Nice retirement gig for
@hindsight2020
Lot of retired/separated 11Fs flow to gigs like that. It's not without opportunity costs. Generally the long term money and retirement is at the airlines. Remember, an Active Duty mil retirement is not that high; it's but 35-40% of net income depending on the level of housing allowance (BAH) your household grew accustomed to. That's without the bonus, if I were to count that then it's closer to a 30%. Nobody fully retires on that little in my demographic. Granted, there's a high level of VA disability payment abuse which can bring the better game-players to an above 50% rating, at which point your retired pay doesn't offset from whatever you're raking from the VA and now you're making stay at home money.
@Velocity173 and I have already discussed this topic on here at length so I'll digress on that one.
At any rate, most officers in their 40s still have kids in high school or college and still need to cross over six figures and at least a 2 decade longevity to get back to pre-mil retirement levels. That means the airlines, these aggressor gigs don't pay to that level nor are sustainable for that long into your natural life.
But for those not ready to give up the flight suit it's a fairly natural alternative. Right now the environment is favorable to these contracts as the USAF shifts its aggressor programs to contract in order to get a handle on the pilot production issue (throughput problem at the FTUs). Just like the airlines, these money allocations are cyclical, and these outfits run thin margins, which is why most folks do it as a part-time thing.
The Gs themselves are not that bad for red air. The profiles are benign by definition. I do know of an old guy (mid 50s with bad back) doing the contractor red air thing who was long term DNIF while in the service (duties not involving flying), had been riding simulator desks for half a decade and the FAA got him a medical. The doc told him, if you punch out you'll be in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. I suspect he'll do it for a little longer, but the last time he stopped by the squadron it sounded like he's ready to pivot. I don't think he's been doing it 2 years. Turnover is high at these gigs, especially as folks get senior at the airlines (if they've been attempting to double dip that is), and start looking at injury as a very expensive proposition vis a vis their airline gig.
Personally, my only issue with the job is the survivorship aspect. I rather punch out as a green suiter, and my family gets the full cheddar if I don't make it. I dealt with similar dynamics as a traditional reservist looking into going ART (Air reserve technician). That one was an eye opener. It's unconscionable the distinction the DOD makes when it comes to punching out in civilian status vs military. Doing this s---t for giggles ain't all that novel, though I understand the allure of the proposition of flying fighters for civilians on the outside looking in. Other than that, hell of a side gig for sure. There's money to be made right now indeed, to the point of the thread.
Cheers!