How much do guard pilots fly?

[OTR]

All,

I am starting to apply for UPT positions and I have a few questions. I am
currently an AGR TSgt and if picked up for a UPT position I understand that at
least to begin with for most units it will be a part time job. I want to be
ready for the temporary financial change etc. My questions are as follows:

1) How much does a typical member fly in a tanker, C-130 or fighter unit?

2) How much opportunity is there to guard bum? Can you deploy to augment other
units that may have pilot shortages as long as it is the same airframe?

3) After completion of UPT you obviously have limited flying experience &
hours, what kind of pilot jobs could you qualify for with that? 

[HossHarris]

Well. It depends ....

[LookieRookie]

If only there was a search function.

[OTR]

I want to fly as much as possible and I don't mind deploying. I've been gone once for 6 months before with no issues. I'm single so I have that luxury right now. My goals would be a full time position at the unit whichever it may be but if not being and airline pilot or cargo airline pilot is cool.

[extender10]

There are plenty of threads to search through....

I'm not through UPT yet but I can give you my two cents from what shaped my decisions up to this point.

I think that if you want to fly as much as possible, tankers or heavies are a good bet.  You'll log time quickly, and it will be heavy turbine time that is valuable for airline/cargo apps on the civilian side.  KC-10s & C-17s both have really high ops tempos and you'll have enough hours to get your ATP and get competitive at airlines quickly, maybe even within 12-18 months of reverting to a traditional reservist/guardsmen which will mean you wouldn't have to be a bum for long, or hold an ART position for longer than you want.  

I really don't know much about how fast fighter time accrues.  

My dad was a C-17 pilot, I was hired to fly KC-10s, I really wanted to be a heavy pilot and applied to units accordingly.  I think that the KC-10, C-17, and probably KC-135 fly most...  I don't know much about the C-130, but you will deploy for tactical airlift and get to do some awesome flying and build good time - as far as I know turbo prop time will count for your airline apps.  My KC-10 unit sees most guys and gals do a 60 day deployment to Al-Dhafra every 16-18 months.  If you figure that in with all of the other flying the KC-10 does they were saying I'd get 600-800 hours a year easy.  After UPT, KC-10 schoolhouse, and seasoning orders it would only take me another year and a half or so, maybe two, to start applying to airlines and be competitive, even less if I deploy and fly my butt off.

C-5s will fly significantly less - the unit I applied at was saying 300-400 hours max a year, and not all of it would be PIC because they fly with very large crews, trying to fit peoples currencies in etc and it all adds up as "other" or SIC time as far as the FAA is concerned, so you'd have to figure another 2-3 years in if you want to be competitive at airlines.

It all comes down to your own flying goals i guess.  If you want to fly with a crew and have a quick transition into having a secure civilian aviation career, go heavies.  If you want your ANG/reserve experience to include flying many will never experience, learning about weapons and air to air combat,etc, go fighters.  

Personally, I wanted to fly a huge jet with a crew and see the world more than I wanted to learn air to air combat or air support.

Both paths have different monthly currency requirements meaning that the bare minimum for some heavies will be different than other heavies, and certainly different than a fighter, so that's something to take into consideration as well.  

[LookieRookie]

1 hour ago, extender10 said:

There are plenty of threads to search through....

I'm not through UPT yet but I can give you my two cents from what shaped my decisions up to this point.

I think that if you want to fly as much as possible, tankers or heavies are a good bet.  You'll log time quickly, and it will be heavy turbine time that is valuable for airline/cargo apps on the civilian side.  KC-10s & C-17s both have really high ops tempos and you'll have enough hours to get your ATP and get competitive at airlines quickly, maybe even within 12-18 months of reverting to a traditional reservist/guardsmen which will mean you wouldn't have to be a bum for long, or hold an ART position for longer than you want.  

I really don't know much about how fast fighter time accrues.  

