The new airline thread

[Bigred]

The takeaway is that all of the stuff Karl Hungus was listing gets your points towards a good year and ultimately retirement. Two IDTs a day, an RMP, AT, ATP, ATFP, etc, are all ways to get those points.

If your goal is to minimize time at the mil job while also getting points, you can do IDTs and RMPs remotely. I’ve been out of the reserve world for about two years but it was up to the unit for the other options to work remote. I wouldn’t be surprised if covid has allowed even AT to be remote. 
 

 

[hindsight2020]

don't forget points-only Cat-E for the real min run warrior.

[Gazmo]

Different IMA billets have different “minimums”.  Some have higher minimum IDT amounts (48 vs 24 is typical).  Two IDTs would make up an 8 hour day so it sort of works out to 24 vs 12 “days” of IDTs.  You can very much work only half days, or work an afternoon on day 1 of a string of IDTs and a morning on day X to allow for a commute in and out.  There’s officially zero travel pay for IDTs, but there’s also an annual critical AFSCs list that allows for some travel pay with your IDTs.  Otherwise you’re on your own.  Getting paid, for either the travel pay or the IDT itself, is typical AF incompetence.  Archaic, non-functioning systems supported by lazy, brain-dead civilians/enlisted folks.  Yet I’m supposed to believe we’re gonna actually go to war with the near-peer bogeyman… but I digress.
The 14 days of Annual Tour is sort of set up to be: commute out day 1, work days 2-13, commute home day 14.  There are ways to split up the AT, and/or combine it with IDTs.  AT is 1/30th AD pay/benefits/etc more or less.  Travel is always paid for AT.  Doesn’t mean the archaic systems are gonna get you paid on time, though.  I’d rather telecommute and never step foot on a mil installation again.
A lot of this stuff is unit dependent as to what they expect and how flexible they are.  There are certainly MPA opportunities if you want to exceed your AT/IDTs.  Some people volunteer for those Korea AOC exercises or COCOM duty officer shift work things in addition to their IMA gig… I have no idea if those are good deals or not.  Probably not during this COVID insanity.
Did I mention the best part of being an IMA- never deploying again?

So IMA's are not subject to any sort of mobilization? I thought that was the whole point.

[Royal]

1 hour ago, hindsight2020 said:

don't forget points-only Cat-E for the real min run warrior.

Many folks have benefited from this lil' sneaky. However, be cautious: Not long ago they changed some rules with regard to Cat-E dudes getting promoted. If you're an O-4 looking to make O-5, Cat-E might not be for you.

[Gunnermcjack]

58 minutes ago, Royal said:

Many folks have benefited from this lil' sneaky. However, be cautious: Not long ago they changed some rules with regard to Cat-E dudes getting promoted. If you're an O-4 looking to make O-5, Cat-E might not be for you.

2 years ago I was looking into CAT E. If you do the bare minimum, you won't make enough points for a good year. Likewise, the promotion rate from O-4 to O-5 was about 50% among rated O's (alot less than TRs). The big takeaway was, you still need to work (a little) to make O-5. 

Edited June 18, 2021 by Gunnermcjack

[Karl Hungus]

8 hours ago, hindsight2020 said:

don't forget points-only Cat-E for the real min run warrior.

Yep.  Downside being ineligibility for TriCare Reserve Select, if that’s a motivation.

[Gazmo]

2 years ago I was looking into CAT E. If you do the bare minimum, you won't make enough points for a good year. Likewise, the promotion rate from O-4 to O-5 was about 50% among rated O's (alot less than TRs). The big takeaway was, you still need to work (a little) to make O-5. 

Yes, when I looked into a Cat-E job, the CC told me to come as an O-5 already.

[Karl Hungus]

8 hours ago, Gazmo said:

On 6/15/2021 at 11:16 AM, Karl Hungus said:

Different IMA billets have different “minimums”.  Some have higher minimum IDT amounts (48 vs 24 is typical).  Two IDTs would make up an 8 hour day so it sort of works out to 24 vs 12 “days” of IDTs.  You can very much work only half days, or work an afternoon on day 1 of a string of IDTs and a morning on day X to allow for a commute in and out.  There’s officially zero travel pay for IDTs, but there’s also an annual critical AFSCs list that allows for some travel pay with your IDTs.  Otherwise you’re on your own.  Getting paid, for either the travel pay or the IDT itself, is typical AF incompetence.  Archaic, non-functioning systems supported by lazy, brain-dead civilians/enlisted folks.  Yet I’m supposed to believe we’re gonna actually go to war with the near-peer bogeyman… but I digress.
The 14 days of Annual Tour is sort of set up to be: commute out day 1, work days 2-13, commute home day 14.  There are ways to split up the AT, and/or combine it with IDTs.  AT is 1/30th AD pay/benefits/etc more or less.  Travel is always paid for AT.  Doesn’t mean the archaic systems are gonna get you paid on time, though.  I’d rather telecommute and never step foot on a mil installation again.
A lot of this stuff is unit dependent as to what they expect and how flexible they are.  There are certainly MPA opportunities if you want to exceed your AT/IDTs.  Some people volunteer for those Korea AOC exercises or COCOM duty officer shift work things in addition to their IMA gig… I have no idea if those are good deals or not.  Probably not during this COVID insanity.
Did I mention the best part of being an IMA- never deploying again?

So IMA's are not subject to any sort of mobilization? I thought that was the whole point.

They certainly are, in theory.  Some positions might be more “vulnerable” than others.  I’ve yet to meet an IMA who was involuntarily mobilized, let alone deployed.  My particular organization would “deploy” (mobilize) its IMAs to a CONUS location to backfill the AD suckers sent to some third world shithole.  Even still, that hasn’t happened in more than two decades.

