I have taken a real interest in this type of flying. I have about 2100 hours in mostly jet/turbo prop in 135/121, but I have been out of the professional game for about 4 years (although I am VFR current and kept my medical). I thought pipe line patrol might be a good job to get myself back into aviation. The problem is knowing who runs a good operation in this type of business. I know like in the rest of aviation it can be a real crap shoot finding a good company to work for. I was wondering if you guys who were familiar with this side of the aviation world could drop the names of some of the more reputable operators out there. I know everyone is probably staffed up in this miserable job market, but I would like to have a list of good companies I can send resumes to once things start to pick up....if it ever does!

I don't know much about Pipeline patrol but I have heard there are some good opportunities up in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Some pretty amazing flying is done out of there by everts, hageland, frontier.

Usually outfits up there want AK time, which I don't have. Thanks for the insight though! Plus, I like warmer weather........

If you like warm weather...... there are alot of pipeline patrol companies in Texas. Barr Air Patrol is a good company. They want 1500TT and of course they aren't hiring right now. Pay is 40k with benefits I believe. They are out of Mesquite, Texas i think. Underwood is another company that has planes based in Texas. There are a few more around the area but they are smaller operators. Hope this helps.

It does! Thanks!

I flew pipeline for a year in Wichita Falls, TX part time while on active duty. I flew for Eagle Pipeline Patrol. The owner had the cleanest/nicest 172's I had ever flown. My main route was from The Falls, down to Houston, and back. 6-8hrs depending on the WX or activity on the ground. I had alot of fun.

There are a couple DOT CBT's you'll have to study for and take along with DOT drug testing.

Thanks! I might be asking a dumb question and or obvious, but what does CBT stand for?

More than likely CBT = Computer Based Training.
Probably some PowerPoint slideshows that you have to sit through and possibly take a test on - but that is a guess on my part.

USMCFLYR

Good guess! About all jobs have these now a days. Even if you just want to be a greeter at the Walmart.....

I flew for Underwood for about five months a couple years back on a line up the east coast - NC/SC border to about Newark, NJ. They weren't the best run outfit, but I've heard about worse. But I also heard they were sold about a year after I left, but retained the name Underwood from what I understand. Here is the website: Home Page

The reason I left was I was moving out of the country for a year. Even though it was only five months, it helped drop about 500hrs into my logbook. I thought it might be something I'd get into when I returned, but looking back it just seems a bit too risky for me. Flying all day every day at 500ft in a C172 is just waiting for something to happen. I never had any major problems, but the 400hr pilot who took my place must have inherited the bad luck that never got to me. In his first month he lost a cylinder over Philly in a very urban area and managed to make it to an airport shortly after. The plane was well beyond TBO, which is completely legal, but after a certain point becomes stupid. I had asked and asked for Underwood give me another plane and have the engine rebuilt. It finally happened after that incident. Then, about a week after this guy had the cylinder drop out, he hit a turkey buzzard with his new plane. He was fine, but put a whopping dent in the wing. So he was on to his third plane in under two months. I don't think he lasted more than six months with them.

So for me it's just easier to find another niche of aviation to fit into. Underwood was full of some great people, and I really enjoyed the independence of the job. The decision to fly was up to me, and only me, every day. All I did was call the office each morning to let them know what I was doing that day. No questions asked.

My time with them and in pipeline patrol was short, but if you have any questions, feel free to PM me. Best of luck!