Air Force Reserve Pilots
- Thread starter Jubjub86
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Find a Reserve unit, flying the aircraft you want, call and ask for their recruiter. You go through the same OCS, UPT, etc., as active duty. Figure on a couple years to get through it. It's "part time" after that, except don't expect to get and stayed qualified just one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer. You'll be out there a lot more often than that.
Reserve (and Guard) fly well in excess of 50% of the Air Force flying hours, and have since the 1980's. At least I think that still holds true. Reserve aircrew can (and are) activated frequently. Often voluntarily, sometimes not. Guard activations are for the whole unit (or used to be) - they call you all, or not. You can of course volunteer.
Many slots are filled by pilots leaving active duty, but there (or were) guys coming in off the street and straight into the reserves (or Guard). Luck and timing matter - who has slots, where they are, etc.
Reserve (and Guard) fly well in excess of 50% of the Air Force flying hours, and have since the 1980's. At least I think that still holds true. Reserve aircrew can (and are) activated frequently. Often voluntarily, sometimes not. Guard activations are for the whole unit (or used to be) - they call you all, or not. You can of course volunteer.
Many slots are filled by pilots leaving active duty, but there (or were) guys coming in off the street and straight into the reserves (or Guard). Luck and timing matter - who has slots, where they are, etc.
Zeldman
Touchdown! Greaser!
I have known a couple of folks to do that.
In my old unit, a large fraction were airline pilots. For some who were furloughed, Reserve flying was thier sole income. So, yes, definitley.
Witmo
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On my last deployment to the Middle East you could not throw a rock without hitting an Air Force Reserve pilot on active duty who wasn't furloughed from a major airline. Reserve duty allowed them to keep flying and getting paid while waiting to get called back to the airline.
NJP_MAN
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I would ask if you went to college already and are you already a pilot ? I know there is an advantage to having done some training prior to applying to a unit. I have also heard that you can have too much training already and then they dont see you as easy to train the Airforce way. That may be hog wash though but it sounds plausible.
hindsight2020
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Best kept secret out there. Don't ask me how I know.
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Velocity173
Got a friend in full time Army Reserves flying UC-35s. Got it made. Easy life with mostly flying and very little of the BS that exists in active. Their retirement is a bit different than active in that in most cases, they don’t collect until 60. Doesn’t really matter though, he could go part time, fly for the majors and be collecting $$$.
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Yep. I know a couple CONG dudes doing that in the C21.
EvilEagle
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You need to start reading on www.flyingsquadron.com/forums Tons of info on there.
After 12 years on active duty and 8 (and counting) in the ANG, I'd say don't do it if it's just a way to get an airline job. The USAF will demand too much of you if you aren't in it for other reasons.
How long till you can become a part timer depends on what airframe you fly and how good you are. My young guys (F-15C's) we try to keep them full time for at least 4 years so they aren't dangerous when they go part time. A lot of the heavy guys go part time quickly after getting qual'd.
After 12 years on active duty and 8 (and counting) in the ANG, I'd say don't do it if it's just a way to get an airline job. The USAF will demand too much of you if you aren't in it for other reasons.
How long till you can become a part timer depends on what airframe you fly and how good you are. My young guys (F-15C's) we try to keep them full time for at least 4 years so they aren't dangerous when they go part time. A lot of the heavy guys go part time quickly after getting qual'd.
EvilEagle
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No can do my man. Fighters/airline/other life? At least not for a long time. There is a severe disconnect between what the public thinks the AFRC/ANG do and what we actually do. Flying fighters can never be a hobby. I've been doing it for 18 years and when I went part time to fly for Delta I got worse; not dangerous but much worse. At the time I had over 2,000 hours and 13 years flying the jet full time, if I'd have done it sooner it would've been far worse.
The recruiters and posters will say "one weekend a month, two weeks a year". That's not the case for pilots. Absolute minimum sorties per month is about 6 once you become experienced (5 ish years depending on how much you fly). Anyone that does the absolute minimum won't last long in a fighter community. If you don't already have enough hours for the airlines, flying fighters will not give you that boost quickly. On non-deployment years working full time in a fighter squadron you'll probably get somewhere around 150-175 hours. You'll get 200-225 for the 18 months of UPT/IFF.
