SkyLens hiring pilots, again
- Thread starter pilotbry
- Start date
Hiboglossi
The Most Depressing Person
Canada's a massive country with a lot of land to survey. There's a company flying almost totally rebuilt DC-3s with turbine engines and they do survey on them somewhere in Canada too. I wish I could remember the LiDAR outfit I ran into when I was up in Northern Canada, but I know a former employee of there's and they seem like awesome people who do really cool work. The hardest part about coming to the US would be your right to work here. I did the conversion to Canadian ratings and I think going the opposite way would be a bit easier, even though I dealt with some awesome people at Transport Canada.
Raskolnikov
Well-Known Member
Bryan is a great guy to work for. As long as you make good decisions, don't do anything stupid, and get the work done, he'll be pretty hands off and you won't hear from him much. I zig-zagged across the country from Florida to Washington, flying through several class B areas, beautiful countrysides, and seeing parts of the country that I otherwise might not have ever visited.
This job isn't for everybody. If you have a family or a significant other, it will be a challenge to be away for several months. But if you're up for some adventure and don't mind being on the road, this is a very good opportunity not just to build time, but to see the country and build lasting friendships. Most of they guys who worked the season I did are still in touch. Overall a fantastic experience.
This job isn't for everybody. If you have a family or a significant other, it will be a challenge to be away for several months. But if you're up for some adventure and don't mind being on the road, this is a very good opportunity not just to build time, but to see the country and build lasting friendships. Most of they guys who worked the season I did are still in touch. Overall a fantastic experience.
pilotbry
Well-Known Member
Two Aztecs deployed. The first one did over 100 hours in the first 4 weeks. We'll likely add two more next season. We already purchased one of those and are working on buying another.
The pay is based on seniority so by the time a pilot has been around long enough to get into a twin, he/she is likely making more money than most of the 172 pilots but it's not a huge difference. Generally, no one gets hired directly into a twin. The only way that would happen is if I plumb ran out of current multi engine certificated pilots and had an applicant with a lot of multi and over 25 hours of PA23-250 time.
DanB.
Member
Just attempted to email resume to flightops@skylensaerial.com and it bounced back saying it could not be delivered.
pilotbry
Well-Known Member
It seems to be working. I'm getting other resumes and all expected emails. Give it another go. You might make sure that your attachments are not over 5MB.
pilotbry
Well-Known Member
Neither. This is a 100% road gig. You are on contract for 7 months for the regular season and there is no hard time off. You train in Hammond LA but once deployed you go from location to location shooting on good weather days and your days off are on bad weather days. Hotel /rental cars are company paid.
Skypilot101
Well-Known Member
Do you have to wait for season to start? Or if available, could one start this month including summer?
pilotbry
Well-Known Member
It looks like I've got a deep enough roster for the summer work. You best bet would be to submit a resume in August for next season. Be sure to follow the submission directions, exactly.
limitlessness
Well-Known Member
I just left this job after getting my hours and I cannot recommend it enough. By far the best Picto vendor for QOL on the road. As written before, Bryan is an excellent leader and boss. MX is great (thanks for the hard work Mr. G) and the current scallywags working the planes are stellar individuals. If your thinking Picto right now, The Lens is the only place to be.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Just ran into a Lens guy on the road, (I work for another picto place) we compared notes and while I wouldn't leave my company for his I can confirm the QOL at Lens seems very good. Also hearing that MX is "great" over at Lens is something to consider because if you fly Picto its just you and the one engine, if it goes out you're running the checklist. This IMO is more important than QOL, or pay, but you don't have to take my word for it.
Nick Stadtmueller
New Member
So the age requirement is 21? No exceptions? Just graduated Big Bend community college part 141 program and I am working on my CFI now and would love to apply. (Turn 20 June 6)
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pilotbry
Well-Known Member
Correct. One major aspect of this job is that you are deployed all over the 48 states, sometimes alone, and therefore must be able to rent a car. Even with our corporate contracts, the rental car companies have no exceptions to the 21 year old rule. They even nail us for an extra fee if the pilot is between 21 and 25. It's pretty ironic the someone who is licensed to fly an aircraft in the eyes of the US government is not mature enough in the eyes of Hertz and Enterprise to drive their crappy little Toyota yaris. But it is what it is. I'd be happy to accept your resume for the 2017 season.
