What are the reason to choose career as a commercial pilot rather than airforce pilot...??

Question

what are the advantage for becoming commercial pilot rather than Air force pilot ???????

Answer 1

hi, Its all because of salary. In cpl you can earn 150000 and in airforce you can earn 19000

Answer 2

I think everyone is forgetting the fact the it is really really hard to get a commercial job right now....and Im guessing in the future as they continue to cut jobs.  One of the many friends I have that graduated from embry-riddle gave up trying to get a "real" commercial job.  He now flys f-16's for the air national guard.  He's  says hes happier! I have another friend that paid $20k-$30k ??? for 737 training just so he could fly for ryan air over in England.  My point is that it may not be a great idea to invest the (lots and lots) money to become a commercial pilot if you'll be flying CRJs for $20k a year for some time!

Answer 3

Becoming an military pilot is next to impossible.  It is extremely competitive.

You even have to get a commission from a congressman.  forgetaboutit.

Good Luck...

Answer 4

As a commercial pilot you get a larger pay pack, better perks and good opportunity to visit new places in total luxury . but competition is tough. unless you are a total freedom fighter mentality person , I don't think you will chose air force . Because of lesser pay packs and absurd postings.

Answer 5

First, I'm going to assume we're focused on flying for an American airline or flying for the United States military.  I can't comment on the global picture.  The answer to your question is, the advantages don't have to be separate.

Joining the Air Force is a great start to a career in the airlines, if not the absolute best ticket around.  Heck, it's a good start to any career, and flying heavies in the Air Force is about as dangerous as flying 737s out of Miami, not to mention more rewarding.  Yes, the airline industry is a very volatile job market with massive ups and downs.  The pay travels a sinusoidal curve, as do the hiring numbers.  The airline business is a challenging endeavor for any company to make money with, let alone an individual pilot.

While getting started in the airlines without the military, you'll make less than your military junior officer counterpart who's still in flight school.  The money only starts coming in when you start getting senior.  The flying is not as difficult as other types of flying, so for that, the pay is great.  Based on these 2008 military pay tables and adding some typical housing allowance data (variable BAH) and incentive pays (http://www.dfas.mil/militarypay/military... a fresh 24-year-old 2nd Lieutenant might be making in the realm of 39,000/yr in flight school.  A seasoned 34-year-old married O-4 (10 years of service) would be making in the realm of just over 100,000/yr.  And that doesn't include special pay types, tax-free benefits, and per diem when applicable deployed away from home.  I had a few years where I made 16K tax-free on top of my regular pay just for showing up in theater.  Then there are pretty substantial bonuses to retain qualified pilots in the various services at certain career points.  Adding that up puts a senior O-4 well over 100K.  Some airline starter jobs are still stuck in the 20K range to build flight time.  Some are in the low 30s.  Yet, you can fly in the airlines until you retire of old age (if you don't get furloughed or fired), whereas the military demands a career progression as you get older that doesn't lend itself to much flying for the O-6 and above crowd (~140k+/yr) (if you don't get passed over for rank and/or command).  Granted, airline flying might bore you to death, but it's flying, I guess.

And that's just the pay.  There are big sacrifices away from home in the military, but the airline schedule only works for some people – it can be just as brutal on family life at times as the military, so don't get any illusions of this at-home utopia living in a well-off airline pilot ghetto somewhere.  So much of it is who you work for, where you work, and what kind of flying you are doing (passengers, cargo, corporate, etc.)...just like any job in America.

...completely disagree with the "hotter wives" and "brainwashing" comments.  Any fighter base O-Club will attest to that.

Answer 6

Well I am an Air Force pilot, so here are my thoughts. There are many people still serving in the Air Force that are also commercial pilots.  They both have their advantages. Advantages for the Air Force: don't have to pay for flight training! (You get your commercial/instrument rating after 1 year of flight school). You get to see the world. you are gone a lot, but if you are single then it's a really good deal.  If you are a cargo pilot (which most pilots are in the air force) you will not be put in harm's way, nor will you be killing people.  Airlines don't really pay big bucks like they used to (unless you are at the top).  Look at an Air Force salary it is actually pretty good.   And the Air Force is not subject to the brutality of the Airline industry.  look how many people are getting laid off, and I know many pilots, who have unfortunately lost ALL of their retirement from the airlines.  This doesn't happen in the Air Force.  Those are just my thoughts, the Air Force is a good deal if you could put up with it.

