the seat of the pants flying is certainly still out there... i have flown military aircraft, all around the world... being a recon bird, we get to fly helicopters with no "autopilot". we wiggle the sticks to get the helicopter where we need it when we need it to be there. it is actually hard for me to fly an altitude and airspeed straight and level. that is the price i pay for flying low level 95% of the time. make sure you stay proficient in all aspects of flying, from instruments, to low level navigation, each is demanding, dont let yourself fall into the same trap i did, and be great at one and horrible at the other. i cant speak for the job market being military, but i would expect to pay your dues for a few years until you have been with a company long enough to prove your competence through example. the bug bite is quite easy to get but it is worth it, stick with it, and take every opportunity to fly new and different aircraft and jobs, continue to expand your knowledge, and dont be afraid to take the crap jobs... i have had more fun, and learned more on the flights that i didnt want to fly. finally, always stick to the basics of safety and strive to be the safest and most knowledgeable pilot on the field. a safe pilot how is always willing to get the job done will put you leaps ahead in the rotor world.