Raytheon FAA Academy Remote Pilot Operator
- Thread starter E6Birdman
- Start date
I have heard that. We will see how it goes. Thanks for the input.
From what I understand, the FAA Academy will be really busy for awhile due to a backlog of students. My interviewer stated that next year will be gangbusters because they have to make up for the shut down that happened last year during the sequester. So it seems that getting hours for the forseeable future will not be a problem.
genot
Well-Known Member
An RPO makes computer entries to fly the planes in an ATC simulator as well as act as the pilot of each plane on the "radio" and other controllers on the landlines.
hook_dupin
Well-Known Member
Seems like you could come up with a call center, place it in Daytona, pay a bunch of students part time, and save money.
BravoHotel
Well-Known Member
Nope, you got it all wrong sees. We make them PFT because they are getting pilot experience. It that simple, sees.
ProudPilot
Aeronautics Geek
Not even a UAV job?
No, I'm not sure what the relevant experience would be.
smack300
Well-Known Member
I have a couple friends that do it but they are based in Socal. They love it. They basically just mess with the controllers that are training by controlling planes and/or vehicles on the airport. They have a huge simulator that they use to run through scenarios. KONT had a runway closed for a couple days and the controllers did training there to practice new procedures. So the RPO just presses the buttons that gets the planes on the runway or taxi way, just play pretend pilot. Try and mess up to see how the controller reacts to certain things.
I only know of this job being full time, and I heard it looks good on your resume when/if you apply for the academy. They pay isn't bad from what I heard. If you need more info you can PM me.
I almost took this job in Socal but ended up in Europe instead.
I only know of this job being full time, and I heard it looks good on your resume when/if you apply for the academy. They pay isn't bad from what I heard. If you need more info you can PM me.
I almost took this job in Socal but ended up in Europe instead.
smt6
Well-Known Member
Just got out of the academy a few months ago. A lot of pressure on those RPOs to correct the voice recognition. I just left the local sim that my facility uses and the RPOs played pilot instead of using the computer like they do in OKC. Heard a rumor that Raytheon is giving the contract up when it ends, so do your homework. My best friend is an RPO at PHL and he enjoys it. From my experience, I would estimate 90% of RPOs are trying to become ATCS. Most of the instructors at OKC are a lot of fun to work with. Good luck!
D
Deleted member 27505
Guest
Sounds like the NASA "pilots" up at Moffett. I used to "fly" a 747 there. Lol. I'm sooo going to log that.
pete2800
'Member?
I have a friend who did the RPO thing for a while when he was between flying jobs. Seemed like a decent enough gig from the outside looking in... If I recall right, the pay was in the mid 40's.
@LaserRacer , care to chime in?
@LaserRacer , care to chime in?
genot
Well-Known Member
Probably facing being fired all the time though. When I was at the academy it was OU instructors and RPO's and Raytheon or maybe Lock Mart at my facility. They got unified, the entire cadre drove to the center to interview for their jobs, two of three retained their positions and I believe we're at the same 2 full timers and 8 part timers now. We had 56 controllers my first day, we're at about 30, half are back as contractors.
ProudPilot
Aeronautics Geek
Speaking from experience, No. Also, you get a UAV job through military service, or luck.
LaserRacer
ALT SEL selector
I did the RPO gig for a year at Seattle Center... Beats the hell out of flipping burgers between flying gigs. In Seattle we had more people than work, so sometimes you only did 2 sim sessions all day (still got paid for a full day).
About half of the people there were looking to become ATC and the other half were out of work pilots. You could always tell the two apart... The pilots talked on the "radio" like pilots, the future ATC talked like robots.
The Academy would probably be really different as it is the step prior to the controllers going to their assigned facility.
It was an eye opening experience to see what REALLY goes on in a center and I actually learned some stuff, but in the end it isn't really going to help you get hired as a professional pilot (neither will flipping burgers) but serves as a decent way to leverage your pilot training and make about 40k when flying jobs are scarce.
PM for more info.
About half of the people there were looking to become ATC and the other half were out of work pilots. You could always tell the two apart... The pilots talked on the "radio" like pilots, the future ATC talked like robots.
The Academy would probably be really different as it is the step prior to the controllers going to their assigned facility.
It was an eye opening experience to see what REALLY goes on in a center and I actually learned some stuff, but in the end it isn't really going to help you get hired as a professional pilot (neither will flipping burgers) but serves as a decent way to leverage your pilot training and make about 40k when flying jobs are scarce.
PM for more info.
LaserRacer
ALT SEL selector
In Seattle we had no threats to our jobs... Until the trainees dried up, then all but 2 of the RPOs got laid off.
In my experience, unless there is no one to teach, it is a stable job.