Agreed, government job and bennies cant be beat these days. Maybe you can get into a police dept that has an aviation unit?

Military flying is out, even the army only takes early 30's.

Federal LE is out, age 37 max no waivers.

I would find a comfortable place to wait things out, and build time on the side. If the industry looks better in the future, reconsider at that time. Indefinite flight instruction with no end in sight might be OK if you are 23, but probably not at age 40 unless you can really rake in the money (there are still some places you an do this if you bust your hump)

When hiring resumes assume that 1500 TT and 300+ ME will be the ticket initially. Those numbers may come down a bit as the applicant backlog gets used up, but there is a good possibility that federal law will require an ATP (1500 hours) in three years or so. I would plan on needing to get the ATP before you get an airline job.

Except for a few brief periods late (ie 2006-2007), regionals normally required 1500-2500 hours anyway. Nothing new there, just back to normal.

At my recent TAPs class the California Highway Patrol was advertising starting pay well into the $70k range.

The rules have recently changed. See the long running CBP thread in the military forum for further details.

This is true. I recently help give a tour of our sims to 5 CHP pilots. They each had many years of experience in the patrol car before gaining assignment to the aviation unit and they said that it was very difficult to get into and once in - they stayed for a LONG time!

Grass is greener on the other side huh? ;)

USMCFLYR

hey Rick,

Yep. i had already written military flying off years ago. that was my original goal but I wear glasses and back when I was of age youhad to have 20/20 vision, so yeah thats out. Federal LE is out as well.

I actually enjoy flight instructing. I would love to that for a ful time job but it doesnt pay. Right now I work at a small flying club. Our clientel are not the 22 years wanna be profesiional pilots. They are the older just wanna fly for fun types. so they dontfly that often.

I had planned on getting my ATP anyway just because I think it will make me a more proficient pilot inthe long run.

I may just go back into law enforcement and wait it out. At least Iwil be making some money. The Florida Highway Patrol flies airplanes but the starting pay is $33K innorth FL and $38K in south FL. ho inthe world can you live in Florida on that?

Its very differnt herein the southeast. Starting pay for a small town police officer is around $23-27K a lasrge metro area is more like $40K and that is a lot

Cali may be $70K but remember the cost of living is high too. So 70K may sound like a lot but when your rent is twice what it is don south it averages out.

I also thought about airport police that way I can still be around airplanes

Pinellas County Sheriff's Dept has a very good airwing (based at St Pete International) and their pay is significantly higher... they are mostly rotarwing, but they do have a few fixed wings. If you look around , there are a number of good Dept's in FL that pay above average wages, if you want to stay in FL that is. The Sheriff's Dept's typically pay a bit better, and then there are places like Tampa, Orlando and the other larger cities that pay better and are just a short drive to affordable communities.

Here in New England you will find starting pay from 40-55k with education incentives to an extra 25% added to the base pay, which also effects your overtime rates. The guys I know all take in over 90k. Yes, the cost of proerty is higher, but not all that different than some of the popular places in FL....

I can't comment on the real issue here, but I used to live in Atlanta and anyone who has been there knows how nasty the crime can be in Atlanta. I was amazed how aggressive the airborne police choppers were in my area while I was there. Not uncommon was for there to be three or more single engine jet-copters doing low-altitude patrols with arcslights blazing on the houses below. I was frequently awake doing my college studies so most of the time it was a welcome distraction, and it definitely kept crime down so I was grateful, but I was amazed how aggressive and frequent the show of force was.

I certainly understand the cost of living. I've lived in most parts of the country; but you also didn't stipulate that you were including the value of that dollar you're making - you just said show me a place that pays $70k. Currently - I can't wait to get out of California and get back to a place where a $1 buys something :)

Best of luck 6724G. It sounds like you might be a perfect candidate to have a good job in LE and then fly on the side for extra money being an instructor or if you take it further, charter on the side.

USMCFLYR

I agree............

That actually doesnt sound like a bad idea. Thanks guys for all your advice.