My recommendation is decide which one you want to do more: fly fighters or be an airline pilot. You can't start both careers at the same time and be good at it. Sounds more like you are interested in the fun of flying fighters but really want to be an airline pilot. If that's the case, go for the airline gig.
Thanks! You got me spot on
EvilEagle
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I've had a few cocktails so please excuse me.
I hope you meant that in earnest. ("You got me spot on") But that's not typically how we pilots confer with each other. If I were young and thought I knew more than everyone else, I'd be saying that sentence with a large amount of malice and sarcasm. If I were older/more reflective and thought it actually applied to me I would say that sentence earnestly. Honestly I'm just trying to help you (and anyone in a similar situation).
Just to satisfy my curiosity... which is it?
I hope you meant that in earnest. ("You got me spot on") But that's not typically how we pilots confer with each other. If I were young and thought I knew more than everyone else, I'd be saying that sentence with a large amount of malice and sarcasm. If I were older/more reflective and thought it actually applied to me I would say that sentence earnestly. Honestly I'm just trying to help you (and anyone in a similar situation).
Just to satisfy my curiosity... which is it?
ateamer
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EvilEagle, am I correct in the perception that flying the fighter is one thing, but using it effectively as a weapon and keeping up the skills to fight in a complicated, constantly-changing battle or other operation is the tough part? Sure, we can all fly at 100-200 knots at 1-1.5 Gs and keep track of a few other slow-moving planes, but bump that up to 500 knots, 7 Gs and a couple dozen planes, plus maybe a few planes that are trying to kill you?
I just want to fly I don’t care what I fly or how I do it airlines seem awesome Bc of the size of the aircraft and the amount of hours you get vs fighters. Fighters seem awesome to fly but wanting to do it full time idk and for the 500 knot and 7g statement I feel I could do that easily
hindsight2020
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To me it read it as though he really meant it in earnest. aka he realizes his desire to fly fighters deals with the superficial novelty of flying the thing, but not fully committed to the challenges and life sacrifices you point out. As you can read on his recent reply, he admits prioritizing his airline aspirations is probably a better outcome for him.
Frankly I find that level of honesty and introspection refreshing from a newbie.
EvilEagle
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Yes, plus a lot of studying. You have to know everything about your jet, allies jets, bad guy jets, all of their weapons, SAM systems, AAA, tanks, manpads, etc etc (this is just scratching the surface)
Most people that haven't done it think that.
Fair enough, I was just wondering. Honesty - especially to oneself - is refreshing for sure. I hope he finds a job that's a good fit for him.
catmandu
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<@EvilEagle cocktail preface, sorry, celebrating a successful test flight profile>
Yo, non pointy-nosed bubbas, chime in if you will. Personal interest for my girl, who I feel I should push to a ANG / USAFR tanker unit when she gets her PPL, for eventual pushing to a Part 121 gig like her momma.
Which, as a tailhooker, I could not imagine saying for most of my life.
Sucks to get old and wise (er).
Yo, non pointy-nosed bubbas, chime in if you will. Personal interest for my girl, who I feel I should push to a ANG / USAFR tanker unit when she gets her PPL, for eventual pushing to a Part 121 gig like her momma.
Which, as a tailhooker, I could not imagine saying for most of my life.
Sucks to get old and wise (er).
EvilEagle
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I know some guys in the Knoxville unit that could point her in the right direction to look for a job there.
That wasn’t my question
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Velocity173
Sure you can. Don’t discount the ANG either. I know 2 guys flying heavies (C-17, C-5) that fly for the majors as well. I’m sure it’s a busy life but they’re both married with kids.
Personally, I’d never do it unless I really needed the cash. I work with a guy flying helos who’s also part time Army NG. Generally when he’s not working for us, he’s with them and doesn’t have much time for family. At least not as much as I would like. Then there’s the whole deployment thing that blows time at home out of the water.
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Cooter
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If you want to focus on your personal life, don't try to fly both. Plenty of guys make it work but staying current on 2 aircraft requires a large commitment. Personally, I wasn't willing to obligate myself in that way. Quality time at home is a priority for me.
Cooter
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Enough to stay current, proficient, and to meet their training/operational needs. It will depend on the unit and their expectations.
