Pilot Life

[Bobby]

So I see you signed the bonus. Up off the stool, have I got a job for you...

[youngpj]

Don't get overly excited about your discovery flights. By all means do them but keep in mind, flying a 172 around the pattern has about as much to do with employing an A-10/C-17/whatever as, well, it sounds like. You may fly once, hork your lungs out and have a miserable time. Doesn't mean you wouldn't grow to like it once you got past airsickness. You may love solo flying a bug smasher day-VFR but loathe flying heavy metal at night, crappy weather on the other side of the planet with a crew.

I work with several guys whose total flight experience is a few rides in a bug smasher. From that they have extrapolated a whole lot of theories of military flight that have zero basis in reality. A little knowledge ain't always a good thing.

I also happen to work with a lot of developmental engineers. Have you talked with any? The life/career of an AF engineer has absolutely nothing in common with the lifestyle of any form of military flying ('some' crossover in test world). Lemme give you two quick but major differences, you will work more with civilians than military and your AFSC is non-deployable. Also, hope you like Dayton. They work on really cool stuff but are not necessarily doing cutting edge research. Realize that engineers are part of the acquistions world, you're buying stuff contractors built.

This is not an attack on the engineer career field, guys I know are all good dudes and enjoy what they do. But you owe it to yourself to talk to some. The negatives you've read here have nothing to do with that world. Well...ok, they still have to wear blues and do CBTs but they only way they'll see Al Udied is on tv.

As for retirement, it's probably a safe bet you're right. My guess--as worthless as the rest--is that they'll keep the retirement but cut COLA. They can say you still get the retirement even as it becomes worthless. Regardless, don't sell your soul for the retirement, stay in because you like it.

Bad info, 62/63s (engineers and PMs) are deployable. Know a few dudes down range right now.

[Craftsman]

As a guard LTC once told me, their are two types of pilots out there. Ones that have the true passion to do the job and could never see themselves doing anything else. The other types are the ones that thought being a pilot would be cool/something to do. The second type lacks that passion. Now, grant it passion can show up later on to some of those that fall in that category. However, most do not have that happen. If you think flying would just be cool but don't have the passion then go a different route. RPA's are a good venture for you then, grant it they suck to 99% of real pilots that got banished to them. But get that RPA stink on you and use that degree and go get a job with the companies and help them realize these are a POS and fix it. If you come to RPA's that will be one more that will help to get me the hell out of them someday. Like Rainman has said mulitple times that passion is what matters, my passion is still there and I will keep enduring the suck for the pure hope that I will leave the container in order to slip the surely bonds sooner rather than later.

Cheers.

Edit: when it comes to flying passion is everything. All the best pilots will always tell you they had a passion for it not that it just sounded cool.

[ThreeHoler]

As a guard LTC once told me, there are two types of pilots out there. Ones that have the true passion to do the job and could never see themselves doing anything else. The other types are the ones that thought being a pilot would be cool/something to do. The second type lacks that passion. Now, granted passion can show up later on to some of those that fall in that category. However, most do not have that happen. If you think flying would just be cool but don't have the passion then go a different route. RPA's are a good venture for you then, granted they suck to 99% of real pilots that got banished to them. But get that RPA stink on you and use that degree and go get a job with the companies and help them realize these are a POS and fix it. If you come to RPA's that will be one more that will help to get me the hell out of them someday. Like Rainman has said mulitple times that passion is what matters, my passion is still there and I will keep enduring the suck for the pure hope that I will leave the container in order to slip the surly bonds sooner rather than later.

Cheers.

Edit: when it comes to flying passion is everything. All the best pilots will always tell you they had a passion for it not that it just sounded cool.

Fixed some of that for you.

[Boxhead]

Edit: when it comes to flying passion is everything. All the best pilots will always tell you they had a passion for it not that it just sounded cool.

I would argue that a lot

of those "passionate" ones are really more passionate about themselves, and passionate about using their "passion" for the mission as an excuse to not really do anything else. (or do it, but whine and bitch like a bunch of little girls)

Not saying you can't love what you do, but passion alone does not equal skill or overall ability. Not even a little. Ask all those passionate about flying folks who wash out of UPT. (you can find them in your local intel shop) (I kid, I kid!...OK, only a little)

[sputnik]

Bad info, 62/63s (engineers and PMs) are deployable. Know a few dudes down range right now.

Interesting, are they deployed as 62's? The only ones I've seen deploy were voluntary either as JCAT or random 16G billets. All I can tell you is I work with a bunch of 62s and they all think they are non-deployable....and our boss is on their DT and he says they are non-deployable.

[magnetfreezer]

Interesting, are they deployed as 62's? The only ones I've seen deploy were voluntary either as JCAT or random 16G billets. All I can tell you is I work with a bunch of 62s and they all think they are non-deployable....and our boss is on their DT and he says they are non-deployable.

There are usually depot type engineers with most maintenance units to sign off ETARs (can we do this structural repair this way, extend XX inspection YY hours, etc.)

[youngpj]

Interesting, are they deployed as 62's? The only ones I've seen deploy were voluntary either as JCAT or random 16G billets. All I can tell you is I work with a bunch of 62s and they all think they are non-deployable....and our boss is on their DT and he says they are non-deployable.

They deploy as 62s...DCMA type jobs as well as what has been mentioned above. 62s/63s are on normal AEF cycles.

[Guest]

I would argue that a lot

of those "passionate" ones are really more passionate about themselves, and passionate about using their "passion" for the mission as an excuse to not really do anything else. (or do it, but whine and bitch like a bunch of little girls)

Interesting. And cynical.

And I would argue that passion allows people to blow off the stupid little stuff, deal with the bullshit (and get it done) and still be happy because they can overlook what bothers some people because they are passionate about the flying.

[so.it.goes]

Interesting. And cynical.

And I would argue that passion allows people to blow off the stupid little stuff, deal with the bullshit (and get it done) and still be happy because they can overlook what bothers some people because they are passionate about the flying.

Burn...

[Boxhead]

Perhaps. Really, I hope he is right. I just don't see it out there in our forces (well, in any sort of big numbers anyway, there is always that 5-10% at either end of the Bell Curve)

Across many MWSs and bases...I am just not seeing that. The Queep is crushing the spirit.

Ironically, I am loving life, then again, I don't judge my happiness on work.