I think a lot of people will apply in the months leading up to it, but end up taking other jobs or decide that being gone for a year isn't something they can sell to their significant others or relatives. Not to mention that with the expenses having gone up the pay's no longer the incentive it once was and their reputation has taken a beating due to some accidents, maintenance issues and decisions management's made. I don't have a membership at Climbto350.com, but I still check it and am I wrong or is that Air America that's looking for 'aerial mapping contract pilot' in Florida as of September 25th and I've seen it at least once a few days to a week before if I remember right so I'm inclined to think if they've got so many applicants that'd be quite unnecessary to continue to advertise.
Lots of Entry Level Survey Jobs (CSEL w/ Instrument Rating to fly 172s for Pictometry)
- Thread starter srn121
- Start date
I think a lot of people will apply in the months leading up to it, but end up taking other jobs or decide that being gone for a year isn't something they can sell to their significant others or relatives. Not to mention that with the expenses having gone up the pay's no longer the incentive it once was and their reputation has taken a beating due to some accidents, maintenance issues and decisions management's made. I don't have a membership at Climbto350.com, but I still check it and am I wrong or is that Air America that's looking for 'aerial mapping contract pilot' in Florida as of September 25th and I've seen it at least once a few days to a week before if I remember right so I'm inclined to think if they've got so many applicants that'd be quite unnecessary to continue to advertise.
Selfmade92
Well-Known Member
yea, they're still looking on climbto350
But there's no shortage of companies willing to pay out decently to CFIs these days and many will even sponsor your CFI. I know it's not for everyone, but I think of what instructors were making when I was getting my ratings and what they're making now and it's improved significantly. There's also all the other pictometry vendors with those same or close minimums and thankfully the pilot market on the low-end has improved significantly. That year long contract is absolutely insane though and management should be ashamed even if it does work of hitting new lows.
Thankfully some of the PC-12 and Caravan passenger operators will hire low-time guys to right seat and I've met a few guys that do that, including last year a guy who decided that was a much better way to go than Air America after his interview.
Thank you. If they're still needing applicants this close to the start of the season that can't be good at all, but it's totally self inflicted with how they're treating pilots these days and that 12 month contract. It'd be one thing to suck up the changes at AA for 7 months as it could still be a good time builder, but locking up your career for an extra 5 months when there's no guarantee of consistent work it just no longer makes much sense for people who are aiming to get their ATP mins as quickly as possible.
Has anyone seen that ad for 172 mapping pilots in Kansas on Climbto350 (I don't have a membership so I don't know the details)? I've seen postings before in FBOs in Kansas 4 or 5 years ago for 172 mapping pilots and I'm not sure what their flight time and QoL is, but it could be something for people who are still looking if anyone knows the details.
It's possible for sure so make the most out of the opportunities you're given. I don't know how they're doing this 12 month deal, but if they're keeping everyone bound to it then people will be sitting around as I'd be amazed if they could keep even half of the fleet actively mapping in the summer for long (it's been like 3 or 4 years since I worked at Air America so I'm probably not the freshest source of information, although I do periodically hear things from their pilots). I think if I had to frame it you could be anywhere from 1175 to 1550, but that's an educated guess at best. Regular season totals can be wildly different among pilots mostly due to the projects you're assigned and summer work can be a great time builder if you get the right project, but that's a huge if.
Again, this has nothing to do with lack of applicants or quality of applicants. It comes down to how insanely busy they've been with work the past month.
It's really luck of the draw with projects and weather. You should have no problem with srn121's hour predictions. I know one pilot did 1200 hours in 9 months, another pilot did 350 in 12 months- but those are 2 extremes.
Hiboglossi
The Most Depressing Person
You do have a point there. I actually left instructing for Air America back in 2014, and since I didn't appreciate the risks of AAFC, financially the decision was a no-brainer. Back then you could make more money at AA than most flight schools in the country, but now plenty of the bigger flight schools have raised instructor pay. It used to be some of them would pay for a CFII or MEI; now that is more common and some will even sponsor you for your initial CFI as you mentioned.
I still doubt Air America will ever be unable to crew all their airplanes, but I do hope people realize the risks and back out while they have the chance as it appears any people have done. Of course, I think there were always some applicants who were no longer interested once they found out how much time away from home the job entailed, which of course isn't feasible for everyone. But the contracts have now become more and more one-sided, especially with the non-compete clause (it seems like plenty of former AA pilots including you have gone on to other survey companies, which such a clause would outlaw), and the commitment for a whole year: You are required to be available to AA for a whole year, but they are under no obligation to pay you or have work for you during that time. Of course that was always the case, but with how hit-or-miss summer tends to be it makes it worse.
