (and now #111). I do have repsect for the mil. guys and of course who doesn't want fly a tactical jet, especially off of a carrier. (this includes all the USAF types.

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I do believe that most of us, with the right training and
attitude, can do either military flying or civilian flying. We really don't have anything on anyone.
We all know military flying can be demanding. One of several reasons is experience. Sure the military guys get lots of great training. A DOD budget far exceeds by millions any airline training dept. budget. Nonetheless, a 300 hour F-18 guy (25 years old) flying his first tour on the boat has got to be demanding! Certianly much more demanding than 25 year old working on his commercial.
But since I am civilian, I'll try and justify my world.
There is limited funds in airline training. No bucks means the traveling public is counting on our brains to make good decisions. Combined with the on time demands of the company..... (this isn't a comparison to tactical mil flying!)
Mission planning takes hours. We take less than 30 minutes and we do up to six or seven legs a day. In all types of weather for days in a row.
As others have said, the Mil guys are always trying to get on the flight schedule. We fly enough that we want off. 85+ hours a month. 800+ a year.
Despite the ab initio programs of todays, there were times, when pilots would take 135 jobs were ever they could, packing what they could in their economy car, living in crashpads, living paycheck to paycheck. It does add to character doing this with no script, no guidance and no cash. Just a dream and determination to fly.
Throughout history civilian pilots have proven thier worth. Over 70 years ago, after WWI, Airmail was being flown by civilian pilots. There was a dispute over PIC authority and the civ pilots stood down in unity. The gov called in the Army Air Corp pilots to fly the mail. They started crashing and dying because they didn't know the routes and how to fly in marginal weather. The entire operation was halted. Eventually the civ pilots resumed after they earned PIC total authority. The mail got thru again and the killing stopped.
In WWII civilian pilots and flight crews did amazing flying. Consider this:
American Airlines pilot Bill Evans stated;
“When we got there, the Army pilots were getting the Air Medal for fifteen trips over the Hump, and the Distinguished Flying Cross for thirty flights. They never flew at night. We were making three round trips a day, and when we started flying the Hump at night, that ended the medals.”
Air Line pilots have been taking hits for over 5 years now. Our industry is in ruins. Our career expectations are in the toilet. Many of us have had our pay slashed from 30 to 100%. Our retirements are vaporized. Our job security is non existant. I know, cry me a river. However, with all this personal stress and uncertainty, we have not increased the accident rate. In fact we have done quite well.
While no accident is acceptable, there is a certain level of understadning that in the high stress high, demanding flying of the mil., there will be accidents. However, in the civ world, there is no acceptable accident rate.
Fact is the flying is different but with the right training and attitude anyone of us can do what we do.
Let's find common ground instead beating our chest like gorilla's in a cage. Besides chicks don't dig it....