Cooter
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C-17 and C-130 have a lot of currency requirements that are fairly demanding, but are met quarterly so there's some flexibility in how you can manipulate your schedule. I'm not sure about the tanker guys but I would think it is similar with less requirements. Perishability of skills isn't the same there as it is in fighter units. The fighter communities have a lot more to manage and it's in a much more demanding environment. Coming in once or twice a quarter to knock out all the quals just won't work, and I'm pretty sure anyone who tries it would draw attention. But, in either case it's still a second job and will keep you away from home. I think finding a reserve job in the VTs is about the best option for someone who wants to do both.
I’m thinking the tanker guys have more operational demand though. Don’t know if it’s still the same, but the NE Tanker Task Force was all ANG/AFRES effort, as well as a large part of the ONE tanker requirements, but that’s getting into fuzzy memory now.
EvilEagle
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I have some friends that transitioned to heavy jets for various reasons. The guys who went to the tanker love it - in their words "good trips, easy flying, no debrief... did I mention easy flying?" The tactical airlift guys have more squares to fill; one of my bros was a Strike Eagle guy who went to fly C-17's. He transferred out less than a year later - too busy, too many quals, "not a part time compatible job" were his words. To be fair he was on his first year at Delta and on a new mil jet so that'd be tough.
I've never flown anything in the military other than fighters, so it's all third hand. The guys I know flying tankers complain the least, then C5's, C-130's, then C-17's for the most part. YMMV of course and each unit is different.
I've never flown anything in the military other than fighters, so it's all third hand. The guys I know flying tankers complain the least, then C5's, C-130's, then C-17's for the most part. YMMV of course and each unit is different.
Sluggo63
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Thanks for the shout out... I'll do my best to talk tanker specific Reserve stuff, since that's really all I know. And when I say "Reserves," I'm including the ANG component in there as well. In fact, all my non-AD time was in the Guard, so I may have some AFR stuff wrong.
In my opinion, the tanker community is the easiest to do as a part-time Reservist. The monthly requirements are minimal and you can get almost all your beans done with local flying. Monthly currency stuff (the very minimum) is a takeoff, approach and landing each calendar month. Then you have other quarterly/semi-annual currencies like night landings, AR, pilot pros., etc. On top of that you have all the mobility queep that needs to get done, and of course the endless CBTs, MIC-T and so on.
Of course you'll deploy, once a year, maybe more, maybe less. It's been since 2016 since I've flew a grey airplane, but we were on a 12-18 month deployment schedule either to Guam or a sandy place. Young guys that are trying to build PIC can volunteer to deploy with another unit and they'll always get picked up for that.
I'd say the best career path for someone college aged who wants to eventually fly for the airlines, all the while also serving their country is probably: UPT with the Guard/Reserves, fly in the Reserves as a part timer, get hired by a regional airline, get hired by a major airline.
There's a lot of ways to get to step one. If college is already done, you can rush a unit looking for a UPT slot. It helps to have your PPL or higher. PPL (or close to it) was a requirement to be interviewed at my unit.
If you don't have college, another way to do it is find a state with some sort of tuition program and enlist (my state gave free tuition to any state school if you were in the Guard). Once you get your Bachelor's degree (or are close), start pinging the flying squadron about UPT slots.
You were required to try to make most drill weekends (2 days/month) and fly a couple of days/nights on top of that. I'd say for a tanker unit you're probably looking at a minimum of 5-6 days each month. When there are inspections coming up, you'll work more. Then on deployment you're away for 30/45/60 days, depending.
I knew a guy who I flew tankers and Tweets with AD and when he got out rushed his hometown Viper unit and got hired there. I couldn't imagine. It's one thing to be Blue 4 as a 1st Lt, but as a Major. Forget it. It would take every ounce of me to try not to GLOC in a steep turn ant hit the ground doing 690 knots. You carnivores amaze me. I'll just sit here on the autopilot eating my box lunch and refuse to turn 5 degrees left to avoid the only cloud in the sky while you guys are on the boom.
I don't know what tanker guy is bringing down the mean, but you haven't heard me complain yet! I've got it down to an art form!
You carnivores amaze me. I'll just sit here on the autopilot eating my box lunch and refuse to turn 5 degrees left to avoid the only cloud in the sky while you guys are on the boom.
Now that there's funny!
(Says the guy who spent most of his combat time at <50 ft. at night eating sand and ground fire)