It's also interesting that Air America is advertising on Climbto350 now; I remember back when I was there they said they didn't advertise at all because they got plenty of applicants through word of mouth.
Not at all.
Stephen Ivey
Well-Known Member
I interviewed with this place last night. I was very impressed by them. They are called JAV Imagery and are pretty new. Some general information on them, $25 an hour and $130 dollar a day per-deim. Also, you are a W2 employee, which I think makes a huge difference. Max flying of 8 hours a day, which is kind of nice. They use 172Ms with a basic 6 pack. Hope this helps.
Hiboglossi
The Most Depressing Person
Interesting, I know there is a Pictometry vendor based in Alaska called JAV imagery. I wonder if they moved, or set up a separate operation for the lower 48? At any rate, best of luck with the rest of the hiring process.
Best of luck! I've been curious about them for awhile now and it sounds like they treat their pilots really well.
brocklee9000
Well-Known Member
That's pretty much what their ad said, when I saw it last night. AK based, down in the lower 48 for this part of the season.
I applied here but have yet to hear anything back, she has posted a few times on climbto350, I am not sure if she is very busy going through the applications or if my resume got tossed with no TBNT email. The chance to fly the plane back to AK at the end of the season is a huge bonus to me.
I applied here but have yet to hear anything back, she has posted a few times on climbto350, I am not sure if she is very busy going through the applications or if my resume got tossed with no TBNT email. The chance to fly the plane back to AK at the end of the season is a huge bonus to me.
Hang in there and worst case Ground Imaging looks to be hiring. I don't know the most recent and best email for them, but if you can get on with someone other than AA I'm sure you'll have a great time and be ready to get a fun summer job if there's no extra work or you want time off.
Nothing at all. I mean that they're hiring as well and it doesn't seem like too bad a gig for your first job as a commercial pilot. JAV Imagery sounds like it might be one of the better outfits from what little I've heard, but I've never worked for either so I can't give you the best information. The only Pictometry vendor I'll tell people to be wary of is Air America as they've gone even further off the deep edge with a 12 month contract in addition to some other horrific contractual demands.
Stephen Ivey
Well-Known Member
I interviewed with them yesterday. Have a small write-up in the other picto thread.
BVA
Well-Known Member
Do any experienced survey pilots have any tips for those of us about to start this season? It's a pretty unique lifestyle - is there anything you wish you would have known before you started? For instance, any suggestions on how to handle mail, laundry, nutrition, etc. Do people bring video games, guitars, etc for entertainment? You get the gist.
Hiboglossi
The Most Depressing Person
Mail- if you need anything sent to you on the road, the best way to do it is to give the sender the address of the FBO you are basing out of. Your name and the tail number of your plane should be included with the address so the FBO will know it's for you. That's what I did if I needed anything mailed, and I never had any issues. However keep in mind that in this job you may be asked to relocate at very short notice, so there is always that risk.
Laundry- I usually just did it at the hotel laundry room, if available. I kept a bag of Tide Pods or Gain Flings in my suitcase to avoid having to spend money on laundromat detergent since it's a usually a whole dollar for one load's worth of detergent (yes, I'm a stereotypically cheap pilot). Some hotels have free washing machines (most commonly extended stay type hotels) so take advantage of that if you stay in one.
Nutrition- I may not be the best person to give advice as I readily admit I do not have healthy eating habits. You will probably end up eating restaurant food a lot. I usually chose local restaurants when possible since they are usually better quality and better value for the price. Since you may end up in parts of the country you've never been to before it can be a good opportunity to try new foods. Some pilots brought small slow cookers or rice cookers with them to cook food in the hotel room. I worked for Air America, which does not provide hotels directly, so pilots are responsible for finding their own accommodations- when it was the best option we sometimes stated in houses or apartments found on Airbnb, VRBO, etc. which had kitchens, which was nice since it was relatively easy to cook your own food and which I took advantage of. Even with hotels extended stay properties usually have kitchens or kitchenettes which allow you to cook your own food as well. You will also be eating a lot of hotel breakfast- expect to be tired of it by the end of the season. When weather permits, you will fly some very long days with little opportunity for a lunch break. I often kept non-perishable snacks in the plane for this reason, usually almonds or other nuts. Sandwiches for later can easily be made from hotel breakfast offerings. Of course, exactly what to do about nutrition will depend on your personal tastes and dietary needs.
Yes, people have brought both guitars and video game consoles on the road. It will be one more thing to carry when relocating/ switching accommodations but is easily doable, and it will provide away to pass the time. You can sometimes go a long time without flying when weather prevents data collection. It that happens, it's also a good opportunity to explore the area you're and do anything there is to do there.