Life after the military

[basejumper56]

Hey guys,

Have been a long time reader of the forum and decided to finally post for some career advice.

Just a little background on myself. I am a senior in college set to graduate with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Prior to my interest of aviation for the military, I intended on graduating from school then working for 2-3 years, before returning to school for an MBA or JD degree.

My interest in aviation was first seriously sparked by the story of an AF test pilot and his role in the development of the F-18 fighter jet. He too was an engineer who had also gotten his masters in aeronautics from Embry.

Now, I know that the odds of becoming a fighter test pilot is like getting shot in the face and then becoming a Dolce & Gabbana model. But it was this story that first got me excited about aviation as a career.

My question is simple. Keeping in mind that becoming a test pilot though my dream job, I need to plan more realistically for a career. What do military pilots traditionally do for a career once their service is up.

I am eying the CG for their Blue21 program (because of their guranteed flight training) but also will talk to AF/Navy recruiters. The CG website says that after flight training the CG has you for the next 11 years. Fine by me, but what then.

Do all pilots then, go fly for airlines or fed-ex? What about them helo-pilots then.

I apologise if, my questioning is a little haphazard. But I'm really drawing a blank on what my life and career would be like after 10 years. Thanks in advance for any help and insights.

-Basejumper56

 

[Hastings0763]

great question basejumper. i too am curious regarding this situation! (don't forget to post you chopper pilots!)

 

[BullGator]

Just a little background on myself. I am a senior in college set to graduate with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Prior to my interest of aviation for the military, I intended on graduating from school then working for 2-3 years, before returning to school for an MBA or JD degree.

Was being a test pilot your dream job then?

Do all pilots then, go fly for airlines or fed-ex? What about them helo-pilots then.

No. You don't have to fly after getting out; you can also decide to stay in.

You will have many options and time to think about what you want, in 10 years it may be tough to say though if you want to get out after your initial contract ends. My dad served his time as a NA (O-3) and then went to back to school to become a dentist. My uncle was a Marine helicopter NA and is now a CEO; he stayed in the reserves for a long time and made it up to O-6. The point here is that you don't have to be an airline pilot.

Pilots (and other officers) are bright, motivated, disciplined (..., ect) and can there fore have a great amount of aptitude and success in other fields: schools and businesses are well aware of that. My goal is to make a career out of the Navy, but it sure is possible for others to do many things after their contract ends.

If you want to be a test-pilot, I'm sure you could if you have the drive. Along your way in life, just talk to as many test-pilots as you can to get an idea of how to best position yourself and just for advice. If you change your mind you should still land on your feet, and then there is always FedEx.

 

[basejumper56]

Thanks for the quick reply bull-gator. I must say I was really surprised when I read about what your father and uncle did after the military. (Depending on the response I might even pm you for some details)

Was being a test pilot my dream job then?

To be honest, I never actually have been allowed that luxury. I come from a family of fairly successful professionals: i.e. doctors, lawyers, MBAs. So my college career and academia was very decided to begin with. I was to choose from this narrow scope set by my parents. I had initially during high school, wanted to goto West Point..unfortunately I couldn't even apply.

The fact is, I will be the first person in my family to serve in the military. And the basic challenge that my folks are putting to me is what the future in the military holds for me. Where will I be after my initial contract ends. Now let me be clear. My dream is to become a test pilot. And God-Willing I plan to put 100% effort and dedication into becoming one.

I just need a little help in figuring what would happen if despite my effort and hard work (which I am certain every other student cadet will be putting forward) I am unable to reach my goal.

Again thanks for the input.

 

[BullGator]

If your goal is to become a test pilot, you are heading in the right direction, I believe. You already swayed away from your roots somewhat by choosing an engineering degree over a degree that would make becoming a Dr or lawyer easier. There is a thread that discusses parent's disapproval (http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13558). The fact is that it is your choice and your life we are talking about; you will make the decisions and be responsible for the outcomes.

