Border Patrol Pilots please share stories if willing!

Fly-Til-I-Die24-7

Fly-Til-I-Die24-7

New Member
Greetings all!

This is a specific thread aimed at current Border Patrol pilots. I am searching for deeper information on the life of these guys. So if you are willing to share your experiences it would much be appreciated!

If you dont mind please share....

1) Background before becoming a CBP Pilot
2) What your training consisted of while becoming a CBP pilot
3) What do you fly now
4) What determined what you fly now and the opportunities to advance to other aircraft
5) Where you are based as a CBP pilot
6) Any one of your typical days as a CBP pilot
7) Any other stories you would like to share.

I have been giving great consideration to applying for a position as a CBP pilot and have gotten involved with the Civil Air Patrol with hopes that type of background might give me some advantage when I am ready to apply.

Also, I am more interested in the pilots who came from the civilian side as that is where I will be coming from, but military guys are welcome to share also!

Thanks!
 
Ive been applying for this position for past few years...still no luck but I wont give up.
Anyway this site has some folks who fly for them and info about the process, maybe can help you a little also. http://aptap.org/

Nick
 
Sounds like a interesting job. I am just guessing here. But I would bet that to get in as a civilian your best bet would to be dual rated in both fixed wing and rotorwing. You could always just join the border patrol and then try to get a pilot slot once a agent. That might work out the best actually.
 
A lot of people are going after these jobs and its a bit of a tease because most of the mins posted are around 1500TT which really isn't that much flight time, only about 2-3 years out of flight school as a CFI or a 121 carrier. But competitive mins are much higher since the pay is good and your home every night. I know a 747 guy thats leaving his company after 15+ years to fly for CBP, he's also ex military too. I don't know his times but he's in his mid forties and has flown everything from the 172 to 210 to Baron to 727 to DC-8 and now 747. He's gotta have at least 15,000 hours, so even though the mins are pretty low, competitive is probably at least 15 years experience flying, some military experience, and of course keeping your nose clean all that time.
 
There are a few current CBP pilots on the forum, but I'll let them speak for themselves. I am a former Border Patrol Agent (retired Air Marshal) and spent a lot of time flying with BP pilots. From my perspective the best way to be a CBP pilot is to join the Patrol and learn the job on the ground before you fly for them. You're best bet is to go for your rotorwing Cert as well, the CBP uses helicopters more than most any other airframe, MikeD can correct me on that but I'd bet thats the case. They do use fixed wing on the border (mostly the Northern border) but the helicopter is the bread and butter on the line. Some also fly UAVs

I believe the patrol still has its pilot trainee program, which has low minimums and a requirement of at least three years as a line Agent.

Most of those I knew loved the job, home every night, decent starting pay, real good pay career wise and Law enforcement retirement which lets you retire at 50 years old with 20 years on the job. You must be under the age of 37 to be hired. Not sure how HVYMETALs' friend is going to work for them unless maybe the P-3 guys fall outside of the LEO retirement.

CBP pilots are in most sectors and a lot of stations along the southern border, and in most Border Patrol Sectors on the northern border. Figure on the Southern border San Diego/Yuma/Tucson/El Paso/Larado/Brownsville/San Angelo and others. Flying for CAP probably won't help you much, outside of just the flying time, can't hurt though.
 
BillErvin said:
There are a few current CBP pilots on the forum, but I'll let them speak for themselves. I am a former Border Patrol Agent (retired Air Marshal) and spent a lot of time flying with BP pilots. From my perspective the best way to be a CBP pilot is to join the Patrol and learn the job on the ground before you fly for them. You're best bet is to go for your rotorwing Cert as well, the CBP uses helicopters more than most any other airframe, MikeD can correct me on that but I'd bet thats the case. They do use fixed wing on the border (mostly the Northern border) but the helicopter is the bread and butter on the line. Some also fly UAVs

I believe the patrol still has its pilot trainee program, which has low minimums and a requirement of at least three years as a line Agent.

Most of those I knew loved the job, home every night, decent starting pay, real good pay career wise and Law enforcement retirement which lets you retire at 50 years old with 20 years on the job. You must be under the age of 37 to be hired. Not sure how HVYMETALs' friend is going to work for them unless maybe the P-3 guys fall outside of the LEO retirement.

CBP pilots are in most sectors and a lot of stations along the southern border, and in most Border Patrol Sectors on the northern border. Figure on the Southern border San Diego/Yuma/Tucson/El Paso/Larado/Brownsville/San Angelo and others. Flying for CAP probably won't help you much, outside of just the flying time, can't hurt though.
Click to expand...

I'll have to ask him more. We had a brief conversation about this and the person (my friend) I think is or has been an air marshall too? I know he's certified to carry his pistol on domestic flights...

But again, I guess what I'm saying is that the job isn't as entry level and the job postings would leave you to believe.
 
If he has enough time as a Fed LEO he could do it, it's added year for year on top of the 37 requirement. Federal Flight Deck Officers (FFDO) are not Federal Officers for retirement purposes. The FFDO program is a voluntary job much like a reserve Police Officer, but with very limited Law Enforcement authority

Your right about it not being an entry level job... at least off the street, the requirement for the pilot trainee program was about half of what the street requirements are and you have to be a Line Agent for 3 years.

Good luck to him in any case
 
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