U.S. Customs and Border Protection (AIA/AEO)

[roconnell]

Go to http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/careers/ click on job openings which will take you to usajobs then selct Pilot under the Occupational Series

Good Luck wish I had the qualifications

[Douglas]

anybody know what kind of planes they fly?

[mjg407]

Customs flys P-3s, H-60s, and a variety of twins.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/border_se...viation_asset/

[Ian J]

Some more reading:

http://forums.jetcareers.com/jobs-av...cbp-pilot.html

http://forums.jetcareers.com/militar...ifference.html

http://forums.jetcareers.com/general...ms-pilots.html

[b3181981]

I find it kind of crummy that a Sector Enforcement Specialist tops out at 84,913.00 a year and a AIRCRAFT/AIRPLANE/HELICOPTER PILOT (AIR INTERDICTION AGENT) tops out at 70,843.00 .

[Tworotor7]

I applied a few weeks ago...You thinking about it?

Nick

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by b3181981

I find it kind of crummy that a Sector Enforcement Specialist tops out at 84,913.00 a year and a AIRCRAFT/AIRPLANE/HELICOPTER PILOT (AIR INTERDICTION AGENT) tops out at 70,843.00 .

Usually the customs guys pay about 85K for most of their jobs. If you are prior military, you can roll your prior time into your retirement with them.
Bonus, you can carry a gun...

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by Ian J

Some more reading:

http://forums.jetcareers.com/jobs-av...cbp-pilot.html

http://forums.jetcareers.com/militar...ifference.html

http://forums.jetcareers.com/general...ms-pilots.html

Is there a reason you haven't applied? Location?

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by mjg407

Is there a reason you haven't applied? Location?

I applied about a year and a half ago but didn't have the 1500TT. I have the times now, and applied today, even though I hadn't planned on getting another flying job.

Since this job flies only 200 hours a year or so (perfect!), has okay pay, good benefits, and is stable, I figured I'd go ahead and toss my application on the presumably large stack.

[BillErvin]

Originally Posted by b3181981

I find it kind of crummy that a Sector Enforcement Specialist tops out at 84,913.00 a year and a AIRCRAFT/AIRPLANE/HELICOPTER PILOT (AIR INTERDICTION AGENT) tops out at 70,843.00 .

At the GS11 Pay rate which is where you'll start, its base pay is $48,148.00. Journeyman pilots top at GS13 now I believe, which is $89,217.00 for a GS13 step 10. With locality pay and Law Enforcement Availability Pay(LEAP) its over 100K a year, after about 10 years. QOL is a heck of a lot better than a RJ Pilot, unless your stationed the Rio Grande Valley somewhere

Leap is 25% of the base pay added to base and locality, sort of advanced overtime, It works out to be about 1.5 to 2 hours per day. Some days you work more sometimes you work less. Most of us that were paid leap tried real hard to make it come out an even 10 hours a week.

CBP Air OPs which is a combination of the legacy Customs Air OPs and legacy US Border Patrol Air OPs fly P-3s (have to be rated ie. Navy P3 Pilot) and they fly mostly Caribbean or South America, H-60s, Astars, Boeing(MD) 400s, Slowtations with tracking radar, 182s, 206s, 210s, what you fly depends on where your stationed. They use to have a few King Airs set up for marine surveillance not sure if they still have those.

Look up pay at http://www.opm.gov/oca/08tables/indexGS.asp This will give you a good idea of pay.

Each step promotes like this: 1st four steps promote each year, next 3 steps every three years, after that every five years. Confused yet?

Usually you'll promote through the grades first (GS11 to 12 then 12 to 13) each year, then start on the steps after you've reached journeyman level.

Now that I've really confused you If you have Questions PM me, I retired from the Feds a few months ago, but still have some friends from the old USBP flying for them.

Bill

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by BillErvin

.

CBP Air OPs which is a combination of the legacy Customs Air OPs and legacy US Border Patrol Air OPs fly P-3s (have to be rated ie. Navy P3 Pilot) .

Now that I've really confused you If you have Questions PM me, I retired from the Feds a few months ago, but still have some friends from the old USBP flying for them.

Bill

You can get a civillian P-3 rating here but not sure how competitive you would be against a Navy P-3 guy with a couple thousand hours in model.

[deek]

This is something I'm really interested in, but only flying 200-300 hours a year makes it seem like they would fill the 8 hour days with paper pushing from behind a desk. I kinda got into flying to get away from that. Plus I'm willing to eat my young to get out of Texas, I would be very depressed if they stationed me back here, and it looks like 2/3 of their bases are in Texas. FL or CA, maybe AZ and I'd be cool.

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by Ian J

I applied about a year and a half ago but didn't have the 1500TT. I have the times now, and applied today, even though I hadn't planned on getting another flying job.

Since this job flies only 200 hours a year or so (perfect!), has okay pay, good benefits, and is stable, I figured I'd go ahead and toss my application on the presumably large stack.

Good Luck!

