Buddy of mine left CAL for FBI "flying gig" in 2008. I don't think he's flown once. He's an agent full time. Two very different lifestyles. If you think you'll be home every night with either, you're fooling yourself. IMO, there is no better or higher paying job for the hours involved than being a pilot at a major airline. After all, you didn't ask on FBICENTRAL.com. :D

I spent the last 6 years in a flying gig with a federal law enforcement agency and just got hired by a legacy carrier. If you really like to fly, take the airline path. The federal law enforcement aviation job sounds exciting and great, but unless you think you will be content flying C-206's or other light fixed-wing for the rest of your career, stay away. Most agencies are finding themselves with a shrinking budget and aging fleets which means airplanes are getting parked or are flying very little. Also, consider that you'll typically find yourself serving in cities associated with high crime rates or that have less appeal. Not to mention poor schools for your kids, etc.

The federal job does have some appeal. You can be lazy, accepting that you don't have to do anything for your pay check except show up every day, going for weeks and sometimes months without ever flying. There is something to be said for the government benefits and pay, and the pension that MIGHT be there when you retire. Being able to carry a firearm, and, on occasion, doing something related to law enforcement has it's appeal, but you'll find that in the pilot positions you'll do very little that resembles law enforcement except maybe airborne surveillance. However, for the next several years anyway, plan on barely maintaining currency in ill-equipped, aging aircraft.

Pork - If you don't mind me asking, which branch of law enforcement and what planes did you fly? Currently doing something similar, 5 months into the gig. PM if you prefer.

Pork Soda??? ewwwwwww

Man, there's a lofty statement

Yep. And from somebody who should know better.

Anyone who's been in this business for more than 10 years should know that things can completely change in a heartbeat. While sailingfun's statement certainly looks to be true based on the current situation and outlook, things may or may not actually unfold that way. I agree it looks good, but I sure wouldn't be telling people anything definitive like that.

I remember being told I would make Captain in 5 years, have a 150K/year pension and be a WB Captain in 12 years. Well, it's year 18, still an FO (Although I could be a junior NB on reserve working every weekend and holiday) and no pension. "missed it by that much"

JetBlue currently.

Go CIA, get the DAL job as a cover and be like that chick on the short lived show Pan Am.

Baja.

Such opposing jobs/careers.
It would seem that your passion/desire/job satisfaction/ etc... would at least least somewhat clearly lead you down one path or another.

As one poster commented....and this after knwoing quite a few FBI agents, if you think you are going to be home every weekend, weeknight, holidays, and important life event - you must be the 9-5 fingerprint analyst guy working at FBI HQ, not a SA out in the field actually doing investigative work.

My next door neighbor in Virginia Beach was a local FBI special agent. he mentioned some of the surveillence they had in place on occasion. he mentioned that he went along on a few flights. Hours and hours of turning left or right resulting in a sore neck!

I think if you want to be a LEO - then go FBI.
If you want to be a pilot - look elsewhere.
The only difference might be CBP where the two seem to merge nicely.
Porksoda might be one of them, and if so he certainly seems not to have enjoyed his time with the agency, but I know a few others who find it a very challenging and satisfying job combining aviation and law enforcement. I will say that I'm glad that I don't work with such a group of Federal employees as he describes - that would suck the life right out of a person.

Too bad, but not any more. As far as I have seen, the FBI doesn't do most of the missions that make CBP palatable - SAR, interdiction, state and local police work. Just the surveillance - the dreaded left turns.

Also, I heard their coolest mission - NCR stuff - is now being done by contract pilots in the -60m's.

Or it could be like in Casino, run out of gas and have to land on the golf course, with a sore neck :eek:

(Wanted to insert/embed the youtube clip but it contained profanity)

Not sure if I understand your first point. Are you agreeing that FBI flying might have been interesting in the past, but now-a-days the type of flying that makes CBP a good LEO flying related job are gone from the FBI flying missions?
You're still considering CBP a good LEO related flying job correct - a good merge between the two?

John carr - yes - classic scene and very funny!

Where's dis friggin guy gonna laynd, on the fairway?

Hundred dohhhlarz to whoever hits da' playne!! (bonk)

...or you'll end up investigating corporate aviation fraud.

All that said, having dabbled in law enforcement before the military, I considered jumping to FBI or DEA mid-career. Glad I didn't, because the second half of the mil career was a hoot, but for that matter the road not taken probably would've been pretty cool as well.

Yes, I'm finding that there are some true benefits to having a job you can leave on the jetway... but everything comes with a price, and some experiences are worth digging in the pocket for.

Sounds like the jobs have some parallels

I had one of those sweet Gov flying jobs in a sweet large cabin jet and when I was in the pilot's seat I freaking loved it. The problem was that I was only in the pilot seat once or twice per week. Guess what I did the other 3 or 4 days of the week...PAPERWORK and MEETINGS!

Flying for a major has allowed me to work less per month and exceed my former gov job salary by a large margin. So now I tend to work less than my monthly bid schedule and end up matching the pay of my Gov job by flying 10 days of work per month...the rest is gravy if I want to work more.

After commuting I can usually get 18 days off per month and that has had an enormous impact on my personal and family life. Oh yeah...zero PAPERWORK and zero MEETINGS now.

I'd lean toward the FBI. Simple fact is you can work the fed side until your 50 yrs old, retire and you'd still have 15 years to work as an airline pilot. You'd be getting a good pension.

FBI retirement
https://www.fbijobs.gov/333.asp

But just like flying being an LEO is a special calling and I don't think you should do it if you truly don't believe your willing to sacrifice for the job. But you may like one and not the other. I'd give both a shot, who says you can't?

Delta. No brainer. You can believe there is life affirming excitement in some federal job, but you'll have a life at DAL.

Good luck in your interview.

Its a long road to the FBI. Been waiting now for over a year for a phase 2 interview and it looks like I will hit age 37 before I can go. With no classes but for a select few this summer it seams like you could go to Delta try it for a year or two before you could even get a class date for the feds. Also, no guarantee you will be offered both jobs. You can also check out 911jobforums.com to get a different prospective.

It all depends on if you have prior federal service that will add to your retirement. I've got several buds from the CG who are now SA's and are looking forward to 30 yr+ benefits when they retire from the FBI. One does RICO work in Philly, one has been to the sandbox twice as SA In Charge in Jordan and Kabul, and one was a helo pilot that really doesn't fly that much anymore...but they all love the work. Just depends on the level of sacrifice you're willing to endure based upon " the needs of the service". If you don't have prior service to act as a retirement multiplier..I'd recommend Delta.

Just my .02.

Welcome aboard if you choose the Big D..

I can't offer any intel on the FBI job, but I'll share what I know about DL.

I don't take any part of my job home. When the shutdown checklist is complete on the last leg, APC is as close to even thinking about flying as I get.

I can fly min hours or I can work the system for some extra pay, my call. Sometimes the weather is too rotten to pick up an extra trip, and sometimes it's too nice!

We airline pilots do a lot of complaining, but when you really examine our gripes, they're pretty petty.;)

That's what I'm thinking will probably happen (delta for at least a year or two). Hopefully I will be offered both jobs and I will be able to make that decision. I applied to the FBI in 2012. Sounds like you did too?

Thanks everyone for your opinions. I'm looking at the FBI because I feel some sort of civic responsibility. I never was in the military. I got dq'd from the AF because of the depth perception test. Also, the truth is flying gets boring sometimes. On the other hand Delta is where I have wanted to work since I was probably 10 years old (and I still do!!!).