Well it’ll be difficult to give a certain number or years because of all the variables. Are we talking WO or RLO? A simple answer, If a UH-60 guy in a FAC1 WO line pilot position they are are required to get 48 hrs semiannually so 96 annually. Realistically though, one could average 175-200 hrs per year. So, maybe 8 years to get enough time for a turbine gig.
Problem is, several factors can influence that number and bump it up or down. Things that will push hours up depend on specific tracks such as instructor pilot, maintenance test pilot, safety, or TAC ops. If you track instructor pilot, you would be well over 200 hrs a year. I averaged 320 hrs a year by being IP/IE/SP. Deployments can push the average up significantly. On deployment you can fly upwards of 1,000 hrs combat time just in that year. Type unit also matters. Go to 101st or 82nd and they’ll fly on a regular basis. Obviously special ops like 160th or Flight Concepts (SEASPRAY) don’t worry about budgets, so they can write their own ticket when it comes to building hours. Go to some small unit that just flys general support and they might barely be getting mins because of budget constraints.
If we’re talking RLO, those guys hours will vary wildly. They might be in a FAC 1 platoon leader (FAC 1) position for a year and get over 200 hrs. Then they might be in a staff (FAC 2) position for several years getting only 60 hours per year. Most Captains I knew, did only an initial ADSO and none of them got out with more than 1,000 hrs. A few Captains could hit 1,500 hrs when they get out but they’d have to have at least 2 deployments and really press to get on the schedule. By the time you get 1,500 hrs as an RLO, you’re looking at a Major with maybe 15 years of service. They just don’t get the time because of all the staff duties they’re assigned. A WO on the other hand, can stay in the cockpit for an entire career if they play their cards right.
So really, some (WO) can come out after a 6 year hitch and get 1,500 hrs, or 15 years for others (RLO).
