Any ex or current Weather Mod pilots here?

[Famous Dave]

414, I am an alumni myself. 4 seasons in Alberta and 1 in North Dakota. What overseas project are we talking about?
Dave

 

[Kingair1181]

Currently flying a PA-24 250 down in Pecos TX (Trans Pecos Weather Mod) but working through the SOAR program out of Plains TX. I have built up around 200 hrs of flying this season (it was VERY VERY active in West Texas this year) and learned a ton.

Pilot_guy - I understand where you are coming from and I agree that base seeding can get a little crazy at times. I am probably in the same aircraft you were in albeit I think the MX has gotten better. I have accidently flown into some nasty hail, heavy turbulance, saw a funnel cloud, ect ect ect but after the initial few flights I became very comfortable up there and have really enjoyed me job. Although the down time sucks (only flew about 5 hrs one month) I think the flying has made me a much better pilot.

For those of you who have done Weather Mod for multiple seasons - what do you do in the off time or do you find year round projects? How also is the pay for 2nd or 3rd year guys, especially those flying the 340 or a Cheyenne? What kind of flight time are you avg. a year and did you ever find a company or outfit that provide any type of medical or any benefits? Thanks.

 

[414Flyer]

Avbug, usually its just year round jobs like mechanic or radar techs that get posted on that website.

Its a contract in Saudi coming up this fall, and I think there will be at least 3 planes there, a Lear 35, C-90 and Cheyenne. I do not know the particulars on it, like start/end dates, # of pilots, schedule and pay.

I flew for them first in 2001 in Hondo TX, pay was 3000 month for C-340 (half of it was paid nontaxable per diem). In India in 2004 with Cheyenne, PIC pay was 4000 mo plus 2600 per diem, and I worked every other day, pretty easy schedule. My pay for Mali Africa right now in the Cheyenne is higher still, but I work every day it seem, sometimes couple flights in a day.
So thats an example, Saudi pay will probably at least that of India, maybe higher.

There arent very many year round pilot opportunities in Weather Mod, although it does happen when they have enough work. I flew about 90 hours with the project in Hondo, about the same in India, but then I got to bring the plane back to Fargo from India too. I have already flown about 75 hours on the project here in Africa, and 25 helping to ferry it here.

 

[Famous Dave]

414, who is tunning the radar over there? Terry? Hoss?

 

[414Flyer]

414, who is tunning the radar over there? Terry? Hoss?

Its neither one of those two that was here. One guy from Alberta just showed up though, so the other guy can go to Saudi.

Now as for base seeding, I find base seeding a lot easier, and a bit less unnerving at times, than top seeding. With top seeding, you are getting iced up probably, punching into feeders and turrets, getting bounced around pretty good.

One of the guys who posted in this thread earlier is apparently on the way in the not too distant future to do a winter overseas project. Congrats.

 

[414Flyer]

I just talked to the guy who was my copilot in 2001 in Hondo Texas project. He flies F/A-18s in the Navy, and he did about 26 combat missions this year over Afghanistan and Iraq, including some very up close and person Close Air Support missions.

 

[414Flyer]

Thought it was time for another WMI pilots or alumni roll call. Every time I think I am out of the summer storm business, I get sucked back in. In Alberta this summer