Any Feds in Here?

[smokeless]

Currantly Federal Law Enforcement in an Agency (ATF) that does not have it's own Aviation Wing.  Pursuing Commercial Ticket (Helicopter) on my own time with my own money and I want to continue flying.  Any information on Customs, Border Patrol, USMS or anyone else would be a great help.

 

Thanks.

[Fox6]

If you would like any info you can email me or check on usajobs.com under the 2181 series for pilot jobs.. Most require 1500 hours for the full journeyman level but some, mainly forest service etc will take you at a lower grade with less time.   :unclesam:

[Hoss-Fly]

Fox6,

I am guessing by your call sign that you are a Border Patrol pilot?

I'm an army Blackhawk pilot that will be leaving active duty in 2007 (unless I get deployed again).  I really want to fly for a law enforcement agency.  My wife laid down the law so to speak, meaning in 2007 we are going back to Texas.  I have done a lot of research on Border Patrol work and aviation, and it really sounds like something I would love doing.  I have been policing the world for the last couple of years....now I want to police my own country.

How long does it take to get in the pilot's seat?

How is the merger of air assets with Customs going to effect the Border Patrol?

 

Thanks for your time Fox6

 

Vince

[Fox6]

Vince,  you are correct on my occuptation.  It took me three years (the service minimum) to get into the pilot seat.  Others have taken longer.  The patrol shortened the time on ground requirement to 2 years last year in a push to get more pilots.  All hiring seems to be on hold right now as they figure out what to do with the merger (Customs and Border Patrol pilots)  I know that Customs did not have a time in service requirement and you could be hired "off the street"  It is my personal opinion that this would probably be the new standard after the merger.  It will be interesting to see how the merger pans out and how their assets and ours will be deployed.  You should be a good candidate with you Military flight time.  About 1/3 of my office is either prior military, guard, or reserve.  I'm civilian.  It is a good job with great benefits and a lot of fun.  If you would like more details let me know.

 

I took care of your accidental duplicates - Heliport

[Hoss-Fly]

Fox6,

Thanks for your reply.  I have a lot of questions....but it seems that most of them should wait until the merger gets settled.  However, a few might still be relevant.

 

1.  What are the flight time/experience requirements?

2.  What aircraft and the order of merit for aircraft assignments?

3.  Where are patrol aircraft based?

4.  And most importantly...what is the schedule/routine like?

5.  What are your predictions of the affect of this merger?

 

Thanks so much for your time and guarding our borders.  Very shortly, I'm gonna get a one year all expense paid trip to Afghanistan.  Keeping up with the changes at CBP will give me something to do.  I wonder if they are just gonna throw all the aircraft into a pool for the two agencies to use?  I hope that doesn't happen, you want the guy in the air to have a kinda "connection" with the guy on the ground.  Also, if they required everyone to have the Customs multi-engine time, that would blow my application away...and besides, I don't want to fly in the flight levels...I enjoy the view from 50 feet much better!

 

Fly safe Fox6,

[smokeless]

Hey Fox6 and Hoss-Fly,

Thanks for posting here.  A little back ground on me:  I'm a GS-13 with LEAP and alot of overtime with ATF.  I'm close to my PPL in a 300cb and plan on continuing to Commercial.  I'm paying for it on my own.  I really love this flying thing.  Anyway, I've tried the military route (Reserves and Gaurd) and they said I was too old and had to much federal service (Prior Navy, 14 years).  I am still interested in other agencies but 1500 hours @ $220 an hour is around $316,000.  I'm currently considering a joint ownership/lease deal that was proposed to me.  I need to do alot of research on this still.  

 

I appreciate the feed back Fox, I applaud your dedication and effort to get where you're at as a civillian.

And to you Hoss, all military pilots have my greatest respect for the route they took.  

 

Well done to you both.

 

As for me...bottom line is:  I'm lookin' to fly as much as I can as cheap as I can, like everyone else.  I'll keep my eyes out on USAJOBS and watch the merger.  If they'll hire AND train me @ GS-7 (Guessing at that) we might have a deal.  

 

If ya'll are ever in Fort Worth, lemme buy a beer!  

 

Hoss, I'll be in Kabul this month, maybe see ya there (I'll be the dork asking every Blackhawk pilot if he knows who Hoss is).

[Hoss-Fly]

smokeless,

without giving an exact date for opsec purposes, I and most of our task force will be arriving in Bagram very, very soon!  Since you have obviously been in the stans longer than me, could ya email me at vincent.r.rodgers@us.army.mil with the current situation over their.  I've heard that going after the drug trade is our next big mission....I hope the 100,000 armed militia in Afghanistan isn't upset about that.  

 

Be safe over their!

[Fox6]

Hoss-fly I sent you an email,

Smokeless, I've seen some jobs that are GS-7 for the Forest Service that start at 500 hrs, and it is a covered job as a firefighter. You could go this route till you have the 1500 hrs. Maybe you should look into getting a fixed wing add on to build time a little cheaper.  I have at least two Academy classmates working for the ATF now.  One is in the valley and the other in the panhandle.  Let me know if I can give you any more info.:unclesam: Be Safe over there

F6

[smokeless]

Much obliged Fox6.

It's certainly something  to look into.  I'm heading for the forest service web page now.  I know a few dudes in the Valley (McAllen office).

[phiktion]

i just got outta tha army i was stationed at fort hood hoss, back from a year in iraq which is always fun.  i was a radar operator so we worked alot with the aviation guys.