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I want to be a professional (non-airline) pilot when I grow up

croakerfish

Well-Known Member
pilot
If you’re ready to spend a couple of years in a field office and then do the HRT Q-course, it would be amazing. It’s definitely TF160-level flying—and also a ton of time on the road.

Yeah that’s what they were saying. Around half the month on the road and minimal time at work the rest of the time. Sounds about like an airline pilot...
 

HAL Pilot

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
Yeah that’s what they were saying. Around half the month on the road and minimal time at work the rest of the time. Sounds about like an airline pilot...
Except for the pay, and the no responsibility to your employer when off, and the travel benefits, and the whole not being shot at, and the...
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
Yeah that’s what they were saying. Around half the month on the road and minimal time at work the rest of the time. Sounds about like an airline pilot...

Dunno. I talked to Matt at NHA. He said his next scheduled day off was in July!
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Does anyone here know anything about the FBI's Tactical Helicopter Unit? I talked to them at NHA and it sounds pretty amazing.

If you’re ready to spend a couple of years in a field office and then do the HRT Q-course, it would be amazing. It’s definitely TF160-level flying—and also a ton of time on the road.

A guy in my first reserve unit was a pilot for them, he had done a regular/vanilla helo JO tour and after his shore tour had joined the FBI as a field agent then was able to transfer to be a helo guy after ~3 years. When he joined he did not have to do the Q-course, but this was ~10 years ago. He did say that it was A LOT of work and not all of it flying.
 

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
And I've heard they train a lot and do real world very little. FBI does maintain a sizable GA fleet from King Airs, to Caravans, to piston singles.
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
Honestly, it all comes down to:

Do a really cool job that pays well without job security (overseas contract gigs) or that doesn't pay well with job security (law enforcement)

or

Do a very repetitive job with good pay and reasonable job security. (airlines)

Decide what's important to you and go with it. Everything has its pluses and minuses. As long as you're making the decision with the right information ahead of time, you're not wrong.
 

HAL Pilot

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
California has to have impressive state salaries with the highest state income tax, highest gas tax, highest gas prices, close to the highest cost of living, etc. in the nation.

Oh yeah....highest number of residents at or below the poverty level too. But they just keep raising taxes because the illegals aren’t going to support themselves.

It’s all about priorities...
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
I didn't see anything about the polygraph exam, or am I thinking of a different agency that hires pilots?
 
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