Maybe others on here can steer you to the right branch to serve to help you in your goal of becoming a test pilot. I would argue that the Navy is the way to go, unless you want to be a Marine first and then a pilot, in which case I would recommend the Marines... but I really don't have a clue on which branch of service would be most advantageous in becoming a test pilot. I would say that with any service it is important to be committed and wanting to serve (e.g. it is a privilege to lead Sailors and fly bad-ass airplanes); it will make day to day life easier for you and would make you a better leader.

I see that you go to Va Tech. I would have to guess that you have plenty of officer recruiters that you can talk to in your area. I would talk to them and be honest about your goals, and see if they can help.

Feel free to PM me but I don't know the first thing about test-pilots. I can tell you about my uncle/father's path though, if you want.

Anyone reading this please give this man some sound advice, or comments from experience (as I am just a civilian at this point). Thank you.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Welcome aboard. The Coast Guard is not the only service that guarantees a shot at flight school, both the Navy and the Marine Corps do as well. However, the missions and culture of those three services are VERY different so I would look at that first. For all services, you'll pretty much be at the 10 year mark before you're eligible to get out. I can almost guarantee that if you make it to where you want to be (a test pilot) that you'll be staying past 10 years. The reason for this is that by the time you get into TPS (Test Pilot School) you're probably going to be VERY close to that 10 year mark, and there is a pay-back period for the training you receive. I wouldn't expect that you could get through flight school, your fleet squadron, and then TPS within those 10 years.

I know two guys that went to TPS (both Marines), and here's their background to give you a little idea as to what your resume might look like:

1. UH-1N pilot, WTI (Weapons and Tactics Instructor), engineering degree, 5 years in fleet squadron, 2 applications to TPS.

2. CH-46E & MV-22 pilot, WTI (Weapons and Tactics Instructor), engineering degree, 4 years in fleet squadron, 1 year in MV-22 FRS as instructor, 1 application to TPS.

Both guys had 5 years in the FMF before they went to TPS. So, they had 6 months of TBS, 2 1/2 years of flight school/FRS, and 5 years of fleet time. That's 8 years (without counting any wait time they had) - now throw in the requirement for the payback post-TPS and you can see that they're going to be in longer than 10 years.

I can't say which service has a better chance of going to TPS, although I can say it is open to both fixed & rotary wing pilots. As for what we do after we get out (from a helo guy's standpoint)? I'm in the reserves, and I'll run down the guys that are in my squadron as well as guys that just got out and what we're doing:

1. Software Engineer (R/W Pilot)
2. Hedge Fund Manager (R/W Pilot)
3. Operations Manager (R/W Pilot)
4. Regional Airline Pilot (R/W Pilot)
5. Major Carrier Airline Pilot (R/W Pilot)
6. EMS Helo Pilot (R/W Pilot)
7. County Police Helo Pilot (R/W Pilot)
8. Project Manager (F/W Pilot)
9. Field Engineer (R/W Pilot)
10. FBI Agent (R/W Pilot)
11. Senior Principal Engineer (F/W Pilot)
12. Air Interdiciton Agent, CBP (F/W & R/W Pilots)
13. JD Candidate (R/W Pilot)

So you can see, that you can do whatever you want to do and/or that you put the effort in to doing. Hope this helps.

 

[Swanee]

Do all pilots then, go fly for airlines or fed-ex? What about them helo-pilots then.

My old man was an AF Jet Jock type, he retired a few years ago and now works for a contractor company; he says he has no desire to fly for the airlines. He works with a lot of retired pilots from all the services.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Do all pilots then, go fly for airlines or fed-ex? What about them helo-pilots then.

No. My grandfather(USMMA EE Graduate) was a Navy FJ Fury pilot and he didn't even fly after his time in the Navy ended. He did make a great career with Rockwell International and later started his own contracting firm.

Also helo pilots can fly with the airlines too.

 

[Bevo16]

The best "career" advice I ever got:

"You can marry more in 15 minutes than you can make in a lifetime."

Keep that in mind, and your after service career options are a lot more diverse.

 

[exhelodrvr]

This info is about 12 years old:

Pretty diffcult for helo pilots to get on with airlines unless they were able to pick up some fixed-wing time somewhere (i.e. C-12 pilot while on a staff job).

