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Part 91 and Low Time Jump pilots, crop dusting, and other Part 91 jobs

Keystone Aerial Surveys?

Old 11-25-2014, 09:16 AM
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Default Keystone Aerial Surveys?

Anyone have any experience working for this company? They are flying Cessna 206's, a 210, 310's and Conquest II 's out of their bases in Philadelphia, PA, Tucson, AZ, Tyler, TX and Burbank, CA.

Any info on QOL and flight times that can be expected, etc?

Here is what their job ad had in it.
Responsibilities:
• Coordinating and conducting precise aerial missions often in congested or restricted airspace throughout North America
• Flight and logistic planning associated with long periods of travel including; FBO, hotel, car reservations, expense reports and aircraft maintenance records and scheduling.
• Relocation to one of the 4 KAS locations is a MUST while not on contract/ jobs.
• Multi-Roll - Expected to be available for MANY non-flying duties.
• Good multi tasking skills in flight, interacting with flight management systems while maintaining positive situational awareness in congested airspace.

Full Medical Benefits after 90 days of employment
401K Benefits after 1 year of employment
When on deployment away from Home Base pilots earn 2 hours of Paid Time Off as well as $50 of Per Diem.
Starting Salary is $30,000 per year, but subject to change after 90 employee evaluation.
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Old 11-28-2014, 06:46 PM
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It's one of the better companies in the survey industry. I flew survey for another smaller company in c-320s and would run into keystone guys on the road quite a bit. All the pilots seemed happy with the company and planes always looked clean and well maintained. Good way to build up your multi time, but survey is a much more stressful job than one would think. Always VFR in the most crowded, worst VFR airspace imaginable. Any IFR flying is cake compared to some of the strange stuff you have to finagle doing survey work.

QOL seems as good as you could expect with a job that throws you out on the road over half the month. The upside is they always put their pilots up in quality hotels. At the place I was working for we always stayed at no less than a Hampton or Marriott, and the Keystone guys seemed to stay at the same places.

Oh and also you could probably expect roughly 500 hrs a year.
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Old 11-28-2014, 09:53 PM
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Thanks for the info. I'm interviewing with them this Thursday, and it seemed to be a good company based off of what they were saying, but I couldn't find anything from past employees on their experiences.
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Old 11-28-2014, 11:34 PM
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I can't offer anything about Keystone, but I am following the FAA's civilian UAV rule making process. Expectations are for rules within the next few months (already years late).

The industry anticipates changes to UAV commercial operations regs. I wouldn't expect to see the industry flip overnight, but drones are very well suited for survey work.

My point is; I'd think twice about a lengthy training bond if that's part of the deal. Otherwise - good luck!
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Old 11-29-2014, 04:49 AM
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Originally Posted by BeardedFlyer View Post
It's one of the better companies in the survey industry. I flew survey for another smaller company in c-320s and would run into keystone guys on the road quite a bit. All the pilots seemed happy with the company and planes always looked clean and well maintained. Good way to build up your multi time, but survey is a much more stressful job than one would think. Always VFR in the most crowded, worst VFR airspace imaginable. Any IFR flying is cake compared to some of the strange stuff you have to finagle doing survey work.

QOL seems as good as you could expect with a job that throws you out on the road over half the month. The upside is they always put their pilots up in quality hotels. At the place I was working for we always stayed at no less than a Hampton or Marriott, and the Keystone guys seemed to stay at the same places.

Oh and also you could probably expect roughly 500 hrs a year.
Sounds familiar! Now add in opposite direction approaches at Class B airports for an added measure of fun
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Old 11-29-2014, 07:34 AM
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Originally Posted by awax View Post
I can't offer anything about Keystone, but I am following the FAA's civilian UAV rule making process. Expectations are for rules within the next few months (already years late).

The industry anticipates changes to UAV commercial operations regs. I wouldn't expect to see the industry flip overnight, but drones are very well suited for survey work.

My point is; I'd think twice about a lengthy training bond if that's part of the deal. Otherwise - good luck!
I do not think drones will ever fully take over due to the size of some of the camera systems being used and the need for liver operators with the cameras in some systems.

But thankfully, there is no contract of time or money.
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Old 11-29-2014, 07:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Tpinks View Post
I do not think drones will ever fully take over due to the size of some of the camera systems being used and the need for liver operators with the cameras in some systems.

But thankfully, there is no contract of time or money.
This is exactly the type of operation that drones will be employed for first - aerial surveying, pipeline patrol, fire spotting/land management, etc....
We worry about drones eventually in my line of work - though in both I believe that it is far off - so I too wouldn't worry about something as short term as a training contract with this company if there were one.

I think aerial surveying sounds like interesting work. I hear them, and pipeline patrol, often o the freqs and we seem to shared quite a few similarities in the operations and some of the coordination required with ATC.

For a low time pilot is sounds like excellent time/experience building.
Exposure to different places (not getting into the rut of one or two airports and to/from the working areas that often seems to affect CFIs/instructors. ATC coordination - again - not always the same controllers that you work with day in and day out. Challenging and changing wether conditions. Precise flying required, working with a crew (some of the operators have a pilot and a package (camera/sensor) operators right (do you switch positions?)

Matter of fact - it sounds a whole lot like my type of operation which I know is a challenging one. Personally I'd rather do this type of flying than CFI'ing - though I loved instructing AFTER I had what I considered an appropriate experience level (and for those that don't know - I never worked as a CFI, but **props to those that have!**)
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Old 12-10-2014, 10:28 AM
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I applied for them too but it's been over a month since the last email exchange, should I email them to inquire if I'm still in the running or am I pretty much out of it?
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Old 12-10-2014, 03:02 PM
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Anybody know if they fly 310's out of tyler?
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Old 12-10-2014, 04:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Facebitten View Post
Anybody know if they fly 310's out of tyler?
They have one based out of Tyler, Tx, one aircraft in Tucson and another two in SoCal.

Tyler is staffed with two pilots already, so I doubt they will be adding any more there, but I can't say for sure.
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