Blackwater
 

Anybody here flying for Presidential Airways/Blackwater Aviation? I have three friends, one very close who are security contractors for Blackwater. I am trying to find information about the aviation side of the company. As you can expect, they don't exactly advertise for pilot positions. The last I heard the minimums were 1500/500. I thought they only flew Casa 212s until my buddy from the Marines sent me some pictures of a Metro he rode in. Any information would be awesome.

I'll see if I can find a phone number for their aviation dept. for you. I see them take out ads in Air Force Times all the time...I may have a back issue lying around...

-LAFF

Thanks.
I am still a little short on time. I have also heard that you need to know someone in the company. I know have some friends who are security contractors, but no pilots.

Website
 

Just go to the Blackwater website. Last time I checked if you dont have SO experience then no need to apply. Good pay if you dont mind getting shot at. www.blackwaterusa.com/aviation/

Just watch out for those mountains in Afghanistan.....:eek:

I assume that you mean security operator and not second officer.

So
 

Sorry, it is a military acronym for Special Operations. They look, primarily, for guys with training and experience in "high risk" environments. It never hurts to ask though.



AIRCAV I dont appreciate your words, some people on these forums knew the dead. I hope you never make such a mistake and if you do I hope your friends dont have to put up with such comments.
Of course I could only expect that out of a CAV guy who likely has a big ego and little sense. : )
Remember if you aint CAV you ain't shI+. Funny, but I never wanted to be shI+.

If you havn't got anywhere with this yet, LMK. If you have, got an update?

D

A friend of mine is with the company flying Casa 212s. He's carried multiple resumes in from highly qualified military aviators and not a one has gotten a call. The jobs are few, the list is long, so your quals need to be pretty good. Having a top security clearance may help as well. So you probably need to be military and know one of the other pilots...

I have a friend who learned part 61, did some regional and Alaska flying, and got hired to fly for them. I guess you just have to be in the right place at the right time.

I think he mean Special Ops.

From what I've heard there's several ex-Big Sky pilots flying Metro's for them (Big Sky had Metro's until recently) and I believe none of them have a military background.

They use C208's, Be200's, and DHC-6's for work as well. That Casa212 gunship they have would be neato to fly. Pretty cool account/ story about their aviation wing flying the MD's in the book License to Kill.

b200s?
 

I have an app in with them. They won't call. I know a guy flying choppers for them an he's making big bucks. I won't repeat how much because I think he may be exagerating a bit. But it's enough to say " I'd go in a heartbeat!" So what, if they shoot at you, shoot back. It's a better cause than flying rich guys around. And alot less boring.:cool:

Like I said, a very tight group of pilots that keep the jobs close by.

Very immature.

My former commanding officer was killed in that accident. A helluva commander and an all-around great person. Very upbeat and personable- he was going places in the Army. RIP MM

Stetson20

No SpecOps experience, but have had the "thrill" of being shot at. Except for adrenaline junkies, there's not enough money on the planet for me to do it for a living. Flying in harm's way as a service to my country is one thing, but for profit is not for me.

I met one of the blackwater pilots in King Air Ground School and his background was mainly bush flying in Alaska and he got hooked up with blackwater from that. He flew the Casa. One story he told me was that he got shot at while flying into a small field in Afgan and he found a bullet in the back of his seat when he landed. He talked about it, like it was another day in the park. He also told me that they don't carry guns! Sorry you can have that job BUDDY!!!

I am wondering if you have ever flown into a high threat environment? Have you ever expended chaff or flare because your RWR has lit up? These jobs pay big bucks because it is inherently dangerous and takes skill and poise under the most demanding circumstances.

Fly or die. Where do I sign up?

If you want to get into the fight - visit your local recruiting office; but you might have to leave the *cowboy* mentality behind. People lives might be at stake.

USMCFLYR

Thank you USMCFLYR... My point is.... If this is the prevailing thought and/or viewpoint, or an ethos to which you subscribe to, then why not join the military as an Aviator and defend your nation fighting under the flag for a modest (and surely liveable) paycheck? You can get shot at, get paid, have full benefits, and fly for YOUR nation. In addition, you will be trained properly and given amply flight time. Of course, it will require a substantial commitment on your part... probably 8-12 years at a minimum depending on which service you join.