FrankieFlyCRQ
Well-Known Member
This might have been covered but I was just curious how the day to day operation would go for the pilot? I understand it would be across the country, shooting on good days, 7 months at a time... but is it in a CRM cockpit environment ( two pilots) and or flying with clients if any? Seems like a great fit for me and I'm looking forward to applying in August or whenever the season starts up. I have no obligations holding me back so I'm ready 
frankgh
Well-Known Member
Bryan, try renting a motorcycle in England;
There are restrictions imposed by our insurers, which mean that we are unfortunately unable to hire to persons in certain occupational areas. These include professional entertainers, professional sports persons, publicans, nightclub owners, owners of gaming establishments and members of foreign military. Professional models, Fairground employees, Street and market traders, Scrap metal merchants and dealers, Diplomatic personnel, and students under 25 years of age.
There are restrictions imposed by our insurers, which mean that we are unfortunately unable to hire to persons in certain occupational areas. These include professional entertainers, professional sports persons, publicans, nightclub owners, owners of gaming establishments and members of foreign military. Professional models, Fairground employees, Street and market traders, Scrap metal merchants and dealers, Diplomatic personnel, and students under 25 years of age.
All the flying is solo. You'll typically be working a project with 1-2 other pilots, but there are plenty of times when I was on my own. You don't deal with customers, everything is through Bryan. The only time you talk to Pictometry directly is when you have an issue with their equipment.
As best I can remember, my average day went like this:
2 hours to takeoff (T-2): Wake up, look out the hotel window and check the wx reports. Just a quick check to see if I gotta get up or if I can sleep more. Skies are clear, so I need to start my day.
T-1: Meet the other pilots in the lobby and head to the airport. Someone calls the FBO and tells them to pull the planes onto the ramp. On the way we discuss what areas we will each fly. It's important to coordinate because the flight plans aren't just next to each other, they often overlap a little. As the area starts getting crowded, you think about sending a guy away to the next project.
T-45: Arrive at the airport. Sit down with a cup of coffee and take a closer look at the weather. Metars, TAF, NOTAMs....etc. All that good stuff your flight instructor kept telling you was so important. I also make sure to look carefully at the winds aloft. A 40kn crosswind will put you right at the maximum crab limit. One of the pilots will also call ATC and fax them a copy of our flight plan. After the first week, they already know who you are and what you're doing.
T-30: Second cup of coffee in hand, I go out to preflight. It's all the normal checks you do on a C172, with the addition of removing the camera covers and checking the lenses. Look at the sky and the clouds. One of the reasons I get to the airport so early, I don't like to rush in the morning. Lastly, someone emails Bryan our morning status. Just a short messaging letting him know if we are flying, or why we are delayed. Sometimes I'd just send two words, "Clear skies"
T-10: Mark the time, then engine start and turn on the camera rig. It can take 2-5 minutes for the system to boot and run its tests. Occasionally you need to restart it a few times. Make a note for the daily report. The system tells you when it's ready to taxi, then again when it's ready for you to fly.
T-0: Rolling down the runway. I try to time my takeoff so I arrive at the project on heading and altitude to intercept the first line when the revenue window starts. The travel time to the project, headwinds, ATC delays will affect what time you need to take off. If you're doing one of the high altitude flight plans, you'll need an extra 30 minutes for the Cessna to climb that high.
I mark my start time, then it's just flying lines back and forth until the revenue window ends, or I need fuel. By the way, the revenue window is just the time of day when the sun is high enough to provide enough light and not cast long shadows over the ground. It changes depending on your location and time of year. It was only 4 hours when I started in November but got as long as 10+ hours in the spring. Bring snacks.
When the window ends, return to the airport. Do my post flight and ask the FBO to refuel me before pushing the plane back into the hangar. Finishing typing my reports on my iPad as I wait for the other pilots to finish. Lastly, we mail the hard drives containing that day's work then head back to the hotel.
That's a typical day. Sometimes you're in the hotel for a week because it's IFR everyday, other times you're just praying for a rainy day because you're flying so much.
There's more I can say about the job, but I've already rambled enough. Feel free to message me if you have more questions.
