armypilot1981

OK, so I'm sure this forum is filled with these types of questions but I would appreciate any advice. I am currently a helicopter pilot with the Army. I have about 3500 hours and nine more years till retirement. I am considering putting in a fixed wing packet to fly C-12's for the Army. My concern is this, most fixed wing (airline) jobs on the outside do not count rotary time. So in essence my 3500 hours counts for nothing. I am ok with this, but I am looking at about eight years of fixed wing flying in the Army if I am accepted. I figure if this is the case I would retire with a couple thousand hours of turbine, twin engine time. I would be 38 years old and just starting to interview for the airlines. So my question is, would 38 be starting too late. I know alot of guys get jobs at regionals in their early 20's. My other option is to stay rotary wing and fly EMS or some other similar job when I retire. I would love to fly for the airlines someday but I'm trying to be realistic about it.

rickair7777

Definitely try for C-12's, that will open the doors with the big boys.

Failing that, several regioanls will accept some helo time towards their total time requirement, but you would still need fixed-wing ratings (AMEL ATP by the time you retire) and some amount of fixed-wing time (less than 1000).

Or go get a an ASEL CFI and teach on the side...you should be able to hit regional mins by the time you retire if you're not deployed too much.

Akir Nakesh

A C-12 transition will solve your problems. With even minimum time in a C-12 tour, you will be completely hirable by any regional airline when you leave the Army. Depending on how much time you have in the C-12, you could probably get on with several other carriers a tier above the regionals, but you would probably still have to put in some time somewhere 121 before getting on with a major.

Now, if you don't get the C-12 transition, you can still make the jump. It will just take more dedication on your part to get the qualifications you need. I was a 20 year helo pilot and am now a regional pilot flying a CRJ. You have nine years to prepare yourself. That's plenty of time. Basically, you have to get your commercial multiengine rating and build 100 hours of multiengine airplane time (that would work with today's hiring standards - depends how things are nine years from now). If you can get MEI/MEII, all the better. I got mine in anticipation of teaching as a CFI to build time. I ended up not using those ratings, but I'm sure they helped get my resume looked at and ultimately helped me land my regional job.

Your age? No problem. You'll be plenty young to be starting in the airlines. The only factor your age will play is where you want to go from the regionals. If you're in your 20s or 30s and have the option to jump to Delta or American, it's a no brainer. If you're in your 40s and up, you just need to consider how long it will take you to upgrade at a major versus how your quality of life will be if you stay at your regional and enjoy being a senior captain there. Just a personal decision that has to suit your desires.

In my opinion, the airlines are beginning to give the experience of military helo pilots good consideration. I believe the lack of consideration of helicopter time in the past goes back to the early days of helicopter flying, where it was VFR only. As you know, today's military helicopters are every bit as complex as modern jets with regard to FMS, systems, sensors, etc, and the majority of pilot training centers around instrument flying. The airlines are realizing that and realizing that there is a pool of experience out there for them to tap coming from the military helicopter community. Also, although inexperienced in fixed wing flying, a 20 year military helicopter pilot brings to the table 20 years of aviation decision making.

All that said, flying a jet is different and I will tell you that I found the transition very challenging. Also, being an airline pilot is a lot more involved that just being a pilot and I think that's why most majors will want you to have part 121 experience somewhere before they will hire you. It's a big transition.

Bottom line, I absolutely love the job and I love the flying. I enjoyed helicopters, but I needed something new after 20 years and being an airline pilot is giving me that experience. Set yourself up financially so you can live on $25K a year. That will ease the pain of the transition.

I also flew EMS for a year between military and airlines. Can talk to you about that if you want, but you can guess from the fact that I'm here now EMS wasn't my dream job. Good luck.

armypilot1981

Akir, thank you for the reply. That was pretty much the information I was looking for. I am planning on submitting the packet for this next fixed wing board and seeing how it goes. I really appreciate the advice.

rcfd13

Some of the airlines will count rotory time especially if it's turbine. Most apps I've filled out have had a rotory turbine column that they let you add to total.

Whale Driver

No brainer, go to the C-12.

armypilot1981

So out of curiosity (and because I am clueless on how the fixed wing side of the house) works, I fly C-12 (King Air's) for the Army and get anywhere from 1500-2500 hours and retire, I get out and then where does the pipeline begin? What is the typical career progression to the majors? I understand that I will most likely begin at a regional airline to get the 121 time but what kind of timeline could one expect to upgrade, or move on to a major? I know this is pretty basic stuff but as a rotary guy its a foreign world for me. Most of the posts are guys that are just starting out but what about a guy that has a couple thousand hours of ME time? Thanks for the input, this forum is a wealth of information.