Helo Community/ Flying in the Civilian World

[Randy Daytona]

Well, Hal, thanks for the Jiffy Lube offer to help ease my way into GenPop (or is that for GenPop to ease their way into me? ). Still, I think my butt is safe.

The Secretary of Interior noted, before Congress, that: "Seasonal employees are entitled to the same benefits as temporary employees, wherein they are eligible to earn annual and sick leave, if they work a full-time or part-time schedule. Employees are not eligible for coverage under the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance program or the Federal Employees Retirement System, but are covered by Social Security and unemployment compensation..." No, different states have different las, but California specifically notes that wild fire experts fall under the "seasonal" category and can apply for unemployment benefits IF they have worked the required number of hours. There isn't a fraud investigator that would find a problem with this in the four states I checked...CA, CO, MT, and ID.

Well, when in doubt read the law.

 

[Griz882]

Man! I type like crap on this iPad.

 

[HAL Pilot]

I'm not saying they aren't entitled to unemployment. I'm saying that if they are not actively pursuing new employment with the intention of accepting that employment while they are collecting unemployment benefits , then they are committing fraud. Fraud is illegal and therefore they are crimminals.

Job search certification is normally weekly. Collecting that week's unemployment is based on your certification. If you go on leisure travel but certify you were job searching to collect that week's money, then you're committing fraud. Having no intention of accepting employment if offered a job you apply for is committing fraud.

Stay home and look for a job your good to go. You can even turn down jobs that don't provide the same level of income and you're still good. My personal views are that if you can get employment anywhere that pays as much as your unemployment pays while allowing you the time to search for a job in your chosen career, then you should do that since unemployment is supposed to be a safety net and not a primary income. Substitute teaching is a good example. I did this when I was furloughed and between flying jobs. But this is my personal ethics, not the law.

Bottomline - If you want to liesure travel, do it. Just don't collect unemployment during that time period. Similarly, don't apply to jobs you have no intention of accepting just to fraudulently draw unemployment.

 

[Griz882]

Soooo...for those interested, CALFIRE is looking for a senior aviation officer. They fly the UH-1, OV-10 Broncos and S-2 Trackers. the specifics are posted below.

Senior Aviation Officer

Possession of the following certificates:
A valid and current second-class Airman's Medical Certificate issued by an FAA authorized examiner. and 1. A valid FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate with multi-engine land airplane and instrument ratings. OR

2. A valid FAA ATP Certificate with multi-engine land airplane ratings and instrument ratings. OR

3. A valid FAA Commercial Airman Certificate with a helicopter-rotorcraft class rating. OR

4. A valid ATP Certificate with helicopter-rotorcraft class rating. and 2,000 hours in-command of aircraft (fixed or rotary-wing). AND

Either
1. One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of an Aviation Officer III (Flight Operations) or an Aviation Officer III (Maintenance). OR

2. Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of an Aviation Officer II (Flight Operations) or an Aviation Officer II (Maintenance). OR

3. Five years of broad and extensive experience with direct oversight of the operations and/or maintenance of 15 or more aircraft, at least two years of which has been in a managerial capacity in military, government, or commercial air services.

 

[Slingblade]

Soooo...for those interested, CALFIRE is looking for a senior aviation officer. They fly the UH-1, OV-10 Broncos and S-2 Trackers. the specifics are posted below.

Too bad the Marine Corps owns me for 5 more years with that carrot on the end of the stick called retirement,

 

[Griz882]

Too bad the Marine Corps owns me for 5 more years with that carrot on the end of the stick called retirement,

Not to worry. Stay healthy, keep flying...fire will still be around in 2021!

 

[Randy Daytona]

Hate to see this for the guys and gals at Big Orange.

Erickson Incorporated files Chapter 11
Posted on November 9, 2016 by Oliver Johnson
- See more at: http://www.verticalmag.com/news/erickson-incorporated-files-chapter-11/#sthash.3kVpEOhN.dpuf

 

[ChuckMK23]

Hate to see this for the guys and gals at Big Orange.

Erickson Incorporated files Chapter 11
Posted on November 9, 2016 by Oliver Johnson
- See more at: http://www.verticalmag.com/news/erickson-incorporated-files-chapter-11/#sthash.3kVpEOhN.dpuf

I hope they get a restructure abd some breathing room to do a merger deal - oil & gas operators going through consolidation as well. Ultimately we'll have 2-3 global players.

 

[Rockriver]

To the original poster, here is the real bottom line:

1. Work hard and request the community (and later the airframe) that you want to fly. While it is of some value to discuss the pros and cons of various communties with more senior aviators, your colleagues probably don't know squat. I collected a lot of bum gouge from my buds during my Navy time and wish I had sought out more seasoned, experienced opinions.

2. Accept the assignment you receive, continue to work hard, and you will be happy in your community. You will later consider these upcoming years as the best of your life. I've known, worked with, and supervised lots of former NA's who could bitch like champs about anything and everything at the drop of a dime, but I never, ever, heard one say "the Navy really screwed me over because I wanted to fly this instead of that." Grow where you are planted.

If you want to be a rotorhead, whatever... Seriously, the limited helo stick time I was able to grab in civilian life was truly a kick in the butt. I have nothing but deep respect for those guys that flew night vertical replenishment missions between ships steaming side-by-side in challenging sea conditions.

