Northern States Aviation?

For those who flew for, or are flying for a survey company, I wonder how many of you guys/gals entered the season leaving from a 4-year university aviation program, a ATP flight school, or a large flight academy to take a survey job. Can anyone share what the typical flight training background of a survey pilot tends to be?

Currently flying for a picto vendor and I left a 4 year university with my CFI and CFII. My program at the university was going through some serious changes and was just short of closing down entirely, so when I was done they weren't hiring full time instructors anymore. I looked for a couple more instructing jobs but this paid more and I felt the experience was much better than instructing for the next 1100 hours. However, if my alma mater did hire full time instructors I probably would have stayed there
 
I can't speak for the other vendors but I can tell you that I get plenty of resumes. What HAS shifted somewhat since the "pilot shortage" is the quality of pilots I see. More lackadaisical attitudes and sense of entitlement. So the shortage has had a bit of effect but the main reason we wanted to lower the mins is because 1. We don't believe that total time is the ONLY indicator of a good pilot candidate. 2. I want pilots who are more likely to appreciate the job opportunity and stick around for multiple seasons. I like a sweet spot of about 400 hours but I've had pilots of much higher time turn out to be duds and 250 hour guys that I wish I could have hired back when we had no choice but to keep mins at 500. Mid-season turnover is a giant PITA so I steer away from guys that I think might just want to knock out the last bit of another company's mins and move on. This is an incredible opportunity to get EXPERIENCE and not just hours. In a nutshell, I'm looking for personalities as much as experience. Loyalty, honesty, work ethic, common sense, positive attitudes, all make a great pilot for me. I'll find the cream of the crop while interviewing. The total time has more to do with insurance than anything else.

this is what survey is all about, yes you get hours but its the REAL world experience. You fly across STATES and not just enough to suffice a cross country requirement. Different terrain, airspace, climates, people. I walked in with 300 and three seasons later had 1800 hours. I didn't need the hours of the last season it was for the experience.

I just hired somebody for part 135 specifically because they did survey. I know if they can handle a season or two there is a certain element of getting along with others for long periods of time that you just cannot buy at some school.
 
@jboynm I think you're think of North Central Aviation out of Minnesota.

I worked at NSA two years ago and would be happy to answer any questions. There are several alumni on here that I'm sure will chime in as well.
When does the season run for you guys, and how many hours were you able to log in that time?
 
When does the season run for you guys, and how many hours were you able to log in that time?
Training is usually last week of October into the beginning of November. You hit the road when you get your first assignments from Pictometry. Depending on how much work you get in a season, and how fast you finish it, determines the length of the season. Last year we were November 10th to the beginning of May. I logged just short of 600 hours in that time
 
I saw some as low as 500 hours for the season with a high bird and bad weather up to around 750-800 ish at the top end being the last guy out and doing lots of the tail end season summer work. I average around 675 or so out of three years I'd say.
 
I was only 40 hours short of the posted minimums and got "the automated response" In what airport is Northern States based out of? I have free time and wouldn't mind flying in to check out the company and introduce myself.
 
I was only 40 hours short of the posted minimums and got "the automated response" In what airport is Northern States based out of? I have free time and wouldn't mind flying in to check out the company and introduce myself.

Have you looked into SkyLens? I got in at 256 for the summer season, and I think the mins are going to be low for the regular season as well.
 
I was only 40 hours short of the posted minimums and got "the automated response" In what airport is Northern States based out of? I have free time and wouldn't mind flying in to check out the company and introduce myself.

They are home based in Rochester though. Only the planes are kept at GVQ during the off season.
 
this is what survey is all about, yes you get hours but its the REAL world experience. You fly across STATES and not just enough to suffice a cross country requirement. Different terrain, airspace, climates, people. I walked in with 300 and three seasons later had 1800 hours. I didn't need the hours of the last season it was for the experience.

I just hired somebody for part 135 specifically because they did survey. I know if they can handle a season or two there is a certain element of getting along with others for long periods of time that you just cannot buy at some school.
Seriously. I could have maaaaybe gotten my time faster at a pilot mill, but when I look back I got paid really good money to spend a good chunk of my early 20s basically bouncing a small plane between every corner of the U.S. with some people I'm still friends with after. The lifestyle wasn't all sunshine and rainbows the entire time but I wouldn't give up that experience for anything.
 
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