ok thanks appreciate the info

Chili

....

Yet Homestead is a Reserve Air Base. They moved out almost all activities after Andrew in 1992. It is just a shell of what it used to be.

Non sequitur much?

I stand corrected. I keep thinking of Miami Air civilian charters. Of course there are military and customs interdiction aircraft and boats located at Homestead.

What is left there, as I said, is just a shell of the total military presence before it became a Reserve Base.

New to the forums... I’ve started the AMO process, does anyone know of a service commitment? And how long it might be? I’m excited by this prospect and am definitely in it for the long term, I’m just curious as I haven’t read of one anywhere.

Thank you, I figured with all the training they provide you they would want at least minimum of employment out of you.

FYI if you are just now starting the process, there are already over 700 people ahead of you in the pipeline, only 50 of those further along have a shot at getting a start date at the academy in 2021. It's going to be a long road to get on board.

700 pilots with job offers waiting for a class date? I remember reading somewhere their are less than 700 pilots In the entire organization.

Negative, at some stage of the application process. There are a lot of boxes to check after the initial application.

Thanks, I did not know there were that many. They did mention in one email that my potential class date wouldn’t be until summer 2021 at the earliest. Gotta start somewhere though.

Thanks in advance
 

How much do you pay into FERS monthly?
Are you required to pay into the FERS system or is it an option?
Do you ever take work home with you or is it like an airline job? When you walk away you're done.
How are schedules assigned? What's the probability of working nights and Sundays as a newbie in Sierra Vista?
How senior does the Montana location go?
Does anyone not get promoted to GS-12 and 13 on their respective 2nd and 3rd anniversary dates?

How much do you pay into FERS monthly?
The rate for new employees is 4.4%

Are you required to pay into the FERS system or is it an option?
Required
Do you ever take work home with you or is it like an airline job? When you walk away you're done.
Yes, you can be on call, get called in early, stay late- That's what 25% LEAP pay is for

How are schedules assigned? What's the probability of working nights and Sundays as a newbie in Sierra Vista?
Depends on the branch. Have no idea on probability for that schedule
How senior does the Montana location go?
Very unlikely to get to Montana- very few positions and no intention to add more
Does anyone not get promoted to GS-12 and 13 on their respective 2nd and 3rd anniversary dates?
Only in extremely rare circumstances (unable to perform)

Only in extremely rare circumstances? OMG LOL!
The organization has plenty of professional SIC’s!
Show up, suit up and shut up!
Just apply and let the system run its course.
Go about your life as if it’s not going to happen.
Keep everything up to date. Stay the course and eventually a class date will be offered. Many will get
tired of waiting. If you don’t like location offered then don’t take the job. My advice is to take the job and move later. How do you think they find people to go to headquarters? Hire a person into a crappy location and they’ll do anything or go anywhere to get out! The job even with all its problems is still one of the very best flying jobs out there.
Remember the old saying “Cooperate to Graduate.”

Guys like this have me pumped to get onboard. These are the guys I want to be working with.

True. All of them, however, are GS-13s (at least).

In my dozen years here, only 1 pilot was denied promotion due to poor ADM. They forced him to convert to AEA after nearly taking out a CH-47 on the next ramp over. He left the agency.

Well, interviewed successfully last week but was told now that nobody should expect a FLETC date till 2022. If anyone is in the pipeline it’s gonna be a while unfortunately.

can you post the email. I didn’t get it.

Ouch. Last we heard it was a race to November to make it to a 2021 class. Congrats and thanks for the update.

I was scheduled for a February 2021 interview. Was told to expect no earlier than next Summer. Wasn’t given any info on FLETC dates. Was hoping to drop the airline gig. Back to the drawing board, for now.

If you fail a polygraph and get your application pulled, does that hurt you on other background checks? I'm curious if I apply to another federal agency pilot position will they deny me. Does a failed poly come up on civilian job background checks?

Thanks

Poly coming up tomorrow. Just curious, is this a suit and tie event? thanks

Negative. They tell you in the email to dress comfortably. I recommend a short sleeve button up or polo because they will be putting a blood pressure cuff on your arm.

Wow, I saw San Diego opened. What aircraft are stationed at Otay?

Must not be hurting that bad. How many are dual qualified.

