Originally Posted by
Turbine
So CBP will hire fixed wing pilots and possibly immediately train them to fly helicopters ? Is this a rotor craft add on to their ATP?
I'm curious what this training program would be like, length, difficulty/success rate etc. Is the training similar intensity to 121 airline training ?
It's a rotor add on to your commercial. Done at a vendor in So-Cal. About 3 weeks to month. R-44, not even close to airline training. We require 250 in category and class to become a PIC, so you'll ride around on the Astar for 200+ hours and then go back to the vendor for Astar initial (1 week). Then PIC mission training at the branch and a full check ride. Sounds like a lot but it's not that bad.
And, it might not be immediate. All depends on funding, where you're at in the FY, etc. Remember its the gov't. Pay isn't dependent on what you fly, like at an airline (although it used to be).