Chasing big bucks to fly in a combat zone might be a little different than most think and/or expect is my humble perspective. :)

When I believe there is a fight to be won, I will gladly sign up. Until then, the price needs to be right for me to fly in a fight that will have no end. As for the *cowboy* mentality, let me explain my logic behind the "fly or die" statement:

I was merely making an observation about 3wire's statement of "...it is inherently dangerous and takes skill and poise under the most demanding circumstances." If I were a pilot in that position, my choices are simple: Fly or die. If you lose your composure and start making irrational decisions, you might end up dead, along with the men you are transporting. So, my comment "fly or die" was not so cavalier as it seems, just an observation on the choices given to any pilot in a high-risk environment.

There is a method to my madness. Usually... :D

Yes - that statement makes much more sense.

USMCFLYR

Not to take this thread further off topic but, does the military look down on people that have done DOD contract stuff and then later go to sign up?

I don't know the answer to your question; but I often don't see people going from contract work (or working with a private company) to the military. I'll use explosive ordnance disposal as an example. The contract workers working side by side with us during OIF 2 were making about 5 times more than the young Marines doing the same work.

USMCFLYR

To be honest it's very rare to see someone with the amount of experience that Blackwater requires entering the military to fly. There is the occasional pilot entering MIL flight school with several ratings, but most guys come off the street with possibly a private, rarely a commercial, and very rarely heavy hours and lots of commercial experience. If you go to work for Blackwater or a a similar contract company, I would think the clearance they would grant you and the high threat flying, would make your military package more attractive.

Most everyone I know flying there is ex military. I know there are some civilians as well, everyone is pretty experienced.

Presidential Interview Process
 

Does anyone have any gouge on the current Presidential Interview Process?

You get called for an interview?

I did mid July... I can't PM you yet because you don't have enough posts. Have someone send me your email address and I will fill you in.

Hey everyone. I'm an avid reader of these forums but rarely post (had to get a new user name its been so long).

I am debating on sending in my resume to AAR Corp (formerly Xe and Blackwater). I know a couple people that may help me get in. I have searched these posts read them all, but I was wondering if anyone had some updated information. I'm assuming AAR will be continuing on doing the same contract stuff Blackwater did. Dash 8/Casa 212 in Afghanistan and Africa (and I guess some other places as well).

I am a King Air guy now with over 3000 hours. No military experience but I do have plenty of 135 exp.

How long is the training?
Do they train pilots on firearms?
Are pilots allowed to be armed?
How much do they pay now?
What is the lifestyle like over there/here during training?
How would a pilot like myself (135 pilot with 1 and 2-pilot experience but no military experience) fare in an environment like that?

I have talked to a couple military guys and they say the contractors and contract pilots are not looked down upon over there at all.

It seems like some interesting flying and definitely something I'd like to do while I'm still young. Thanks to anyone who has some info for me.

-Jeff

I can almost guarantee you won't get firearms training. Most likely you won't be allowed to carry a weapon anyhow. I'm going to venture to say that if you have no weapons training, it means you were never military and its not likely you will get hired. I could be wrong, but I'm speaking from my personal experience and observations. A big help is already having a security clearance. A secret does the job, a TS is great. Most military already have a clearance, well, depending on your job.

Thanks for the info, Tink. Yea I know its pretty tough to get on there without any military background. I do know a couple people that are there, but that doesn't mean I'd even be a good fit for their mission.

If you're a King Air guy, why not look at the King Air contractors?
-Dynamic
-L3
-Avenge
-Air Scan

All the players prefer to have prior military guys, but they all accept civ only aslo, just a bit harder. As to pay... my current understanding from my friends at the various companies would put pay as follows:
-L3
-Avenge
-Blackwater... whatever their name du jour happens to be
-Dynamic
-Air Scan

Dont talk yourself out of a job. Apply to all and see what happens. Your experience is not a deal breaker, just a little outside the norm. Some contracts allow you to carry, some do not.

Air Scan IS NOT a King Air contractor

Presidential had a lot of airline guys come through. Some are still there, some are not. They're overhauling their training process and have a lot of need for pilots still. The new ownership highly values the DOD contracts in place and is bidding on new contracts as they come up. The flying ain't taking a load of ****ed off passengers to EWR. Visit AARcorp.com for their job openings. 500 multi is a hard minimum.

Does anyone know anything about Presidential or Evergreen flying Dash 8's in Afghanistan?

I have applied to both and have 121 & 135 exp. also Dash type. I haven't heard anything back and was wondering if there would be anything else I could do to get hired?

Thanks

Thanks,

I called also and left a message. I guess next step is maybe just driving down there (NC) and see if anyone will speak with me.