January Alumni Career Profile

Name:  Joshu Osmanski             

Class Year: 1996

Major: Aviation and Math

Current Employer: Jet Blue and the United States Navy

Describe your career path since graduation.

I joined the Navy for flight training in 1996. I completed flight training in 1998 and received wings and started F/A-18 training.  Then I completed F/A-18 training and went to VFA-105 in 1999.  From 2000-2001 I was deployed on the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).  In 2002 I went to Strike Fighter Wing. In 2003 I went to CVW-7 (Airwing Staff). Later in 2004 I was deployed on the USS George Washington (CVN-73).  In 2005 I went to VFC-12 in Virginia Beach.  In 2006 I resigned from Navy and started training with JetBlue. Currently, I am a JetBlue First Officer on E-190 and in the Navy Reserves out of New Orleans in VFA-204 flying F/A-18 Hornet.

 

What is your current position and how long have you been with your employer? 

JetBlue First Officer on E-190 (less than one year) and VFA-204 LCDR flying F/A-18 Hornet in New Orleans (More than ten years).

 

Describe the main responsibilities of your position. 

JetBlue - Fly passengers to and from destinations, manage systems and crew.

VFA-204 - Maintain tactical proficiency in air to air, air to ground (strike), in flight refueling and carrier landing environments. Train next generation of fighter pilots in tactics of adversaries.

 

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

 I get to serve my country while doing what I enjoy most as well as travel.

 

What do you find most challenging about your job? 

Time management, especially between the two jobs and traveling.

 

Describe your typical work week.  (How many hours you work, your work environment, etc.) 

Four day trip with JetBlue; arrive (time depends on schedule), fly three legs per day then overnight until trip is over in Boston (Logan Airport) or New York (JFK Airport). I take a day off and then travel to New Orleans for two to three days of F/A-18 training & flying and one to two flights a day in Air Combat Maneuvering and Strike. I alternate between New Orleans and Key West for a training detachment.

 

What job search methods did you use to obtain your current position?  

Navy recruiters and airline job fair & contacts.

 

What advice could you give to students interested in your field? 

Fly hard, fly a lot, get PIC time and if you ever even considered the military route, look into it. I think it is the absolute best way to go.

Last Modified: January 9, 2007