CBP Air Interdiction Agent (Pilot)
11-10-2025 | 08:21 AM
#861
New Hire
Joined: Nov 2025
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
I don’t see much info on UAS in San Angelo on this thread. Anyone in San Angelo that can speak on the schedule, quality of life, amount of TDY/nights home. Or any UAS QOL info would be appreciated, it doesn’t come up much in this thread.
11-11-2025 | 04:26 PM
#862
Sequester bait
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 283
Likes: 2
From: UH-60, AS-350, C-550
01-06-2026 | 12:20 PM
#864
On Reserve
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
It never ceases to amaze me how many BUBBAS come out of the woodwork crawling to CBP when the airlines take a crap! Look, the job is for you to be a LEO who happens to fly. You will have a BADGE on your chest. You will carry a FIREARM. Flight time is NOT rapidly gained here. If your dream is to fly a 787 10 days a month for 300k a year don't come here!!
If you want to log a lot of time go fly 121 and move up. Period! CBP is a serious career not a place to step on. Bottom line, you will be flying something that directly supports someone on the ground who eventually puts cuffs on bad guys! Many love it here and many hate it but for the most part almost all remain at CBP until retirement. The velvet handcuffs are tough to break.
Flame away.
If you want to log a lot of time go fly 121 and move up. Period! CBP is a serious career not a place to step on. Bottom line, you will be flying something that directly supports someone on the ground who eventually puts cuffs on bad guys! Many love it here and many hate it but for the most part almost all remain at CBP until retirement. The velvet handcuffs are tough to break.
Flame away.
RUMINT is that AMO pretty much has enough minimally qualified applicants in the current pipeline to sustain demand throughout 2026, and the years barely started.
The situation does beg the question of if these new hires will/would stay with CBP after getting a 121 class date though
01-06-2026 | 02:44 PM
#865
Sequester bait
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 283
Likes: 2
From: UH-60, AS-350, C-550
Just a few thoughts from someone who has been around AMO for quite a while. First, I strongly disagree with RCPilot's view of this job. As an AIA, you are first and foremost a pilot whose job is to facilitate mission success to the extent possible while bringing the aircraft back with all the paint and all the people. And this is absolutley the viewpoint of most of AMO leadership at all levels. LEO is significantly secondary in practice, and the agency has job series more LEO focused. If an AIA is executing a mission specific LEO qual, they will not be flying the aircraft. I think of my LEAP as part of the extra pay I earn for safely operating multiple turbine aircraft low to the ground in complex airspaces and tactical enviornments.
In my observation, we are still getting the usual mix of experienced and inexperienced applicants. Virtually all of them turn into excellent AIA's.
We will never compete with major airlines on pay. Many AIA's both old and new will leave for the airlines when able. In this respect we are identical to other mid-tier aviation jobs. Most stay, due to the bennies and job security. For those that leave, geography is usually the driving force.
In my observation, we are still getting the usual mix of experienced and inexperienced applicants. Virtually all of them turn into excellent AIA's.
We will never compete with major airlines on pay. Many AIA's both old and new will leave for the airlines when able. In this respect we are identical to other mid-tier aviation jobs. Most stay, due to the bennies and job security. For those that leave, geography is usually the driving force.
01-06-2026 | 03:38 PM
#866
Line Holder
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 625
Likes: 144
Just a few thoughts from someone who has been around AMO for quite a while. First, I strongly disagree with RCPilot's view of this job. As an AIA, you are first and foremost a pilot whose job is to facilitate mission success to the extent possible while bringing the aircraft back with all the paint and all the people. And this is absolutley the viewpoint of most of AMO leadership at all levels. LEO is significantly secondary in practice, and the agency has job series more LEO focused. If an AIA is executing a mission specific LEO qual, they will not be flying the aircraft. I think of my LEAP as part of the extra pay I earn for safely operating multiple turbine aircraft low to the ground in complex airspaces and tactical enviornments.
In my observation, we are still getting the usual mix of experienced and inexperienced applicants. Virtually all of them turn into excellent AIA's.
We will never compete with major airlines on pay. Many AIA's both old and new will leave for the airlines when able. In this respect we are identical to other mid-tier aviation jobs. Most stay, due to the bennies and job security. For those that leave, geography is usually the driving force.
In my observation, we are still getting the usual mix of experienced and inexperienced applicants. Virtually all of them turn into excellent AIA's.
We will never compete with major airlines on pay. Many AIA's both old and new will leave for the airlines when able. In this respect we are identical to other mid-tier aviation jobs. Most stay, due to the bennies and job security. For those that leave, geography is usually the driving force.
01-06-2026 | 06:00 PM
#867
On Reserve
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Just a few thoughts from someone who has been around AMO for quite a while. First, I strongly disagree with RCPilot's view of this job. As an AIA, you are first and foremost a pilot whose job is to facilitate mission success to the extent possible while bringing the aircraft back with all the paint and all the people. And this is absolutley the viewpoint of most of AMO leadership at all levels. LEO is significantly secondary in practice, and the agency has job series more LEO focused. If an AIA is executing a mission specific LEO qual, they will not be flying the aircraft. I think of my LEAP as part of the extra pay I earn for safely operating multiple turbine aircraft low to the ground in complex airspaces and tactical enviornments.
In my observation, we are still getting the usual mix of experienced and inexperienced applicants. Virtually all of them turn into excellent AIA's.
We will never compete with major airlines on pay. Many AIA's both old and new will leave for the airlines when able. In this respect we are identical to other mid-tier aviation jobs. Most stay, due to the bennies and job security. For those that leave, geography is usually the driving force.
In my observation, we are still getting the usual mix of experienced and inexperienced applicants. Virtually all of them turn into excellent AIA's.
We will never compete with major airlines on pay. Many AIA's both old and new will leave for the airlines when able. In this respect we are identical to other mid-tier aviation jobs. Most stay, due to the bennies and job security. For those that leave, geography is usually the driving force.
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