Any U.S. Customs Pilots?

[PilotBeckfizzle]

Very interested in flying for Customs. Rumor has it that they are one of the few federal law enforcement agencies that allow you to go straight into the their Aviation Dept. without being a ground agent. You still get sent to the Federal Law Enforcement Agency though in GA and carry a fire arm. Is my information correct?

Thoughts, suggestions, etc?

Their mins:

· U.S. Citizen
· Be able to successfully complete a thorough background investigation
and drug test
· Pass a FAA class 1 flight physical
· Hold a valid FAA Commercial Pilots license with an instrument rating
and other rating(s) appropriate to the position to be filled
· Be under 40 years of age
· Total Flight Time 1500 hours*
· Pilot-In-Command 250 hours
· Instrument/Night Flying 75 hours
· Flight Time, Last 12 Months 100 hours
* One half of the total flight time may be waived.

[Stone Cold]

Originally Posted by PilotBeckfizzle

Very interested in flying for Customs. Rumor has it that they are one of the few federal law enforcement agencies that allow you to go straight into the their Aviation Dept. without being a ground agent. You still get sent to the Federal Law Enforcement Agency though in GA and carry a fire arm. Is my information correct?

Thoughts, suggestions, etc?

Their mins:

· U.S. Citizen
· Be able to successfully complete a thorough background investigation
and drug test
· Pass a FAA class 1 flight physical
· Hold a valid FAA Commercial Pilots license with an instrument rating
and other rating(s) appropriate to the position to be filled
· Be under 40 years of age
· Total Flight Time 1500 hours*
· Pilot-In-Command 250 hours
· Instrument/Night Flying 75 hours
· Flight Time, Last 12 Months 100 hours
* One half of the total flight time may be waived.

Yes, your information is correct! Any specific questions? I just started the application process myself and have a friend flying out of NAS JAX in the P-3 doing Customs work. I would not be able to fly P-3's since I'm not prior Navy P-3 pilot, but from everything he's said, and I've read, you are correct.

Any other questions?

[Blip16]

anyone have a link to the posting? I have talked with a few of the guys up here and some are pretty cool, some are not

[athomeinthesky]

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/...am_recruit.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_CBP_Air

[athomeinthesky]

It does seem like a good job, but it is the government so I would think that the pay would get to a certain point and then not advance that much. It also doesn't look like the type of job that you can go to and build some time and then bail out, but then again there probably is not any contract that says you can't.

[PilotBeckfizzle]

Originally Posted by Stone Cold

Yes, your information is correct! Any specific questions? I just started the application process myself and have a friend flying out of NAS JAX in the P-3 doing Customs work. I would not be able to fly P-3's since I'm not prior Navy P-3 pilot, but from everything he's said, and I've read, you are correct.

Any other questions?

I couldn't find to much info on their fleet. I'm guessing some light twins/singles and maybe some turbines?

Edit: Never mind the above link had that info.

Where are you in the application process?

[Blip16]

Originally Posted by athomeinthesky

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/...am_recruit.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_CBP_Air

i need to look into this again

[Blip16]

Originally Posted by PilotBeckfizzle

I couldn't find to much info on their fleet. I'm guessing some light twins/singles and maybe some turbines?

Edit: Never mind the above link had that info.

Where are you in the application process?

they have a172, 182, 210, 206, Citation, 2 Blackhawks, and 2 Aerostars up here (KGFK)

[BobDDuck]

I know they have some Citations and King Airs. I've ridden in a C182 they have and sat in (on the ground) a VERY nice PC12 of theirs. I think I've seen a Navajo or something similar as well. Beyond that (and the already mentioned P3s) I don't know what they have in their fixed wing fleet.

EDIT: I was under the impression that all flying done for C&BT is done through the Department of Homeland Security.

[Bigey]

Never knew about this...

I really like the idea of law enforcement and flying.

Hrmm...wouldnt be a bad choice at all.

[flywithUS]

Sure, I'll be the greedy one here. What's the pay like? QOL?

[N826AW]

Originally Posted by Bigey

Never knew about this...

 

I really like the idea of law enforcement and flying.

 

Hrmm...wouldnt be a bad choice at all.

 

What a coincidence you posted this. I was looking at the posting the other night. I think it would be pretty interesting to fly for them. I'm also giving some thought about flying for the Arizona DPS.

[mikecweb]

I applied with 2000tt and about 800 multi. and two very strong letters internal letters of rec.
Never heard anything.
I talked on the phone to one of the big guys up in DC and they said it really depends on the base you choose and whether or not they need anyone.

[athomeinthesky]

Originally Posted by mikecweb

I applied with 2000tt and about 800 multi. and two very strong letters internal letters of rec.
Never heard anything.
I talked on the phone to one of the big guys up in DC and they said it really depends on the base you choose and whether or not they need anyone.

I would not think it is the kind of job you can go to and then move on. All government jobs from secretary to janitor are what you call life time jobs. People think im working for the government they can't go out of business so might as well stay here.

If you think about it you would probably get stuck in a cessna for a few years, then move on to a pilatus or beech. I would say a police helicopter pilot is the same type of program where I ain't getting in the cockpit until this a-hole retires or dies.

Good job if you want stability, bad job if you want to fly for the majors.