Fitness test question... the sit ups, is someone gonna hold down my feet?

Yes. Sit-ups, someone will hold your feet down.
Practice the step test. That’s the most failed one and it was pretty hard considering I haven’t really worked out in years. The only exercise I had was hockey once or twice a week and I was gassed afterwards.


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Thanks. Also, is this video accurate:

https://youtu.be/G-QMnKP_Mbk

My cardio is ok but for 5 minutes straight... that’s not easy.

Yes or they will have a bar. When I did mine the site made me wear a mask for everything including the step test. They say that if they make you wear a mask and you fail you can re-test somewhere else.

Accurate, that's the same exact video you follow. I'm in decent enough shape and i was gassed a bit
at the end.

Are they offering a retention bonus for San Diego ?

I doubt it comes with RI. I wonder how long San Diego will last as a new hire location.


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Most of the retention bonuses are going away 1 OCT. Those currently receiving are grandfathered but no new recipients.

Been looking through this forum and I have a few questions if anyone is willing to answer (there's a lot of pages, I've been going through them to get most of mine answered but I haven't read every single page yet).

1) If you enter as an Agent for Fixed-Wing Aircraft can you later get dual rated (for helis) and use that (e.g. you're based at a location that has both helis and FW)? I've read that there has been some instances of CBP covering the cost of getting dual rated, is that still a thing?

2) How realistic is it to transfer to other locations that are not “in need”? How soon can that be done (I've seen answers typically state 3 or 5 years)? How long does it typically take to get transferred out if you file for it?

3) In Montana, Washington state, and Idaho what aircraft are flown? How realistic is it to get transferred there? I saw one post saying that Montana is not viable as there are few positions and they're unlikely to add more.

4) How often does CBP move Air Interdiction Agents around? From what I read it’s stated that it’s “based on the need of the agency” but how realistic is it that the agency could just come and tell you that you’re being transferred?

5) If you’re in the NG or ANG does it improve chances of being stationed at a location closer to base (e.g. if you’re in the ANG for Fresno does it improve chances of being stationed in SoCal)?

6) When not flying aircraft do you go out on patrol with BP? I've seen a post or two mentioning that but other posts mention that they just do on-base training.

7) If you're dual-rated but only want to fly helicopters (or only want to fly fixed-wing) will CBP work with you or will they just force you into an aircraft you're not willing to fly? Basically, I'm trying to find out if getting dual-rated might be to my disadvantage.

8) How does the flight hour waiver work? What's the criteria for getting 500 hours waived?

9) It seems like San Diego opened up? What is flown there?

10) Which locations fly the DHC-8 and P-3? I read that the P-3 is flown at JAX but it is highly unlikely you'll get to fly it any time soon.

FWIW soonest I'm going to be able to apply is 2 years from now so I'm taking into account that what is answered today might not be what it's like in two years. I've had my eyes set on CBP for years and figured it would be better than airlines so long as I don't stick at a middle-of-nowhere location for more than 3 - 5 years.


Thanks to whoever responds!

I figured that might happen. Surprised they changed that requirement but kept the flight hour waivers and the ability to apply at 750 hours. Guess they still want to try and attract some mil guys who may have nowhere else to go.

Dual qual'ed mil guys aren't a dime a dozen though.
Out of my companions who went (and there were a handful from the '08-10 time frame - only ONE was dual qual'ed. Requiring dual qual seems to be a huge LIMITING factor - not opening up the pool of applicants.

Well...there you go.
Doesn't sound like they need to OPEN up the pool; but if still targeting prior military, it will still be hard to get dual rated guys it would seem.

True, although I think technically the Navy, Marine, and Air Force helo guys can be “dual qualed” pretty easily if they take the FAA mil comp exam since they all start in the T-6, albeit they will only have single engine Commercial for the fixed wing side. But with the amount of 206s/210s and Preds at the new hire CBP locations, maybe that’s all you need.

True - and I was looking at it from my background - fixed-winged guys having a dual qual in Helos.

You are correct - LOTS of helo guys who can be dual qual'ed into fixed wing.

I wasn't even thinking that way.

San Diego doesn’t FW aircraft?

Navy helo dudes are, or used to be, dual qualed, because they started in FW curriculum, aka T-34s, etc. Not sure how they run the school house in 2020