My dad was a C-17 pilot, I was hired to fly KC-10s, I really wanted to be a heavy pilot and applied to units accordingly.  I think that the KC-10, C-17, and probably KC-135 fly most...  I don't know much about the C-130, but you will deploy for tactical airlift and get to do some awesome flying and build good time - as far as I know turbo prop time will count for your airline apps.  My KC-10 unit sees most guys and gals do a 60 day deployment to Al-Dhafra every 16-18 months.  If you figure that in with all of the other flying the KC-10 does they were saying I'd get 600-800 hours a year easy.  After UPT, KC-10 schoolhouse, and seasoning orders it would only take me another year and a half or so, maybe two, to start applying to airlines and be competitive, even less if I deploy and fly my butt off.

C-5s will fly significantly less - the unit I applied at was saying 300-400 hours max a year, and not all of it would be PIC because they fly with very large crews, trying to fit peoples currencies in etc and it all adds up as "other" or SIC time as far as the FAA is concerned, so you'd have to figure another 2-3 years in if you want to be competitive at airlines.

It all comes down to your own flying goals i guess.  If you want to fly with a crew and have a quick transition into having a secure civilian aviation career, go heavies.  If you want your ANG/reserve experience to include flying many will never experience, learning about weapons and air to air combat,etc, go fighters.  

Personally, I wanted to fly a huge jet with a crew and see the world more than I wanted to learn air to air combat or air support.

Both paths have different monthly currency requirements meaning that the bare minimum for some heavies will be different than other heavies, and certainly different than a fighter, so that's something to take into consideration as well.  

You are confusing primary and secondary time.

 

Until you become an aircraft commander, you do not log any time as PIC.  You won't be competitive for airlines for many years because you won't have any turbine PIC.

Fighters are the platform that will give you TPIC immediately.

[extender10]

Thanks for clearing that up!  

In any case I should keep busy enough my first 2-3 years for it to work out.

Edited September 12, 2017 by extender10

[brabus]

As a general statement you'll have approximately 2 years of full time flying after UPT and RTU for seasoning.  So that's about 3.5-4 years of full time work before you MIGHT have to go part time/have a civilian job.  During that time you're GENERALLY flying ~8-10/mo homestation as a fighter guy.  Some squadrons more than others, but it all goes in waves depending on maintenance and other external factors.  You'll fly more when deployed.  And yes you can deploy with other squadrons if they need the help.

If your goal is to stay flying full time, well, nobody can tell you at ANY unit what the resources climate will be in 4 years.  Absolutely you could be "forced" to part time at the end of seasoning (and more like 5 sorties/mo as a fighter part timer), but there could also be AGRs for all my friends...it's all speculation at this point. If you want to fly, then jump in and go for whatever flying mission appeals the most to you..let your future self figure the rest out in 4-5 years, seriously. 

Edited September 12, 2017 by brabus

[dream big]

If you want to build hours fast, 130s may not be the way to go, we sit on the ground a lot unloading/loading while deployed and guess how much time you are logging while on the ground?: zero.  I can only speak to active duty but general consensus is 200-300 hours a year is considered good.

Now if you want to go to some "interesting airfields," while performing airdrop and low levels..130s are where it's at.  

Edited September 12, 2017 by dream big

[Cobra-809]

Anyone that can chime in for Guard C-130s?  I have utilized the search bar but have came across either old info (which I don't know if it would still apply today) or more of active duty stuff.  I understand the term of "Guard Bum" but how much actual "bumming" can one do as a right-out-of-training guy/gal?  Also, any details on the EC-130, Commando Solo folks from the PA ANG?

[the g-man]

On 9/12/2017 at 0:36 PM, Cobra-809 said:

Anyone that can chime in for Guard C-130s?  I have utilized the search bar but have came across either old info (which I don't know if it would still apply today) or more of active duty stuff.  I understand the term of "Guard Bum" but how much actual "bumming" can one do as a right-out-of-training guy/gal?  Also, any details on the EC-130, Commando Solo folks from the PA ANG?

All I know is the EC-130J PA Guard guys do definitely deploy regularly to one of the hottest places on earth