Marine Osprey pilot transitioning

[ospreydriver]

I tried to post this earlier and it didn't appear. I think I'm off moderation-required posting, so I apologize if multiple posts appear on this.

 

I'm a Marine pilot who's retiring in about a year. Against my compatriots' advice, I want to continue flying. I am interested in flying for law enforcement, EMS, or maybe an overseas contractor job for a spell.

I have about 3400 hours right now, and am in a flying billet, so I should break 3500 by the time I EAS. The catch is that I'm a V-22 pilot, so many of my hours, strictly speaking, are neither fixed nor rotary wing, but rather, in the bizarre nomenclature of the FAA, "powered lift."

I have about 1100 Osprey hours, 2200 helicopter hours (CH-46 and B206) and the rest SE fixed-wing prop. I won't have flown a real helicopter in the last 10 years by the time I retire.

I've asked this question in a more oblique manner in other threads, but as I approach short final on retirement, I hope that someone here with hiring experience will help me out with some advice. How would you react to someone with my experience applying to a typical EMS/LE job with the usual 2000-2500 minimums? That said, how should I talk about my experience?

We usually transit as airplanes, with a fair amount of IFR flying, but 9 times out of 10, we land and takeoff like helicopters, which in my opinion is where the rubber meets the road as a rotary-wing pilot.

I don't see myself getting any real helicopter time before I get out. Maybe I can scam a few hours in the Huey sim, but that's about it

Thanks for any assistance the crew here can provide.

[aeroscout]

An Army exchange pilot I know (Jim R.) recently got hired into EMS with a resume very similar to yours. He exchanged into the Air Force flying the Osprey, and is now flying the (AirBus) EC-130. You should have no problem whatsoever.

[skyreaper]

Since you will be pulling retirement and likely have some GI bill left, consider becoming a civilian flight instructor. If nothing immediately pans out due to time not transferring, this is sometimes a good option (at least on the fixed wing side) to move on to bigger things. The guys i've seen take this route only instructed for a short time. Basically getting current and proficient while training, then building up a few more hours while they job hunt.

[Flying Pig]

But you are a rated helicopter pilot correct? Just go get current, knock off the rust and let your resume speak for itself. Or go do tours or the gulf. The issue with instructing is that you'd need S300 or Robinson time. I'd think there are other things you could do besides instructing.

Edited May 5, 2014 by Flying Pig

[ospreydriver]

I am still a rated helo pilot. I was a military instructor and instrument instructor in the Bell 206 (former IP at NAS Whiting). I'm going to take the Military Competency exam for CFI and CFII this summer just so I get those tickets on my license and resume, but I don't want to spend time in a Robbie. Not because it's beneath me, but because I'm 40 years old and don't want to eat Top Ramen in a time-building job, after almost 20 years flying helos and tiltrotors all over creation.

 

I'd love to fly a civil tiltrotor, but that's still a good ways off. I want to stay in a more, uh, dynamic environment, so rotary wing is the way I want to go.

 

Those with jobs in LE or EMS--what would you say if someone if my boat walked into an interview?

[Velocity173]

I'd have no problem hiring you with that experience. The aircraft I flew in the Army (UH-60) has nothing to do with the 407 I fly now in EMS. The first 2-3 days in the transition course kicked my butt, but once I remembered how to use my feet again, everything was fine. They're hiring you more on the experiences you've had in the Marines than a specific type aircraft. A helicopter is a helicopter. It only takes a few hours to learn a new one but it takes years to aquire the skills that you've gotten from the Marines. Even the fact you were an IP will help by not having single pilot experience. Having over 3,000 TT is a plus as for insurance premiums as well. It would be nice if it was all RW but our insurance questionare we fill out annually asks for total RW & FW time. Total time does matter.

 

As far as recent helicopter experience, you'll see some list that in job postings. I can tell you that in the middle my training a friend of mine that flys C-12s was asking about a job. Chief pilot told me that it wasn't a big deal that he hadn't flown a helicopter in years. You have to go through a two week aircraft transition course anyway. You can either do it or not. Usually in our company at least 1 doesn't make it through the program.

 

Gotta a couple Devil Dogs ( Huey, Frog) that I work with. One is retired and the other in the Reserves. Both solid performers. Good luck to ya. PM me if you have any other questions.

[I3uller]

I don't have much to offer, but one thing to note that I've read and seen, is that most civil LE rotary positions are a hire from within deal. They take the 16 year cop that knows nothing about flying and train him as opposed to taking the 3500 hour guy like yourself. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me but it is what it is.

[Wally]

You don't and won't know until you ask at each and every position whether that 10 year helicopter hiatus is an issue. My experience is that some operators are interested, some aren't. Make some calls.

 

If you want to wipe that slate clean, buy an hour or a few hours with an instructor- voila! Now it hasn't been 10 years since you stirred the helicopter stick!

