An Examination of Dual Track Career Management: Current Pilot Attitudes and Cost Analysis

摘要

Recent retention figures indicate pilots are separating from the Air Force in numbers that exceed the proposed guidelines for retention established in the USAF Personnel Plan. An oft-cited reason for this poor retention is poor career management of pilots. That is, some separating pilots leaving a career of strictly flying for rated supplement duties. An alternative personnel management system for pilots, the Dual Track System, is proposed. The Dual Track System offers a guaranteed flying career for a portion of the pilot force. This analysis examines the Dual Track System for effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness is statistically analyzed with a survey vehicle. The survey analyzes attitudes concerning both the present management system and Dual Track System. The results of the analysis tend to indicate that pilots who are separating from the Air Force would reconsider if the Dual Track System were currently available to them. Efficiency is evaluated by comparing the life cycle costs of pilots in both management systems. The Dual Track System affords a potential costs saving to the Air Force at all levels of utilization in this analysis. Thus, the Dual Track System is an effective and efficient pilot career management system.