You said you are taking the air contract. You need to re-wire your gourd...focus on pinning those bitchin golden “legspreaders” on your chest. You won’t be disappointed.
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Drop Air Contract in TBS? Would you go back?
- Thread starter jnptts
- Start date
RoarkJr.
Well-Known Member
Hey everyone, I'm currently in the same spot as the OP. Need to let them know soon what my intentions are (currently have an air contract).
I'm at 7 years in, and my reasoning is that dropping air gives me the opportunity to do 4 active then either: Get out, stay in, or go reserve. Three options as opposed to what amounts to a 13 year active contract.
On the other hand I feel like you can't lose with Marine Aviation platforms at the moment, with F-35s, upgraded huey/cobras, new 53's, Ospreys, and C-130s. I think I'd get to the fleet at around 10-11 years in, do a tour, then have the opportunity to do a non-flying billet and another flying tour before being eligible for retirement (though that's too far out to wrap my head around).
Would be great to hear back from OP about how things are going over there. Any advice is appreciated, take care.
I'm at 7 years in, and my reasoning is that dropping air gives me the opportunity to do 4 active then either: Get out, stay in, or go reserve. Three options as opposed to what amounts to a 13 year active contract.
On the other hand I feel like you can't lose with Marine Aviation platforms at the moment, with F-35s, upgraded huey/cobras, new 53's, Ospreys, and C-130s. I think I'd get to the fleet at around 10-11 years in, do a tour, then have the opportunity to do a non-flying billet and another flying tour before being eligible for retirement (though that's too far out to wrap my head around).
Would be great to hear back from OP about how things are going over there. Any advice is appreciated, take care.
The previously posted advice holds true. You'd be insane to drop your flight contract before flight school. Flight school is a lot of fun and teaches you a very marketable skill. Decide there if you want to continue to fly or not. If you DOR there you'll get reassigned and at least you won't ever have the "what if" question floating around in your head for the rest of your life.
If you drop at flight school you're more likely to get something other than LAAD. Depending on the whims of you your company you may or may not be able to compete for a ground MOS. My time frame the air contracts that dropped were told they would be able to compete for a ground MOS with the rest of the company but a month or two after they dropped the policy changed and they got whatever was left over. YMMV.
If you want to really game the game you can go to flight school the DOR right before winging. You'll have burned around two years of contract time and they won't be able to forcibly re-designate you as you'll revert back to a ground commitment that started running immediately after TBS. Guy did this while I was in flight school, was universally reviled, but was within the letter of his contract.
Go to flight school. With the pilot shortage you are absolutely shooting yourself in the head by dropping your air contract based on not wanting to do 13 years total service. Even as helo trash you could easily pick up a flight school billet after your first tour then got L3 and fly Kingairs for 1200 USD a day 60 on 60 off, then head to the majors or just stay a mercenary.
s/f,
usmcecho4
Waffler
New Member
Could you elaborate on this? Thanks.
Please read my other posts again on this thread, mainly cause it's the only measurable thing I've contributed on here...
I was actually where you are. I commissioned at about 7 years in and had some of the same thoughts. While fleet life is not a walk in the park as a pilot, i enjoyed it a lot more than my day to day life while enlisted in the fleet. The ballgame is completely different. If your at tbs now, don't even consider dropping that contract. There's a lot of negative bs towards pilots in tbs that is simply not true. You are going to lead; in the air and ground. In many cases it may out compass many of your ground peers.
Go to pcola, check it out... If you hate flying and dor then. Don't make a decision based on fake news of ground dudes. I am about 1.5 years away from hitting my obligated service and will be on terminal for retirement in 3 years 2 months. You are in a great (and pretty much guaranteed) position to have a great job, career, check of the month club, and a easy in to a lucrative civilian career.
I was actually where you are. I commissioned at about 7 years in and had some of the same thoughts. While fleet life is not a walk in the park as a pilot, i enjoyed it a lot more than my day to day life while enlisted in the fleet. The ballgame is completely different. If your at tbs now, don't even consider dropping that contract. There's a lot of negative bs towards pilots in tbs that is simply not true. You are going to lead; in the air and ground. In many cases it may out compass many of your ground peers.
Go to pcola, check it out... If you hate flying and dor then. Don't make a decision based on fake news of ground dudes. I am about 1.5 years away from hitting my obligated service and will be on terminal for retirement in 3 years 2 months. You are in a great (and pretty much guaranteed) position to have a great job, career, check of the month club, and a easy in to a lucrative civilian career.
You make A LOT more money when you deploy overseas as a contractor. $800-$1000/day currently.
Many military helo pilots get a fixed wing tour somewhere along the way in their careers and can parlay this into a pretty lucrative post military transition flying job while they prep for the airlines, or decide to stay because they like to help kill bad guys along with the $$$.
L3, Leidos, MAG, Dynamic and a handful of other companies fly ISR mission in turbo props (mostly C-12 and Dash-8) at various unpleasant places around the world (Iraq, Afghanistan, Philippines, North Africa, Regular Africa, etc.). Their minimums are WAY lower than the majors so it's a good place to get current or build fixed wing time for low hour guys, helo bubbas, folks that are uncurrent, and those that just like the lifestyle.
Pay band is 650-1250 USD a day depending on the crew position, quals, contract, and location. Typical work cycle is 60 days in country then 60 days off but you can extend until you hit your yearly hours cap (1000-ish) in most places. Big bonus is you can live anywhere you want in the world and get around 6 months-ish completely off each year. Good option if your life situation allows. Beats the regional route IMHO.
s/f,
usmcecho4