FBI's aviation program
 

hi, this might not be the right section to post this but wouldn't really fit anywhere...

in anycase, does enyone know anything about the FBI's aviation program? i really can't find much info on google...

I believe you have to be an Agent for the FBI for a couple of years, before applying for the aviation department. They have some aircraft based out of Lakehurst Naval Air Station in NJ.

They have several aircraft(varies) and last time I checked you had to be an Agent. Their policy of making Agents pilots istead of pilots agents has already cost them dearly. My info is probably dated, but I doubt much has changed. Not really the place to be if you want to be a pilot.

The FBI has a detachment out here at NAS Pt Mugu... 3 retractable 172's (1 with a gucci FLIR) a Caravan and a couple of Jet Rangers. They do two main things out of here..surveillance (see "Casino" or "Goodfellas") and sniffing around FBO's acting like GA guys.

From talking to them, you need to be an agent first, but they fly a decent amount (3-400 hrs a year, about the same as the military) but get paid according to the FBI pay scale (figure Horizon x 2) and they get paid to fly around and hang out at FBO's listening for someone to blab about the drugs they just flew into the US...

i see, well thank you for the info, that really helps, if anyone else has something please let me know... are these guys all over the place?

Is that the same for CIA and US Marshalls? I thought I saw a job posting for the Marshalls on USAJobs at one time. Of course that listing is gone now and I am not really sure which site it was on.

AFAIK, CIA is mainly through external contractors...you should be able to snoop around and find them... US Marshal (1 L) Service is the same as the FBI (I've got a bud there), and they do not have many flying jobs. ICE will hire you as a pilot only, but you'll go through Glynco, GA (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center) first.

HTH
Spongebob

well there is also the DEA, they do have few (130+) planes in TX and all over the place, tiny problem with those guys is the fact you have to be a narc for couple of years before you make it to the aviation side, and hopefully you'll be stll alive by then...

now i did apply for that but was rejected for 'abnormal color vision' and they do not have any exceptions, while on the FBI's website i found that there is an alt. test for color vision which i feel very confident i can pass ... by the way i do have a first class med.

Age requirements
 

There are age requirements for any hire as a law enforcement officer with the federal government. I forget if it is 35 or 37. If you are older than that you can not get hired as a federal law officer/aviator. Go to USA JOBS and look up the interdiction officer requirements in the actual application.

I used to know a guy who flew with the FBI out of NAS Lakehurst in NJ, and he seemed to like it alot. He got there after flying KC-135s in the USAF for about 8 years, so he was a pilot first.

He took me flying a couple times in his Yak-52 back when I worked at Marlboro airport in summer 2000. In 2002 he was severely injured when he crashed that plane on takeoff, but from what I heard he got to keep his job flying at the FBI.

Border patrol is the same way. I have no idea why they do it but they do.

MikeB525 what kind of airplanes did they fly in NJ, do they only do small single engine?

One, because even in a plane you are subpoenable, not to mention you need to know the rules regarding law enforcement while you are flying (why on my drug ops deployment we had Coast Guard guys on a Navy ship and why we always flew with them, and why we couldn't share our intel with them as it became subpoenable after a bust, and we didn't want to burn our sources)

Two, if you put an officer in a plane, they are a cop first and pilot second which means they probably are not going to go to XJT after they get 1500 hrs. Good use of taxpayer dollars.

Spongebob

You could still hire a pilot and send him to the accademy. And noone leaves to go to XJT. They start out at $70+ and if they work an extra 2hrs a day they get a 20% bonus. Who the hell would leave that. Subpoenable doesn't mean anything if the pilot works for the agency. Rule regarding law enforcement is easier than learning to fly from scratch. The guys in the air rarely communicate with any illegals. They more or less use FLIR and their eyeballs to communicate with ground units only.

I saw their hanger once at Lakehurst while on a Civil Air Patrol activity. It's pretty much what you thought; biggest aircraft was, IIRC, a Caravan. I think the others included RG Skyhawks and Skylanes.

Marlboro Airport
 

Mike,

Were you referencing Marlboro AIrport in Marlboro MAssachusetts? That parking lot airport in front of the apartment buildings that is only 1700 feet long I think?


I'm thinking about doing some short field work there... its so small man and those trees are too close to final.