Just my opinion so don't take it as scripture.

[Bigey]

Originally Posted by athomeinthesky

I would not think it is the kind of job you can go to and then move on. All government jobs from secretary to janitor are what you call life time jobs. People think im working for the government they can't go out of business so might as well stay here.

If you think about it you would probably get stuck in a cessna for a few years, then move on to a pilatus or beech. I would say a police helicopter pilot is the same type of program where I ain't getting in the cockpit until this a-hole retires or dies.

Good job if you want stability, bad job if you want to fly for the majors.

Just my opinion so don't take it as scripture.

Understandable.

But hey, if they're paying me better money than regionals, good QOL and benefits, they can put me in the piper cubs they have for alls i care. Besides, i like the idea of law enforcement as a whole and aviation as a whole. Putting them together without having to be a ground unit is a Major plus!

But i find it pretty common amongst pilots to wonder off the beaten path and see potential areas outside. It's good to keep awareness up!

[Blip16]

the pay is pretty good, some of the guys where i live are making up to and over 100K. i have also heard once you reach a seniority status they will pay to dual rate you (i.e rotorcraft add on) that is the main reason why i would like to do it, i have always wanted to fly an airbeater. right now their preference is ex military though, and the guys up here said once the military folks start to dwindle then they will probably look to lower the mins because with the 1500TT requirement almost no one wants to fly a cessna

[dc3flyer]

Originally Posted by mikecweb

I applied with 2000tt and about 800 multi. and two very strong letters internal letters of rec.
Never heard anything.
I talked on the phone to one of the big guys up in DC and they said it really depends on the base you choose and whether or not they need anyone.

I applied last year with about the same times, I got an email saying I was qualified and may be contacted sometime before X date. That date came and went, I never heard anything else.

[KLB]

Originally Posted by dc3flyer

I applied last year with about the same times, I got an email saying I was qualified and may be contacted sometime before X date. That date came and went, I never heard anything else.

...well we are talking about the government here!

[FiveO]

Originally Posted by Stone Cold

I just started the application process myself

Awesome! I didn't know you were doing that. Put in for south FL.

[crazynut52]

is the app closed now? I had thought it was open until april 08, but I cant seem to get the link to work to the app.

[Stone Cold]

Originally Posted by FiveO

Awesome! I didn't know you were doing that. Put in for south FL.

Yeah, I don't see me putting in for it (the country of S FL, that is). Looking for Jax, will go where ever needed to get in the door, depending on what the wife and I decide.

I know it's a long shot, and I'm not actually planning on getting in, but I figure I might as well try. I think that I would be VERY happy retiring from that kind of job.

We'll see what's in the cards...

[deek]

My question is, will 10 years of flying for Customs count at 10 years of civil service and thus, the G-men will remove all my student loans (new bill signed this year)? If it's a yes, then this route would look mighty juicy. Otherwise only flying 300-400 hours a year would seem like you spent more time doing paperwork than flying. That and I don't like 90% of their locations. Stick me on either coast, but put me back here in Texas and I'll go insane.

[BobDDuck]

Originally Posted by deek

Stick me on either coast, but put me back here in Texas and I'll go insane.

The guys I knew spent all day tooling along the Arizona border in a 182 at 4000 feet. Fun stuff.

[Blip16]

Originally Posted by deek

My question is, will 10 years of flying for Customs count at 10 years of civil service and thus, the G-men will remove all my student loans (new bill signed this year)? If it's a yes, then this route would look mighty juicy. Otherwise only flying 300-400 hours a year would seem like you spent more time doing paperwork than flying. That and I don't like 90% of their locations. Stick me on either coast, but put me back here in Texas and I'll go insane.

link to bill?

[C150J]

If you want to do some due diligence on this position, I suggest making your way over to http://aptap.forumco.com/default.asp and reading all the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) threads. There's a lot of commonly held myths and misconceptions on this thread. Couple highlights from my direct experience with these folks and those they support.

- This is a law enforcement SUPPORT role. You will be supporting Border Patrol Agents by spotting illegals and providing air SUPPORT. Your title may be "agent," but you're not going to be making traffic stops or conducting investigations.

- Since the Customs/INS merger under DHS, the aviation mission has been a state of mass confusion. All Customs assets that were doing the "cool" marine/air interdiction flying have been displaced to drone along the border. Assets went from being supervised by rated aviators to non-rated Border Patrol chiefs. Lot of frustration and low morale among the troops.

- You do NOT attend the full law enforcement academy, just an abbreviated course.

- 200 hours a year on average.

- They do not "prefer" former military, although they hire a lot of rotor guys. I'd attribute this more to the fact that it's mission oriented and that's what a lot of guys separating still want.

- They RARELY will pay for your rotor if you're on the fixed wing side. Too many experienced rotor pilots available for this to be necessary.

- Assets range from 182s to Citations, although the C-550 is currently struggling to find a mission since the interdiction flying has died down. Again, this is a combination of the merger and the decrease in traffickers coming into the country via air and sea.

- You may be current in three aircraft.

- QOL is INCREDIBLY dependent on duty station. You need to be willing to fly a 210 for years if a vacancy doesn't post somewhere with bigger/faster/different assets. Remember, you only fly about 200 hours a year - get ready for paperwork.