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Originally Posted by pilotgray16  Sorry to kinda change the subject although i am really liking what i'm hearing about the AIA. I was just wondering if anyone had any info on flying for the DEA? |
When I was flying pipeline down in Texas we had a retired DEA pilot come apply. The boss pulled me aside and told me he wanted me to fly with him. He said, the guy has done nothing but brag about himself all morning, and talk about how he would run our opporation. So the boss told me to give him a "good" ride. Well, boss was right, he was a big shot loud mouth that did nothing but brag all day about "landing in the middle of the rainforest on a dirt track that was only 10ft long and 1ft wide, while busting out the front window, diving out and having a shootout with the columbian drug cartell." I'm exhagerating a bit, but the guy bragged about himself the whole day. Then proceded to tell me how I should do my job. I called up the boss when we stopped for lunch, and said "I have the same feeling about this guy. I have a feeling that he's the type of guy that will start telling you how to do your job boss."
Pipeline patrol isn't for everyone, and the first time you have to lead a pumper to a leak, no matter how good your stomach is, it will probably make you sick. To lead a pumper to a leak, you would find a pumper (they drove the white trucks and had the white hard hats), you would fly low (50-100ft) over the pumper while rocking your wings to get their attention. Then you fly over to the leak. Climb like crazy while over the leak, then dive towards the leak, pulling up at the last possible moment, then do it all over again until the pumper drives over and finds the leak.
That afternoon we found 2 leaks that we had to lead the pumpers too. Needless to say, by the end of the day, big bad ass DEA pilot decided that pipeline patrol wasn't for him.
During the course of the day though, I asked him how one would even get on as a pilot with the DEA. He said the ONLY way to do it was become a field agent for at least 2 years, then when there was an opening, transfer over.