Vets Returning home having a tough time finding work?

Not to down play what you're saying but at clearancejobs.com everyone almost is a veteran and has a clearance so I have determined, it's all relative and I am not all that 'Special'

Doesn't sound to me like vets are having a tough time finding work.
 
This is not normal.

While waiting for the IP course I've become a unit trainer. I get to take RL 3 guys out for Instruments and RL 2 guys out for mission training. Sometimes I wonder if some guys did flight school by correspondence or something...

THIS is normal!! When I was a company Supervisory IP, this was the Rucker product. Sad but true.....
 
When I left Mother, I was convinced that their (the school house's) training objective was to get RL3s to a level that would minimize the damage WHEN they crashed.
 
Ouch......Com'On.....Fellas some sharp dudes come out of the system too.

That's true. We have a guy who tore it up after flight school and made PC with just 300 hours. That's a heck of an exception though.He's also an RLO.

I'm sure Rucker does a fine job overall, but with the full implementation of FSXXI some things are slipping through the cracks. More and more things are not being taught there that used to be and more and more initial training is left to the units. More than that though, for the most part I think pilots who come back from school as less than stellar performers are a result of a bad initial selection process rather than poor training. A lot of guys are applying and getting selected for flight school who have no genuine interest in aviation. Many just think being a pilot sounds good or that it's got to be better than being a grunt or engineer. So going to school they lack that innate curiosity about aviation that many of us had before learning to fly and discover flight school, in essence, is just another Army school. Cooperate, graduate, and make 70s or above and you pass. Not many people would go out and learn extra stuff on their own in Quartermaster OBC - why would they in Aviation OBC? So while a small number of trainees were reading the AIM and shooting ILS approaches on FS at home, others were struggling to regurgitate the definitions of Spike Knock, Mast Bumping and Pylon Whirl.

I have found, from a training deficiency standpoint, that the vast majority of flight school returnees do not have a FAA instrument-rated level of knowledge despite the fact they return with commercial/instrument tickets. Most can not accurately decipher an approach plate or enroute chart. Most do not know the elements of an ATC clearance, much less communicate effectively with ATC. Most can't remember rote items such as when an alternate is needed and the rules for selecting an alternate. I'm guessing the reason they lack this knowledge is the span of time between Instruments and their advanced aircraft qualification though. (i.e. Reasons people forget - Disuse.)
 
Ian...that evaluation of FSXXI is sadly amusing. I was pre-FSXXI and these isssues were some of the reasons they were pushing the new program. They had grads who couldn't fly IFR let alone recover from IIMC because most of their training was in a tricked out Jetranger that had more radios than the space shuttle. After the x-hr AQC reported to the unit -- it was their problem to train the pilots to me mission ready.

I knew guys who you described ("better than being a grunt....I won't fly after the Army). Drove me nuts.
 
Alot of vets with clearances are still looking for a gig though and I'm in line with them.....
I hear that. Just remember, there are thousands and thousands of jobs that I would love that I am qualified for with the exception of the clearance. Most of these jobs are given to people with the clearance but not necessarily the experience. It makes it hard for us on the outside. Right now I'm making my bucks at the railroad. 3500 applied, 400 made it past the initial, 250 for initial interview, 60 interviewed, 25 were selected, 18 made it out of training. So I had to be the top 0.5% of people to make it into a job that requires a high school diploma. I'm guessing clearance jobs are around 0.01% for general populace that applies and 1.5% of those with the clearance in hand. I know it's tough, but it's not just where you are. We constantly talk about sending out 100 resumes, 100 follow up phone calls, 3 interviews, and MAYBE 1 job offer that may or may not go through. Just keep at it, we all do.
 
Thanks for the shoulder Proud. It is a ball busting effort for all the crooked-up fingers typing all the cover letters, calling, tweaking each app for the job being applied for, etc for someone to go haven't you got a job yet?
Boot to the head!!

--AA
 
I have found, from a training deficiency standpoint, that the vast majority of flight school returnees do not have a FAA instrument-rated level of knowledge despite the fact they return with commercial/instrument tickets. Most can not accurately decipher an approach plate or enroute chart. Most do not know the elements of an ATC clearance, much less communicate effectively with ATC. Most can't remember rote items such as when an alternate is needed and the rules for selecting an alternate. I'm guessing the reason they lack this knowledge is the span of time between Instruments and their advanced aircraft qualification though. (i.e. Reasons people forget - Disuse.)

What? You sure? As overly anal-rententive as the US Army is when it comes to everything instrument flying, to the point where there are specific instrument examiners designated, I would think it would be otherwise.
 
What? You sure? As overly anal-rententive as the US Army is when it comes to everything instrument flying, to the point where there are specific instrument examiners designated, I would think it would be otherwise.

It is... Eventually. It takes anywhere from 30 to 100 hours to get guys proficient though.
 
Guess I could see the lack of instrument knowledge with maybe an OH-58A/C/D or OH-6A guy.....maybe even AH-64......guys that don't do instruments much. Well, I guess AH-64s do NDBs and radar IAPs.
 
Guess I could see the lack of instrument knowledge with maybe an OH-58A/C/D or OH-6A guy.....maybe even AH-64......guys that don't do instruments much. Well, I guess AH-64s do NDBs and radar IAPs.

I'm not sure of the time between instruments in flight school and when they hit the line, but that time is the problem.
 
I'm not sure of the time between instruments in flight school and when they hit the line, but that time is the problem.

Am only saying what Im saying because the CH-47 guys I come across all appear to have their stuff together when it comes to instrument flying. UH-60 guys are hit and miss, in my experiences with them.
 
Am only saying what Im saying because the CH-47 guys I come across all appear to have their stuff together when it comes to instrument flying. UH-60 guys are hit and miss, in my experiences with them.

Those are experienced pilots. I'm talking RL 3 guys fresh from Rucker.
 
Those are experienced pilots. I'm talking RL 3 guys fresh from Rucker.

Even ones going to those airframes? Im not as familiar with their track training in their specific airframes prior to leaving for their operational units, but wouldn't the guys coming from -47 or from -60 training have more instrument experience or training? Or is this a deficiency that Rucker isn't training them up to speed, regadless of airframe and leaving it to the operational units?
 
Even ones going to those airframes? Im not as familiar with their track training in their specific airframes prior to leaving for their operational units, but wouldn't the guys coming from -47 or from -60 training have more instrument experience or training? Or is this a deficiency that Rucker isn't training them up to speed, regadless of airframe and leaving it to the operational units?

No. The bulk of instrument training occurs during the instrument phase in Bell 206s. Once they get to their advanced aircraft the instrument continuation is minimal. Most in the 60 don't have a complete understanding of the CIS.
 
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