130drvr

Ouch, trade ya Mr Check of the Month club

Hilltopper89

No worries, brother. I like having 1 job.

It just sucks checking the bid award reports to see all the guys on mil leave over Christmas, Independence Day, New Year's, Memorial Day, and Thanksgiving while pilots senior to them are eating a turkey roll in a disgusting hotel room in Guadalajara. I'm sure they're all working though.

F15Cricket

Definitely! Especially if you have to commute to either job.

When I was in Vegas on a layover a couple of weeks ago, I met up with a fellow retired fighter pilot. He served 29 years and now flies for Southwest. I did 22 years and now fly for Alaska. We both agreed that the airline gig is:
-- An awesome retirement job
-- We are happy flying shorter, domestic trips on the 737
-- We don't have any desire to fly widebodies internationally. (We have seen the world, and long layovers away from home are our type of trips.)

If I was 30, I think doing this job for 30+ years would get old, no matter how much you get paid.

Finally, thanks for your service (to the op). But if you are doing a spreadsheet comparing numbers, just completely separate from the military. Flying in the military is a profession and a calling, not a job. In addition, you will be sorely disappointed with your choice (to stay in or get out, choice of airline / aircraft / domicile), and probably divorced if you are chasing bucks or the next upgrade. I remember instructors doing spreadsheets when I was at USAFA in the 80s ... and again in my squadron in the 90s ... and now, again. I personally know three dudes who separated, got hired by United, got furloughed five years later, and came back on active duty until they retired. Don't think those conditions that allowed them to come back on AD will exist again.

Personally, I wouldn't trade one year of my service for any amount of seniority. But each person has different desires and goals from what they want in an airline job.

F15Cricket

You mean "hook a brother up" goes out the window for those junior pilots who also fly in the ANG or AFRC (i.e., self before service)?

I would bet with the demand for pilots increasing so much, there may be increased scrutiny (actual or perceived) on part timers on their usage of mil leave ... especially if it seems to be "conveniently-timed." It is a topic that is thoroughly discussed in the interview, and I have heard squadrons can get reputations of liberal mil leave that hinders future applicants' chances.

Hilltopper89

Whatever it is it's not cool especially knowing I haven't had a holiday off or summer vacation since I got to a legacy 2 years ago. Meanwhile there are guys abusing mil leave and get every holiday off and summer "vacation". I'd bet dollars to donuts that very little work is getting done over the holidays.

And I don't care how cush a Guard/Res job is there's no way I'd want to go home after a 4 day and have to do more work for somebody else.

Agreed with all you have said. I might want to fly a wide body one day but right now I'm enjoying narrow body mostly domestic flying. I've found the layovers I like and bid them. In March I have 4 in Vegas, 1 in Cabo, 1 in Antigua, and 1 in my hometown. I may want to go bigger some day but not until I can hold Rome and not spending every trip going to London.

Hilltopper89

Back on topic. Go with what is best for you and your family and don't look back. It's not all about money. I can say from the retired perspective that the grass on this side of the fence is much, much greener.

Snoopy 01

I jumped from AD to a legacy and a guard job. Best decision I could have made. I can drop a trip or reserve days to go fly at the guard base. Best part is when I go to my unit I only fly. There isn't any other BS to deal with and then I go home.

The seniority outlook will be vastly different 8 years from now. Some or maybe all legacies will turn over 50% of their roster in that time.

TexanDriver

I'm sure QOL would also change if someone does a points only reserve gig (ALO) in addition to an airline job. Thoughts?

SteveA

Hilltopper, I just re-read your post and have a question. The pilots to which you're referring, the ones on mil leave during the bid period and over holidays, are they on long-term mil leave? As in a 365 day + Title 10 or Title 32 order? If so, that is significantly different than a pilot using mil leave as a scheduling tool to drop trips s/he doesn't like. If the ARC members are on continuous long-term orders, I can assure you "work is getting done." They are no different than any other RegAF member at that point, especially the ones on T10 orders.

viper548

For calculating lifetime compensation be sure to add the 401k contribution from an airline AND the growth of that 401k. 6-8% a year is probably a good guess. Also account for the increase in the MIL retirement check. Each year you are not at a legacy is one less year you will be at the top of that payscale, $300k + 401K.