Yep, never deploying again.

[Scooter14]

FWIW I met quite a few IMAs at the last “training event” at Osan. It seems like there are quite a few opportunities to augment AOCs and then get days for the various exercises throughout the year. I’m not sure what the expectation is, but some of the folks I talked to pretty much show up for every exercise.

[LJ Driver]

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2021/06/22/air-force-grapples-with-enduring-pilot-shortage-as-airlines-begin-to-rehire/

“Airlines are potentially going to expand their hiring,” Jacobson said, adding that the question is “how quickly they do it — they have folks that are furloughed, so they still have to bring those folks back.”
 

Out to lunch comment. I don’t know who furloughed, but every major US airline is/will be hiring big numbers in 2021 and beyond. United has already run 6+ indoc classes with 30-40 pilots each, and they are increasing throughput monthly. United CEO just did an interview about how concerned he was there may not be ENOUGH military pilots to lure away (that’s good for airline pilots imo, may mean more pay).

I flew with one of the hiring board pilots a couple weeks ago, he said they are hiring military guys as fast as they possibly can to try to stay ahead of other majors. I asked why, his response: we’re all running out of high time (2-3000 hrs) military pilots, tell your AF friends that now is the time to apply, they will almost certainly get an interview…

If you’re on the fence about ditching active duty and moving to an airline gig to at least get a seniority number, now is quickly shaping up to be a dam good time to do it.

 

[SurelySerious]

That’s about as in sync with reality as I expect the AF to be.

[Gunnermcjack]

30 minutes ago, LJ Driver said:

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2021/06/22/air-force-grapples-with-enduring-pilot-shortage-as-airlines-begin-to-rehire/

“Airlines are potentially going to expand their hiring,” Jacobson said, adding that the question is “how quickly they do it — they have folks that are furloughed, so they still have to bring those folks back.”
 

Out to lunch comment. I don’t know who furloughed, but every major US airline is/will be hiring big numbers in 2021 and beyond. United has already run 6+ indoc classes with 30-40 pilots each, and they are increasing throughput monthly. United CEO just did an interview about how concerned he was there may not be ENOUGH military pilots to lure away (that’s good for airline pilots imo, may mean more pay).

I flew with one of the hiring board pilots a couple weeks ago, he said they are hiring military guys as fast as they possibly can to try to stay ahead of other majors. I asked why, his response: we’re all running out of high time (2-3000 hrs) military pilots, tell your AF friends that now is the time to apply, they will almost certainly get an interview…

If you’re on the fence about ditching active duty and moving to an airline gig to at least get a seniority number, now is quickly shaping up to be a dam good time to do it.

 

"Mobility aircraft have 100 percent of the pilots they need...."

Sure...

[SurelySerious]

"Mobility aircraft have 100 percent of the pilots they need...."
Sure...

It’s easy, you just decrease the crew ratio until it equals the pilots you have.

[Springer]

13 hours ago, LJ Driver said:

If you’re on the fence about ditching active duty and moving to an airline gig to at least get a seniority number, now is quickly shaping up to be a dam good time to do it.

 

Delta CEO announced they will be hiring 1,000 by this time next year.  First class started June 22.

[HuggyU2]

In the 11 week window of 11 May - 27 July, United will bring in 451 new pilots.  

[Royal]

Boys, if you get hired somewhere, keep all your other apps on file and updated for at least a year. With the amount of movement going on right now, you'll probably be able to switch companies with minimal loss in seniority and be able to end up somewhere with a domicile that works better for you.

[dream big]

On 6/22/2021 at 11:29 PM, Gunnermcjack said:

"Mobility aircraft have 100 percent of the pilots they need...."

Sure...

Yeah BS, we have 40+ copilots and less than 5 Instructors.  I wouldn’t expect a nonner bean counter at AFPC to know the difference though. 

[Danger41]

FWIW, I got a “fix it” email from United with an availability 2.5 years in the future...

[brickhistory]

21 hours ago, Danger41 said:

FWIW, I got a “fix it” email from United with an availability 2.5 years in the future...

For the uneducated, can you explain "fix it" email?

[Bergman]

2 hours ago, brickhistory said:

For the uneducated, can you explain "fix it" email?

“Fix It” meaning your application.  There’s a missing date, or employment timeline error, or some other incomplete info. Basically, they’ve actually reviewed the app, so fix this so we can give you an interview.

[Chida]

Mansplain: you see, Gertrude, there are some carriers that are so “ate up” that they cannot tolerate the slightest of what may appear, on the surface, to be an error. They therefore extend, on occasion, a modicum of grace to the hapless applicant in the form of what may be colloquially referred to in the lower lexicon as a fix it. You’re welcome.

[hindsight2020]

13 hours ago, Chida said:

Mansplain: you see, Gertrude, there are some carriers that are so “ate up” that they cannot tolerate the slightest of what may appear, on the surface, to be an error. They therefore extend, on occasion, a modicum of grace to the hapless applicant in the form of what may be colloquially referred to in the lower lexicon as a fix it. You’re welcome.

and then you "fail" the Hogan lol. Airline application process is so schizophrenic. Today's persona non-grata is tomorrow's "tier I" applicant. Kinda like the AF actually. 😄 

[skibum]

SWA hiring 2K over next 18 months plus they just ordered a pile more Max 7s.

[Ryder1587]

Says who ?  They haven’t announced anything from what I’ve seen except rumors of a hiring board being put together. 

[HossHarris]

Delta just changed their addendum in airline apps. So if you’ve got an app soaking…be sure to reaccomplish that section.