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career advice

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Flyguy6

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Posts
50
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Greetings all,
I am entertaining a new direction and wanted to know differant opinions.. Here is my situation. I love to fly and everything about aviation. I am a commercial single engine pilot with an instrument rating and 470 hours total time. My goal for the last ten years has been to be a professional pilot (focused on the airlines). The turbulant times of the airlines have caused me to reconsider that route. Now before you start thinkingI am a guy who wants to fly for the police just to build hours, please read on. Flight lessons are expensive. In order to pay for them, I became a police officer in Georgia. I didnt become cop just for the money. I have always had a slight interest in law enforcement. Well, now I like LE a lot and am thinking of making a career in law enforcememnt, but only if I can fly for them.

The issue? I am an airplane pilot and know nothing about helicopters. After doing research, ther eare no departments that fly fixed wing in Georgia. There are some out west and inFlorida though> I am strongly looking at the FHP. They have a lot of 182's,

The question? Do I pack up, move to Florida, go back through a police academy (get maced again), be a road trooper for two years just to fly single engine cessnas? I can flight instruct and do the same thing in less time. But being that I am in my 30's and may have a family soon, flight instructing pays no money as opposed to haveing a career as a law enforcement officer.
I have also been thinking that maybe I will have to submit and get a helicopter rating.

I dont mind being a road cop for a few years. Like I said I like being a police officer plus it would give me time to build my hours to meet the minimums to be hired as a police pilot. Also, I would like to find departments that fly multi engine planes as well. Are there any inthe Florida area?

Thank you for taking time to read this and feel free to be honest with your comments. One last interesting tid bid about me. I am a police officer but........a week after I graduated from the police academy my national guard unit activated me and I am currently deployed to Iraq, so I havent actually been on the street yet. Ihavent even bee through FTO program yet. Thanks again.
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louisiana

check with the louisiana state police...fixed wing and helicopters...the guys i know got trained in the helo's by the state...academy and road time come first but its an option...
 
Have you consiedered working for a federal agency. I would think there may be more options for different equipment.
 
Fla sounds similar to California. CHP flies Cessna 210s and you also have to chase down bad guys for 2 years before you can fly. Good pay, though. Starts in the upper 60's to low 70's if I recall correctly and tops out close to 6 figures plus you get something like 80% of your last years pay for life as a pension if you serve 25 years or more.

I know you asked about the East, but just for comparison.

BTW, thanks for helping the cause in the desert.

Daddy
 
Another option: Keep your day job and start flight instructing part-time on the evenings and weekends. It's one of the best part-time jobs there is. You will actually end up with more money at the end of the month while gaining invaluable experience. When the time comes to make the move to full-time, you'll know it and be in a much better position both financially and in terms of flight experience. Besides, you will gain much more from instructing than you presently realize.

Shrug, it worked for me as a career changer and it's worked for others.
 
Jacksonville Sheriffs Office in FL flies mostly helicopters but has a B200 and an Aerostar for transporting criminals. I think they require five years before they train you to fly choppers.
 
It would seem to me, as an outsider, that you would be farther ahead if you got your helicopter rating, in your current job. It's the known enviroment thing. However, you point out that you never got to the job, because you got activated. So, you don't have the street time, you'll have to get it someplace, might as well be a place where you have a chance to fly what you know how to fly.


Be that as it may, are you an MP in IRAQ??

What ever you are doing, be safe. And, thank you for being there. Thank you for wearing the uniform of the greatest country in the world!!
 
Yes, I considere federal law enforcement but I am 36 years old. The cut off age to be a federal law enforcement officer is 36 so that you can get 20 years oof federal sercvice before you turn 56. So I am already to old for that.


No, I am not an MP. I am an Infantry officer 1LT. My original goal was to fly in the USAF but my glasses kept me out of that.

I wouldnt mind flying helicopters, but I have gottenused to airplanes. I was working on my multi engine rating when I got deployed. We were almost through. We were workingon instrument approaches single engine.
 
Flyguy6 said:
Yes, I considere federal law enforcement but I am 36 years old. The cut off age to be a federal law enforcement officer is 36 so that you can get 20 years oof federal sercvice before you turn 56. So I am already to old for that.


No, I am not an MP. I am an Infantry officer 1LT. My original goal was to fly in the USAF but my glasses kept me out of that.

I wouldnt mind flying helicopters, but I have gottenused to airplanes. I was working on my multi engine rating when I got deployed. We were almost through. We were workingon instrument approaches single engine.
Henrico County Division of Police has a couple of fixed wing aircraft, but you'll spend 10-15 years getting into one.

Doesn't your military time get you a couple of years grace on the age cut off and apply towards your time to retire? Check into it.
 
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