If you are considering the LE route post Navy, I would suggest keeping your eye on an Air Interdiction Agent position with CBP/Customs & Border Protection. Salary, benefits, training, job security, and retirement are all great. You will fly fixed wing as well as rotary wing, and after a few years you may have the quals and enough F/W time to be competitve for a big airline job. Beware of the maximum age for hiring - it was 36 several few years ago, but things change.

If you do go the rotary route, I would suggest you get some fixed-wing time on the side. Get a civilian MEL rating on your own dime if necessary, fly the base King Air (if those things still exist), or maybe do some instructing. After your first sea tour, consider shooting for a jet slot in the Training Command. Above all, remain rigidly flexible.

 

[Gatordev]

Anyone have any thoughts on logging CCX hours while deployed on a ship (assuming no deck hits or flight to the beach)? Per the FARs, it would seem like you can't log them, since you're landing only at the same place you took off from. Then again, the place you took off from moved, but that's probably a bit liberal with the interpretation.

BL, so far I've taken out any time while deployed out from my CCX time. yes, I probably have some legal CCX time mixed in there, but it's just not worth trying to gnat's ass it and I have plenty total CCX time that it doesn't really matter. All time back home I've counted as CCX time since it would be a very rare case that I didn't ever land at another airfield when in the helo.

Any problems with my logic?

 

[fc2spyguy]

S

Anyone have any thoughts on logging CCX hours while deployed on a ship (assuming no deck hits or flight to the beach)? Per the FARs, it would seem like you can't log them, since you're landing only at the same place you took off from. Then again, the place you took off from moved, but that's probably a bit liberal with the interpretation.

BL, so far I've taken out any time while deployed out from my CCX time. yes, I probably have some legal CCX time mixed in there, but it's just not worth trying to gnat's ass it and I have plenty total CCX time that it doesn't really matter. All time back home I've counted as CCX time since it would be a very rare case that I didn't ever land at another airfield when in the helo.

Any problems with my logic?

Stupid question time, does it have to be an airfield, or just a landing? I mean, I've hit a lot of random spots out in east county, and not necessarily gone to an airfield. . .

 

[Randy Daytona]

Anyone have any thoughts on logging CCX hours while deployed on a ship (assuming no deck hits or flight to the beach)? Per the FARs, it would seem like you can't log them, since you're landing only at the same place you took off from. Then again, the place you took off from moved, but that's probably a bit liberal with the interpretation.

BL, so far I've taken out any time while deployed out from my CCX time. yes, I probably have some legal CCX time mixed in there, but it's just not worth trying to gnat's ass it and I have plenty total CCX time that it doesn't really matter. All time back home I've counted as CCX time since it would be a very rare case that I didn't ever land at another airfield when in the helo.

Any problems with my logic?

SWAG is fine. Nobody (civilian hiring) will care, especially with your background as a military pilot with multiple-engine turbine time. Only place it may come into play is if you need it for the FAA and your Rotary ATP if you don't have it already.

As for airport vs touchdown anywhere, I'm inclined to go with the latter as long as it is more than 25 miles away. I'll take a look at the AIM/FAR later for confirmation. Again, as a military pilot, the ccx time is not a big deal.

 

[Griz882]

Anyone have any thoughts on logging CCX hours while deployed on a ship (assuming no deck hits or flight to the beach)? Per the FARs, it would seem like you can't log them, since you're landing only at the same place you took off from. Then again, the place you took off from moved, but that's probably a bit liberal with the interpretation.

BL, so far I've taken out any time while deployed out from my CCX time. yes, I probably have some legal CCX time mixed in there, but it's just not worth trying to gnat's ass it and I have plenty total CCX time that it doesn't really matter. All time back home I've counted as CCX time since it would be a very rare case that I didn't ever land at another airfield when in the helo.

Any problems with my logic?

This might help...For a military pilot who qualifies for a commercial pilot certificate (except with a rotorcraft category rating) under 61.73, cross-country time is more than 50 nm straight-line distance from the original point of departure with no landing requirement. 14 CFR 61.1(b)(3)(vii). The local FAA office interprets this to mean that any flight more than 25 miles in a military helicopter can be considered cross country under 61.73.

 

[Gatordev]

This might help...For a military pilot who qualifies for a commercial pilot certificate (except with a rotorcraft category rating) under 61.73, cross-country time is more than 50 nm straight-line distance from the original point of departure with no landing requirement. 14 CFR 61.1(b)(3)(vii). The local FAA office interprets this to mean that any flight more than 25 miles in a military helicopter can be considered cross country under 61.73.

This applies to the process of becoming a rated pilot, not to Part 135, which only requires that the landing be at a place other than the point of origination. There's no minimum distance. FC2spyguy has a good question as to if it specifies an actual airfield. I'm going to have to look that up.

The reason there's a difference is that Part 135 has a specific requirement to have x number of CCX hours (as defined under 135) depending on what particular portion of 135 you're flying under (VFR vs IFR).

 

[Rockriver]

FAR Part 61.1 Applicability and definitions

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-id...iv8&view=text&node=14:2.0.1.1.2.1.1.1&idno=14