Cloud seeding??

[jgheggie]

Not sure if this should be under jobs or jobs needed?

I'm just curious if anyone has any experience doing cloud seeding. I have looked up a couple companies but I can't find any deep info on hiring minimums and all the QOL stuff.

If anyone knows how and where to apply that would be awesome. Also, times of year to apply.

 

[thevideographer]

If you want to come to North Dakota UND operates a couple weather mod planes every summer. AFAIK the hiring minimums are pretty much a commercial pilot's certificate and, at least for students applying, an advanced weather course.

 

[jgheggie]

If you want to come to North Dakota UND operates a couple weather mod planes every summer. AFAIK the hiring minimums are pretty much a commercial pilot's certificate and, at least for students applying, an advanced weather course.

I am willing to go anywhere to build time! Do you have info on how I can apply?

 

[Avalon781ML]

Not sure if this should be under jobs or jobs needed?

I'm just curious if anyone has any experience doing cloud seeding. I have looked up a couple companies but I can't find any deep info on hiring minimums and all the QOL stuff.

If anyone knows how and where to apply that would be awesome. Also, times of year to apply.

The two primary companies that I know of are WMI (in Fargo ND) and SOAR (in Plains, TX). I worked for SOAR in 07 and would definitely recommend working for them. Pay is good for low time pilots, the company treats you like a family member, and the experience you gain is invaluable later on down the road. Time to apply or start cold calling people would be right about now through the end of Feb for the summer season IIRC. I don't know what WMI has for mins but SOAR can hire a 200TT pilot for their base seeding aircraft if they are still utilizing it for the SW TX contract. Hope that helps... holler if you need any other info although my experience is a little dated at this point.

 

[mikecweb]

That's a hell of a way to build time.

 

[jgheggie]

Sounds like a great way to build "experience" rather than just time. I will give these companies a shout.

Thanks

 

[mikecweb]

I am willing to go anywhere to build time! Do you have info on how I can apply?

That's a hell of a way to build time.

Sounds like a great way to build "experience" rather than just time. I will give these companies a shout.

Thanks

 

[DPApilot]

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

I've cloud seeded @mikecweb

 

[mikecweb]

I've cloud seeded @mikecweb

 

[dustoff17]

The Western Kansas Weather Modification Program is based in Lakin, KS.
NOW is the time to express interest as they start in mid-spring. You'll earn your hours here but you'll have some great stories to tell as well.

 

[jgheggie]

The Western Kansas Weather Modification Program is based in Lakin, KS.
NOW is the time to express interest as they start in mid-spring. You'll earn your hours here but you'll have some great stories to tell as well.

Do they contract with a specific company? I cannot find anything regarding the pilots or hiring info.

 

[jgheggie]

By the way..

I noticed on a few cloud seeding websites that they use light twins. Is it typically single pilot on board? Or do they have two pilots, or some sort of scientist or anything like that? I don't mean to sound ignorant, but I don't know how it works. Does it require an additional person onboard is my question??

 

[Stomp16]

The Western Kansas Weather Modification Program is based in Lakin, KS.
NOW is the time to express interest as they start in mid-spring. You'll earn your hours here but you'll have some great stories to tell as well.

We have one of your former guys flying with us and his stories are quite amazing. I find cloud seeding an interesting, hypocritical part of aviation. From the start of ground school, Weather 101, they teach and preach to stay as far away from thunderstorms as you can. In regards to those teachings, cloud seeding goes against everything ever learned.

 

[jgheggie]

By the way..

I noticed on a few cloud seeding websites that they use light twins. Is it typically single pilot on board? Or do they have two pilots, or some sort of scientist or anything like that? I don't mean to sound ignorant, but I don't know how it works. Does it require an additional person onboard is my question??

Bumping this for the same question.

I have been contacted for a gig flying "right seat" in a cessna 340. I will find out more info next week. But in the mean time...I'm curious if this is logable time? The c340 seems like a single pilot airplane. I don't want to take a gig unless I can log time.

 

[Cessnaflyer]

Bumping this for the same question.

I have been contacted for a gig flying "right seat" in a cessna 340. I will find out more info next week. But in the mean time...I'm curious if this is logable time? The c340 seems like a single pilot airplane. I don't want to take a gig unless I can log time.

Depends on how you would do it. If you want easily loggable PIC time then this wouldn't be the way to go.

 

[chrisreedrules]

A good friend of mine did it for a season when he was a newly minted commercial pilot. He enjoyed it but he has some crazy stories about that stuff. He saw hail the size of softballs, tornadoes, and more than a few nasty gust fronts.

 

[jgheggie]

Depends on how you would do it. If you want easily loggable PIC time then this wouldn't be the way to go.

I'm not sure the details yet. But I at least want my total time to increase if I get the gig. PIC time is always best, but as long as my total time increases while waiting to fly PIC then I will be happy. SIC still counts towards total time right?

 

[Cessnaflyer]

I'm not sure the details yet. But I at least want my total time to increase if I get the gig. PIC time is always best, but as long as my total time increases while waiting to fly PIC then I will be happy. SIC still counts towards total time right?

Unless there is something that says the aircraft needs an SIC there will be no SIC time logged.

If there is an SIC needed then it can be logged towards TT.

 

[jgheggie]

Unless there is something that says the aircraft needs an SIC there will be no SIC time logged.

If there is an SIC needed then it can be logged towards TT.

Yeah that's how I understand it. I'm hoping someone with cloud seeding experience can tell me if the sic is typically required for seeding. For instance, is one pilot flying and the other "releasing the flares" so to speak?