There are a lot of options for helo pilots: "life flight", law enforcement (police/highway patrol), government (Border Patrol, DEA), flying to and from oil derricks, logging, but competition is pretty strong for them.

I looked very seriously at the California Highway Patrol when I was deciding whether or not to "stay in." One of the Reserve Pilots I flew with (he had been a USMC H-53 pilot on active duty) flew helos for the CHP and loved it. They required two years in a patrol car first, though, and at that point it wasn't a guarantee to get a pilot slot. Most law enforcement flying jobs have similar requirements.

To fly for the DEA/Border Patrol, you had to be no older than 37 when you started, so that wasn't an option for me when I was getting out.

The other positions (i.e. life flight, oil derricks) all involved work schedules that I wasn't interested in (X number of days on duty living where you base out of, Y number of days off.)

After deciding not to pursue the CHP, I applied for Postgraduate School after finishing the current squadron tour, got my masters in computer science, went back to a squadron, and then retired. I've been in the IT field since then; definitely miss flying, but don't regret the decision at all, as it allowed for much more family time.

 

[FrankTheTank]

Do all pilots then, go fly for airlines or fed-ex?

FedEx is an airline!

If you change your mind you should still land on your feet, and then there is always FedEx.

Ya, god forbid FedEx be your first choice after the Navy...:sleep_125


OK.. Now that am done having fun... I recommend learning about TPS before you even think about it.. As of late TPS is a career killer.. They don't get a lot of flight time: lots of taking notes, running equations and paperwork. Also the flying, when they get to fly, is not fun at all... Fly a profile and take notes then fly the same profile plus 1 knot, etc... Not like the old days with lots of new aircraft... All those NATOPS charts and diagrams (T/O speed, X-wind, etc) that say tested (I forget the exact words) = TPS...


Anyway.. My pesos worth... But I never liked desks or paperwork; I am lazy and like to get paid to not work so Airline Life (despite all the drama) is the life for me... Won't know how it works out till I am 6 feet below

 

[HAL Pilot]

Also helo pilots can fly with the airlines too.

So can NFOs.....

Helo pilots can and do fly for airlines but it is a lot harder path for them. Most regional and major airlines want a minimum amount of fixed wing multi-engine time so the helo guys will need to acquire this somehow. This has been discussed in detail on this site and a search would provide more info.

 

[bert]

A lot of what you might do when you get out can depend upon what you do while you are in. There are all kinds of opportunities to get qualifications and training that will payoff in the outside world and if you can think ahead a little bit you can take advantage of them while still staying competitive and serving until retirement.

Also, I would call TPS more "neutral" than a killer, but definitely go in with your eyes wide open - it isn't what you see in the Right Stuff anymore (and hasn't been for a long time).

 

[ea6bflyr]

basejumper,
Are you looking to join the US military? I hope that you already know the requirements, but here they are as a refresher:

- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Have a baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university.
- Be at least 19 years old, but less than 29 years of age at time of commissioning. Pilots and Naval Flight Officer (NFO) applicants must be less than age 27 at time of commissioning. Age waivers for many specific designators may be granted for fleet applicants on a month-for-month basis for prior active-duty service.
- Agree to take the Officer Aptitude Rating examination.
- Be physically qualified. Physical standards vary depending on career path designator.
- Applicants must possess leadership qualities, be of good moral character and have good personal habits.
- Married and single applicants must meet the dependency requirements outlined in OPNAVINST 1120.2.
- Service obligation for non-aviation OCS officers is four years active duty.
- For pilots, active-duty obligation is eight years following designation (winging) as a Naval Aviator, while NFO active-duty obligation is six years following designation. For both pilots and NFOs training time prior to designation is between 18-30 months.

-ea6bflyr

 

[A4sForever]

basejumper..... I hope that you already know the requirements, but (here's) a refresher:
Be a U.S. citizen.
-ea6bflyr

Be a U.S. citizen.
Roger that ???

Roger that ....