Pipeline Job
 

Just got my Commercial License and now looking for experience. Do any of you guys have any recommendation on "getting experience" you don't have to pay for?

Also, how realistic is it for a Pipeline company to hire you and break you in if you're low on time?

Thanks

I don't know of any that start out with really low time. The company I work for had a 750 min when I started. Some of the other companies have up to 1500 hours min. I met several Barr pilots and know they do have observers on some of the patrols, but I'm not sure what their min are for observers, but that might be a way in. Schedules vary according to company and lines flown, I average about 130 hours a month in flight time plus another 6 plus hours a week in paperwork. Pay is better than regionals to start and some are paid by the mile others are salary, but benefits vary according to companies.

Probably not very likely for the full-time salaried pipeline jobs. However, a lot of the smaller pipelines are contracted out to local FBOs. The FBO pipeline flying is usually done by the CFIs, in my experience.

I was able to get in through the FBO route and eventually moved on to a full time opportunity. Three years later and 3500tt, I still absolutely love the work and lifestyle that pipeline offers.

Talk to your local FBO ops and see if you can find someone that may have a contract. The full-time jobs will require 750-1500tt.

Good luck.

1500 hours seems to be the minimum standard for hiring, these days. Pipeline can be much more challenging than many folks think, and so the insurance requirements demand more experienced pilots. Many of these positions offer higher pay than a CFI job or even first year regional-airline wages; so naturally they are limited and hard to obtain.

stats
 

Boca, what are your times and ratings? Barr hires observers (right seat) and they have a couple positions open right now.

Is observer time loggable? If not, what would be the point of someone taking it?

No. But if you are closer to their minimums like i am i could get in good with the company and they might hire me over Joe Blow when i have the flight time. I wont do it though because i can just get the 1500 anyway.

Was looking on the orange site today and Barr has 2 observer positions, one in AL and one in TX, says starting pay is $19,500 for licensed pilots. If you don't meet the mins at least it's pay while you built the time. Like most places, I'm sure Barr and the PIC allows the observer (if qualified, to fly any non rev lines) so you could build time that way. I'm not at Barr, but just on my lines alone I have probably 5-10 hours a week deadhead that I would be more than happy to let the observer fly, if we had one.

One of the positions they have open is for an observer in the twins, they have lots of deadhead in those. They will have another one open up tomorrow in Houma, LA for an observer position. I know they let their observers ferry planes sometimes too so besides deadhead time you can get it there. For resume purposes, it looks better if you built your time up actually flying rather than sitting right seat logging dual. Barr is a good company, largest pipeline outfit in the country and they have full benefits along with the pay being salary, so if you only fly 3 days a week which is their average, you are getting paid and can even instruct on the side. I work for Barr btw so if you have any questions about them or other companies like them, I know a bunch about most of them.

Whats your schedule like? Do you work at all on weekends? If you instruct on the side does your CP have any issues with that? What other companies besides Barr do pipeline patrol?