FBI Aviation
 

I was a FBI Agent for 27 years.
I flew for 22 of them.
I started as an observer as I learned to fly.
My instructors were two agents. One was a former Navy instructor the other was a ex USAF KC-135 IP.
He was on furlough from a major carrier. All three of us subsequently retired as full time pilots.
I obtained my Private on my own.
I was eligible for GI Bill Flight straining so I expended all my benefits.
Received my Multi Engine, Instrument, Commercial CFI Multi and Instrument.
I subsequently applied and was transferred to the WDC area. So were my former instructors.
I was able to attend Flight Safety for the Mitsubishi Marquise, Commander Jet Prop, and the Sabreliner series.
Also flew several different piston twins. Plus a Citation V just before I left. Received my SE ATP on my own, ME when typed in the Sabre.
We did FLIR surveillance, expedite transportation, evidence transportation, aerial photography, and executive transportation.
A great job, I flew to all the contiguous 48 states, Central/S. America, Canada, and US Caribbean Islands.
I retired in 2021 making about a 100k+. I made as much in retirement as my take home pay.
My military service counted towards my annuity.
I never went back inside an FBI office for assignment and always had a take home vehicle.
I flew Sabres and the Hawker 800 for 10 years as a corporate pilot.
The last I knew my old unit got rid of all the turbo props except a DHC 8. Jets are GVs and Citation(s).
Field office aircraft were C-210s and C-182RGs and Caravans. The 210s and RGs have been replaced by C-206s.
Helicopters are a different bailiwick.
Jet Rangers, Bell 412s, Aerospatiale, and some Blackhawks.
We had a few NAPs (non agent pilots) but only one lasted to retirement.
An entirely voluntary program agents flow in and out.
Many would prefer to be investigators.
Some are only part time positions in smaller offices as opposed to Chicago, Detroit, Miami, and San Juan to name a few that the positions are full time.
I had a good career both as a street agent and pilot.
A few guys left for the airlines over the years, others opt for management.
A believe there is a pilot recruitment slot in the application process.

The FBI pilot program has evolved quite a bit from the 2006 post. For one, they are hiring non-agent pilots all the time. They are mostly posting pilot positions on Indeed from time to time and for various cities. It’s a GS11/12 position and you are flying almost everyday if the weather is VMC. There is a 6-8 week training class everyone takes for job specifics and then flight training is conducted in house with on-board instructors. If you are into law enforcement and flying, then it’s a great career. It not a point A to point B type of job. Its serving your country in the field offices AOR.

Are they posted on USA Jobs as well?

I saw what looked like an old posting for non-agent flying position out of New Jersey, but there were no flight hours or any other required experience listed on the posting.

Mins are 500 total time, 100 XC, 50 inst, 25 night.
Should be on fbijobs.gov

I just looked all over their site, I could not find any listing for it

There aren’t any openings right now I believe. I’ve been talking with my FBI agent buddy about it.

The job posting to look for is “Investigative Specialist - Aerial”. It’s GS 11/12 position and the hour requirements posted earlier are accurate as the mins. Most field offices these days are Cessna 206 but you could get lucky and get one that has a Caravan. Buddy had no idea how easy it is to transition to other bases.

Apparently some guys love it because you only have to focus on flying and don’t have any agent responsibility. Others get frustrated though because they make less than the agent pilots for doing almost the same job. The agent pilots have earned their way into the pilot community by doing at least one assignment on the ground and they get extra pay and benefits for being badged officers.

My buddy wasn’t sure if the non-agent pilots can move into some of the larger aircraft the FBI does have. His guess is maybe, but it must be tough considering the amount of guys who end up moving on from the job. Maybe one of the previous posters in the know can answer that?

Still seems like a cool gig and I am definitely going to keep my eye out for postings.

Reach out to MadMax72 who recently posted.
He spent time as a contract pilot and probably still had contacts.
I'm sure he would be a good source of information for anyone interested in the job.

They must only have aircraft in a limited amounts of areas, I say that because I have flown many of missions for the FBI where I'm at. In fact my branch has an old C206 FBI hand me down aircraft. I'd be curious to see what locations open up for this in the future, but I cant take it as I'm getting to close to punching out. I'm just anxious to end this chapter of my working life and hopefully earn a pure pilot job after retirement.

My Google searches brought up old job postings for McGuire AFB in New Jersey, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Albuquerque, and New Orleans.

DiverB, I forgot you are a CBP agent, my bad. You definitely have a ton more experience on the Federal side than me.

I could have joined the FBI...




But they found out my parents were married.