How long is too long away from home?

Have you already been TDY or deployed so much that you are tired of missing your families life?  Or maybe you have been stuck behind a desk the last three years and you are ready to see the world again.  Some flying gigs have you home every night while others you could be on the road for 12+ days in a row, with many options in-between.  Some operations you may only fly 200-300 hours a year and others it could be 500-800 hours a year. Are you looking for shorter trips of 2-3 days away at a time or are you alright with 7 days at a time if you will get 7 days back home in between? Many veterans have stated that they ended up being on the road MORE OFTEN flying commercially then they were before they left the military.  Keep that in mind.

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Where do you want to live?

This should help you determine what company you apply for.  There are a ton of great companies to work for and their domiciles cover the country.  A lot of the Major Airlines have many things in common in their benefits and Quality of Life, so picking your flying company around where you want to live is a good place to start.  If you would rather live outside a domicile, expect to commute.

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Where does your spouse want to live?

She/he may have been following you around for years, base to base, and now they would like more say in where your family goes next.  If their intent is to move “back home” but this creates a continuous commute for you, then finding a local company or one where most of your flying occurs on one or two trips, might work best for you.

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How much money is comfortable for you and your family?

You probably left the military making a descent living but now the options for greater pay are ready and waiting for you to accept them.  Are you comfortable in the $100K-$200K range, or do you want to push for $200K-$400K or more?

Generally speaking, making more money means working harder, and in the aviation industry it normally means more time on the road.  There are unicorn flying jobs that pay well and you are not gone often, but they are hard to find right out of the gate.  In some gigs, such as the Major Airlines, you will move towards less and less flying and greater pay in your coming years but it will not be this way in the beginning.  Charter business jet operations cover the range of pay from $150K-$350K+ depending on the location and type rating flown.  Contract flying is known to be very lucrative with the right type ratings and networking and you get to make your own schedule.

Will you be receiving Military Retirement Pay or VA Disability Pay?  These two deposits combined could be an additional $60K-$120K per year that could offset that “lower” $180K retirement flying gig.  Think about it, your options are many!

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What kind of flying are you interested in?

Do you want to fly more predictable routes that take little prep on your part (Part 121) or do you want more hands on flying where you might be in charge of all aspects of the flight preparation and decision making (Part 91 / Part 135) while often visiting new locations all over the US/world?

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Are you fine with commuting to your job?

Commuting potentially adds a day to either or each end of your trip, increasing your time away.  It is generally understood that commuting is a last resort or a temporary part of the job until things stabilize.  Sometimes its a life decision made so that you can live wherever you wish.  QoL is not very good when you have to commute and most pilots will confirm this.  Alternatively, if not flying often because you operate the long haul International routes, you may only have to commute once/twice a month and in this case it makes sense.  Read more about commuting here.

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Do you want to fly one sortie a day or multiple sorties?

Some airline operations/cargo companies fly 1-2 legs a day, whereas the regionals, other airlines, and some Part 135/91 flights could be 3-5 lines a day depending on the operation.  Some Part 135 operations also fly only 1-2 sorties a day, depending on who you may be carrying.  You could be grinding day after day or be on the hook for a single sortie.

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Do you want to fly Internationally or stay in the US?

There are companies (Part 121 and 135) that are only continental US or mostly North American region, and there are companies that also fly International as well.  This could determine how many days at a time you may be working and for what company.  Flying Internationally generally also means you may fly larger aircraft and thus get paid more.  You will also get to see the world and explore new destinations on your layovers.

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Are you wanting to work for a large corporation or a small company?

Do you want to work for a large airline where you are just a number or do you want a more personal working relationship where there is a lesser number of pilots and you are closer to leadership?  In one company, you might never fly with the same pilot twice (i.e. Part 121), whereas in another you can create great relationships in the cockpit and with the aircraft owners (i.e. Part 135).

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Do you have a preference on whether you move people or cargo?

If its only cargo, you get to skip the terminals, TSA and passengers. Additionally, there are no flight attendants in cargo so your flight crew on the aircraft is much smaller.  If you fly Part 135, you work through FBOs instead of airport terminals and you could be carrying cargo or a celebrity, depending on the operation.

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Would you be interested in flight instruction, either in an aircraft or in a simulator?

Both jobs guarantee you being home every night but the benefits will not to be as good as piloting an aircraft.  Flight Instruction in a simulator can pay pretty well depending on the company, $100K-$250K+ and the QoL is excellent.  Not to mention, you can fly as a contract pilot on the side and may even get the benefits of the airline without having to be gone all the time.  If you are interested in staying in the military community, there are a multitude of companies that teach military operations in the simulator/classroom, and some pay very well.

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Would you like to continue to serve your country in a new way?

The U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection agency is always looking for veterans to join their ranks and that would be an easy transition for most.  There are also companies out there that fly military equivalent aircraft (such as KC-135s, ISR aircraft and more) that fill the mission of these military entities but are a contracting company and not associated with the military.