Answer 7

The Air Force is hiring, the Airlines are not.

Right now with the excess of pilots, due to Airlines shutting down, your chances of getting into the front seat without knowing the CEO of the company, is REMOTE.

There are qualified and current pilots out there right now who can't get jobs.

With the situation Bush has put us into, the only way to get a pilot job is to catch a Chief Pilot in bed with someone other than his wife.

Answer 8

and better pay, better benefits, better vacation, better lifestyle, bigger house, nicer car, hotter wife, you don't have to work as often as the rest of us, etc,  the list goes on for days

Answer 9

Huge paycheck, huge retirement, freedom of speach, action and opinion, no brainwash, no boot l*****g, having a job meant for flying instead of killing, traveling instead of invading.

Yeah of course thumbs down every time somebody says he's not encouraging this whole capitalist invasion...

Answer 10

The stewardesses.

Answer 11

Not wanting to go to war...

Answer 12

Don't kill people

Money

Answer 13

comercial means u have specific time to start........if in airforce in the middle of night of u may have to go to pakistan?????

Answer 14

First I would say, if you have to ask, then don't bother with the USAF.  If it is not a burning desire for you, then they really don't want you, and the guys that you are going to be flying with won't either.

If money is what you are basing your decision upon, then go into another field that pays better.

The comments about  "not going to war" or "getting killed" really anger me...  I knew one of the pilots that had his throat cut on September 11th,  that's a war, and he was in it.

Jason had it right,   also the payscales... again.. if you are looking for money... there are a LOT of jobs out there that pay a lot better and have a lot more security and options... but top end.. you will never see it..  BEFORE 9-11   $300k+ for Delta B-777 Captains realistic midrange... AA MD-80 Captain about $180k AA MD-80 f/o   $120k  AMR Eagle RJ Captain $70k  New hire f/o  $20k

"you will get called to go to Pakistan in the middle of the night"  won't happen with the airlines?? BULL$%^&   that is EXACTLY  what happened to me... I went to the Gulf more times as a civilian than I did in the military.

Aviation is a great career, but there is a LOT more to it than studying, money, and flying... it is a lifestyle all it's own with unique problems as far as TAXES,  licenses (not pilot) voting,... all kinds of things you have never thought about.  It IS getting tougher too...  your CREDIT rating is now being checked when you want to get a slot in the airforce... also the hitch in the USAF has been upped repeatedly... so you better make a clear decision before you sign on the dotted line. On the civilian side...  GOOD-LUCK... if you can pick the right moves... you can have it all... if you know which airlines are going to be profitable (if any besides SWA) and will keep you around... my hat's off to you... otherwise...  you can plan on starting over atleast three times... so when you are 55, and sitting in a turbo-prop Regional  *again* and you have a 25 year old Captain telling YOU about his lengthy 3 year career...  you can reflect back on all that money you DIDN'T make.

GOOD LUCK!

Answer 15

"not getting shot" at comes to mind.

ok, make that "getting shot at less frequently"

Answer 16

You won't get killed in war. If you are a commercial pilot, you don't have to work under hard conditions of airforce pilot and you won't have to worry about enemies trying to kill you. You also wouldn't have to kill anyone.

Answer 17

OK, the poster who's telling you can earn 150,000 as a civilain commercial pilot, vs 19,000 in the US Air Force, is just flat wrong.

Commercial pilots don't make anything like that much money. The only exceptions to that are the pilot who've been with one carrier continuously for 25-30 years and fly 747/757/767/777, etc... In reality, commercial pilots actually start out at around 19,000 & USAF pilots tart out at around 30-35K.

Commercial pilot means much less secure job, more layoffs, etc. Airline management is known for being short-sighted and really treating their people like dirt. Military treats everyone like dirt, except at the most senior ranks, and you get shot at  - but if you live and don't get wounded or shot down it's much more secure job with absolutely guaranteed retirement benefits.

Answer 18

I honestly believe that being an Air Force pilot first would be most beneficial.  First of all you'd be serving your country which is an incredible honor that will give you something to be proud of for the rest of your life.

Second, the military would pay for an education so that you could get a degree in something else just in case you should ever decide that flying is not what you want to do forever.  Not to mention the other military benefits such as the VA loan to buy a house, the chance to travel, etc....

Once your service was complete, you could become a commercial pilot with all that experience under your belt, both career and life experience.

Whatever you choose, I hope that you are happy in your choice.  Good luck!