 

I would do that- buy some flight time, was I you, just to clarify the capabilities that you present. You don't want to embarrass yourself professionally in training (2200/3200 hours and you hover like that???) and the instructor can tailor the course to you if an accurate appraisal is presented.

 

The rust is quickly knocked off after a break, depending on the length of the non-flying interval. In my experience, the first flight after a couple weeks away (broken hand) got me in the groove; 2-5 hours after 4 years (new family); and about 10 hours after a 10 year complete break (working for a living).

 

The training department at my employer (EMS) is in a flux, overhauling and moving, I wish I could suggest a name...

Edited May 5, 2014 by Wally

[ospreydriver]

Thanks for the advice.

 

I'm confident that I could hop in a 206 tomorrow and do just about everything to snuff, though I might want to do a full auto or two for practice. I've been doing plenty of hovering--I'm an Osprey IP right now. If a few hours in a light civil helo made a potential employer feel better about my logbook, it might be money well spent. That said, if we start talking real money (thousands not hundreds), I'd rather work on my multiengine airplane so I have fallback position on that front.

 

To l3uller's point, I know that most of the LE community hires from within (that seems odd to me as a pilot, but then again, I'm in an organization that says even the cooks are riflemen first), but between this board and the powers of Google, I know that are are a few that hire pilots to be pilots. That's very timing dependent as far as potential openings, I realize.

 

I'm not completely adverse to overseas work, be that offshore or US government contracts, but I'm not sure I'd want to do that forever. Depends on what and where it is.

[aeroscout]

Be careful about being picky. You might pick yourself up off the floor after you realize you have picked your way right out of the job market.

[ospreydriver]

I hear you there, but I don't think I've said anything overly picky, other than that I wouldn't really want to flight instruct for a living, and that I wouldn't want to do overseas contract work forever in a hardship location. Those are pretty wide lateral limits.

 

I want a flying gig I'm going to enjoy. That's not too much to ask. I've done the dues paying thing already overseas several times over. I could earn more money not flying than flying--I'll be forfeiting potential earnings because I WANT to stay in the cockpit. If that cockpit job isn't one that's going to be interesting, than yes, I will be picky, if that's the term for it.

 

I'm not going to live hand-to-mouth scrambling for work, whether seasonal flying or for students or some such. I know some love that stuff, but it's not for me at this stage of my life. I do not require a fabulous paycheck at all, just a reasonable one and a job that doesn't suck.

[Creep0321]

(that seems odd to me as a pilot, but then again, I'm in an organization that says even the cooks are riflemen first),

I hate this about the Corps... as a shooter, it bothers me, and instills a false sense of being combat effective with a rifle, in those that are not.

[Wally]

Thanks for the advice.

 

I'm confident that I could hop in a 206 tomorrow and do just about everything to snuff, though I might want to do a full auto or two for practice. I've been doing plenty of hovering--I'm an Osprey IP right now. If a few hours in a light civil helo made a potential employer feel better about my logbook, it might be money well spent...

 

My suggestions are based on my experience, but I'm slow, stupid and a scaredy cat. And anecdotes from the training department (most excellent staffing) at my last job to the effect that Blackhawk and Hook drivers had "lazy feet".

[Velocity173]

I hear you there, but I don't think I've said anything overly picky, other than that I wouldn't really want to flight instruct for a living, and that I wouldn't want to do overseas contract work forever in a hardship location. Those are pretty wide lateral limits.

 

I want a flying gig I'm going to enjoy. That's not too much to ask. I've done the dues paying thing already overseas several times over. I could earn more money not flying than flying--I'll be forfeiting potential earnings because I WANT to stay in the cockpit. If that cockpit job isn't one that's going to be interesting, than yes, I will be picky, if that's the term for it.

 

I'm not going to live hand-to-mouth scrambling for work, whether seasonal flying or for students or some such. I know some love that stuff, but it's not for me at this stage of my life. I do not require a fabulous paycheck at all, just a reasonable one and a job that doesn't suck.

Well I can tell you that both the Marines that I work with were prior GoM. Money was good but both got tired of the commute. Personally, I don't feel like flying 500 + hours per year to oil platforms all day.

 

I could've done overseas contract for good money but I spent 20 yrs traveling in the military. Last thing I want to do is go back to those same countries and serve them as a civilian.

 

EMS is literally the easiest job I've ever had. You get paid to fly maybe 150-200 hrs a year. No real flight planning involved like you're used to in the military. No classes to give, leadership courses, computer / field excercise, range safety officer, uniform inspections, AM PT, counseling forms, paperwork, etc, etc. It's big boy rules. You show up to work on time in a clean uniform, take 20 mins for paperwork & preflight and then hangout. You'll rarely even hear from management unless it's a "good job fellas" comment. You get paid to fly and that's it. Trust me, after retiring from the Marines, this job is good break from all the stresses that you're used to.