From Pilot to FBI

[boscenter]

Anyone know if they fly any helo's in addition to their fixed-wing fleet?

 

[con-pilot]

Yes.

 

[Anaconda]

i have a friend that starts tng with the fbi on monday. he has made the transition from mil helo pilot to regional jet pilot and now to fbi. he does not have a degree in accounting, doesn't speak another language, and does not have prior law enforcement tng. being a pilot and having been in the mil seems to be the only thing unique about him that i can think of. looks as if he will be in the roanoke (sp) field office in conjunction with his wife, where they have a 182. with 4000 hrs he is the most qualified person there. and yeah, there are at least 2 blackhawks for HRT and the aforementioned GV...

 

[BMD]

customs

Customs will also hire pilots and then make them agents.

 

[flint4xx]

I flew for one of the Federal agencies mentioned above. I had to do five years on the street until I was able to get into the aviation unit. I will say that they will spend alot of money on you for training and such, but when it comes right down to brass tacks, it sounds alot cooler than it really is. If you want to be a career pilot, you will probably be quite frustrated after awhile with all the BS, and not as many hours as you think. I will say that the quality of life is better as I worked M-F with weekends off unless something was going on. I also know a couple of guys that weren't willing to move around for the open flying job, or didn't have very good reputations as agents, and are still trying to get into the unit after more than TEN years.

Each agency has a different culture and mission. I would be very careful if all you want to do is fly. I arrived at my agency as a former cop, and never had the intent to fly. It just worked out that way, and it led me to my current job on the red belly. I will make over my career more than two million dollars more than if I stayed a fed.

If you want to be an agent, go to the FBI. It really is the one to work for these days. All of them have a lengthy and thorough hiring process.

Hope that helps.

BTW, flying helicopters for a police department is by far the most fun of the law enforcement flying.