[BillErvin]

Originally Posted by mjg407

You can get a civillian P-3 rating here but not sure how competitive you would be against a Navy P-3 guy with a couple thousand hours in model.

Last time I saw the job open up about five years ago, they required 2k in type. That would limit all those except Navy P3 guys or a few guys flying the fire fighter version. (most of those are probably squids too) You also have to be under the age of 37 when hired or with a wavier 40, because of Law Enforcement Retirement provisions

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by BillErvin

Last time I saw the job open up about five years ago, they required 2k in type. That would limit all those except Navy P3 guys or a few guys flying the fire fighter version. (most of those are probably squids too) You also have to be under the age of 37 when hired or with a wavier 40, because of Law Enforcement Retirement provisions

Currently the aerial fire fighters only have 2 pilots with Navy experience.

[BillErvin]

If anybody is going to Oshkosh, CBP air Ops has a display in the Federal Pavilion they can answer most any question you have.

[BillErvin]

Originally Posted by mjg407

Currently the aerial fire fighters only have 2 pilots with Navy experience.

You with P3s out at Pt Magu (Ventura)?

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by BillErvin

You with P3s out at Pt Magu (Ventura)?

negative but I do represent.... I mean resent that squid comment....

Most of the Aerial Firefighters (P2s, P3s, S2s) all come from a crop dusting background, with very few military guys in the mix. I used to fly the p3s in the military a few years ago. I don't think the customs guys are hiring for P-3s right now. Last I heard they were rewinging a bunch of their slicks.

[BillErvin]

Originally Posted by mjg407

negative but I do represent.... I mean resent that squid comment....

Most of the Aerial Firefighters (P2s, P3s, S2s) all come from a crop dusting background, with very few military guys in the mix. I used to fly the p3s in the military a few years ago. I don't think the customs guys are hiring for P-3s right now. Last I heard they were rewinging a bunch of their slicks.

Chill now!! I was a squid, once upon a time. Retired out of the Army Reserve but started life as a Corpsman, two and a half years with Marine ANGLCO and one with VA147 (in the A-7 days) at Lamoore and on the Constellation

The P3 jobs were alway far and few between, but I loved the look of those things with the radome on top. I assumed the domes came off the E2

The mixing of Customs and Border Patrol flying (CBP) hasn't gone well, with a lot of finger pointing back and forth. I was good friends with guys on both sides, but most have retired now.

[mjg407]

Originally Posted by BillErvin

Chill now!! I was a squid, once upon a time. Retired out of the Army Reserve but started life as a Corpsman, two and a half years with Marine ANGLCO and one with VA147 (in the A-7 days) at Lamoore and on the Constellation

The P3 jobs were alway far and few between, but I loved the look of those things with the radome on top. I assumed the domes came off the E2

The mixing of Customs and Border Patrol flying (CBP) hasn't gone well, with a lot of finger pointing back and forth. I was good friends with guys on both sides, but most have retired now.

Yeah I know a lot of guys, in both the Jax and Corpus squadrons. You are correct that the dome was off the E-2. Customs didn't follow the Navy's fatigue inspections initially and that's why they are now in a pickle.

[OldIssue]

Had a strange visitor drop by the local FBO to refuel. It was a Rockwell OV-10 Bronco painted completely black with no markings of any kind and rigged with the most elaborate aerial spraying equipment I ever saw. The airplane looked like it just came off the production line and even the tires smelled new. Had two large external pylon tanks that looked like part of the spray system and lots of stainless tubing running all over the place. The Pilot seemed a bit irritated we were checking out his ride and appeared to young to have been a Nam Fac Driver. He also was packing and paid for his fuel with a US Gov. credit card. Anyone have a clue what this is all about?

[BillErvin]

Originally Posted by OldIssue

Had a strange visitor drop by the local FBO to refuel. It was a Rockwell OV-10 Bronco painted completely black with no markings of any kind and rigged with the most elaborate aerial spraying equipment I ever saw. The airplane looked like it just came off the production line and even the tires smelled new. Had two large external pylon tanks that looked like part of the spray system and lots of stainless tubing running all over the place. The Pilot seemed a bit irritated we were checking out his ride and appeared to young to have been a Nam Fac Driver. He also was packing and paid for his fuel with a US Gov. credit card. Anyone have a clue what this is all about?

Sounds like something the DEA would use to spray marijuana in the border regions of Mexico, but they usually hire contract pilots with ag planes to do that. I would love to fly an OV-10

[Diamnd15]

are any airline folks with no military backgrounds getting calls back for this?

[USMCmech]

Originally Posted by Diamnd15

are any airline folks with no military backgrounds getting calls back for this?

I was told that they vastly prefer prior military for CBP.

If you did not fly in the millitary, then at least some type of service, or some background in law enforcement are all but prerequisites. I was told that with my military baskground, experiance flying, my A&P, I might be competitive. However being rated in Helos too would be really helpfull.

[Diamnd15]

i was able to make a few friends at fletc when i was there but i dont know if that would be good enough...thanks man