Work for the NTSB?

Slyfox1

Slyfox1

New Member
Just like the rest of the kids on here I want to someday fly for a major airline.

but... all the retired pilots I talk to tell me to have a good BACKUP CAREER

So if the economy collapses or if I lose a leg or something Id really like to be an air crash investigator for the NTSB.

My question is, if i want this as a backup career, and only a backup career, what should I get a degree in? and what do i do from there?
 
Become a RN!!! The US is in a desperate shortage of nurses !!!! Make your own schedule!! Get paid, well, you get paid, I personally feel I am way underpaid and overworked!! Except today, Having a good afternoon after a terrible morning (patient died, worked to save her for hours). That's one of the downsides of nursing.

Pretty much do anything you like to do, something that allows flexibility and a half-way decent paycheck. I know bartenders who fly commercially, I know real estate is also a big part time job.
 
LOL my moms an RN and she got my sister to do it too.

but noooooooo id never to anything in the medical field.

Crash Investigation info plz :)
 
USAF will pay for your school through ROTC if you do nursing. Something to think about.


I sound like a freakin' recruiter today.
 
So I gess none of you guyes know ANYTHING about the people who have the orange biohazard suits and sift through aircraft wreckage? :(
 
Slyfox1 said:
So I gess none of you guyes know ANYTHING about the people who have the orange biohazard suits and sift through aircraft wreckage? :(
Click to expand...

A good deal of those people spent their early 20's getting PhD's... I don't know if I'd consider that a backup career. Also, the job vacancies for such positions are few and far between.
 
Dude,
Relax, it's sunday, give this more than a few hours. I personally don't know anything about it. I know my brother applied, but was turned down. He was a safety inspector for the Navy. I wanna say, they told him he needed a degree and/or experience as an engineer.
 
I_WANNA_BE_ATP said:
Dude,
Relax, it's sunday, give this more than a few hours. I personally don't know anything about it. I know my brother applied, but was turned down. He was a safety inspector for the Navy. I wanna say, they told him he needed a degree and/or experience as an engineer.
Click to expand...

:yeahthat: From what I understand a degree as an engineer is crucial. A lot of those guys obtained experience in the military before going on to college to get the degree. Then again some investigators are current pilots but still have the engineering backround. There was a great program one time on Discovery about the NTSB and what it takes.
 
Slyfox1 said:
So I gess none of you guyes know ANYTHING about the people who have the orange biohazard suits and sift through aircraft wreckage? :(
Click to expand...

I have had the chance to speak to a few of these guys (including a few from TWA800). These guys are engineers and scientists first, then trained as investigators. I can't even spell what some of these guys specialties were, one guy had a PhD in fluid dynamics or something. Many hold a pilots license in some shape or form and it appears that many had prior Gov't work via the military or some other type of Gov't agency. I have seen job announcements for NTSB positions and the required skill sets were pretty steep.

Keep in mind that these guys investigate more then just aviation, they are involved with rail accidents, marine, etc. I got the impression that there is a significant amount of networking involved to land a position.
 
Slyfox1 said:
Oh wow thanks, I gess nothing in aviation comes easy, does it? haha
Click to expand...


Go into metallurgy (sp). They have several metallugists (sp) that analyze the stresses/cracks/bends everything of metal. Plus, I think it's fascinating: all of the different molecules and how removing .0001% of something can make a metal 300% harder. Pretty cool stuff.
 
Last I checked you need to have a degree either in Mechanical engineering or Aerospace Engineering to work for them as an entry level investigator.
 
Interesting thread, guys! I had no idea these guys were engineers!

That makes my brother, with a degree in Engineering Physics, more qualified than I ever thought :)
 
MQAAord said:
Interesting thread, guys! I had no idea these guys were engineers!

That makes my brother, with a degree in Engineering Physics, more qualified than I ever thought :)
Click to expand...

Poor guy!!! (JK)
I know this since they came to our engineering school looking for mechanical engineers so they could train as pipeline investigators. They were also looking for railroad investigators.
From what I understood, you don't get into avaition investigation straight when you get in. you have to stay in different departments to pay your dues first before moving to your desired place.
They live somewhat like pilots too, always on the road and on call (Especially the top investigators). But sadly they never deal with the positive aspect of aviation.
 
I know this isn't the norm, but when I was in college, we had a guy named Greg F. who was one of the Go-Team members for the NTSB come and talk to our school. Well, my buddy and I got to know Greg, and he is a very good guy.

You might remember him from the Everglades crash, and some other early to mid 90's crashes. He was (no longer with the NTSB, now a private consultant) the poster boy for the NTSB. He always had a camera on him and talked to the press, etc.

My buddy managed to get an internship with the NTSB in TX, and always had interesting stories about different things he saw on the job.

Well, a few years later, my buddy found out some interesting info. I don't know how he managed it, but Greg never finished his degree at ERAU. The NTSB and school found out about it, and Riddle did a hush-hush degree finish for him. The NTSB never said a word about this, but the next thing I heard was he had become a private consultant. You make your own conclusions from this...

The point of my post, is, try getting an internship with them and then you'll have the inside scoop on what you need to do.

Good luck, and sorry about the long story.
 
frog_flyer said:
Go into metallurgy (sp). They have several metallugists (sp) that analyze the stresses/cracks/bends everything of metal. Plus, I think it's fascinating: all of the different molecules and how removing .0001% of something can make a metal 300% harder. Pretty cool stuff.
Click to expand...

You reminded me of something ... on one of the discovery type channels was a program on UAL232 that crashed in Sioux City Iowa. One of the investigators was a metallurgist (sp) and was the guy who cracked the case. He traced the crash to a fault (crack?) in the #2 engine fan disk that was missed by the united inspection crew. When the part was manufactured a faulty titanium ingot with a crack the size of a piece of sand slipped through quality control. This tiny crack eventually brought down a DC10 with a massive engine explosion.

I watched this and was amazed as this investigator explained how he traced this down ... :buck:
 
Fox Xray said:
You reminded me of something ... on one of the discovery type channels was a program on UAL232 that crashed in Sioux City Iowa. One of the investigators was a metallurgist (sp) and was the guy who cracked the case. He traced the crash to a fault (crack?) in the #2 engine fan disk that was missed by the united inspection crew. When the part was manufactured a faulty titanium ingot with a crack the size of a piece of sand slipped through quality control. This tiny crack eventually brought down a DC10 with a massive engine explosion.

I watched this and was amazed as this investigator explained how he traced this down ... :buck:
Click to expand...

Same deal with AA191. The mx dudes F'd up and the engine flew off during takeoff taking some slats and the hydraulic lines with it. Company regs said to stay at v2 +20 or something if you have engine failure... well, no hudraulics, flaps and slats came up, left wing stalled... and...

c21223f9_5b70_49d8_9022_0e67712b8e74
 
An opening for the Gardena office (Los Angeles) came up a few years ago. The pilot requirements were 1500 total time 2-300 multiengine time. CSMEL-IA or Heli. The more ratings you had the better.

No engineering degree or engineering experience required.

As far as the aviation side is concerned, I'm not aware of anyone from the TX or CA offices having to work dual mode transportation. The guys I've spoken with in the field offices and at D.C. only work aviation. The NTSB has train experts, boat experts, and pipeline experts. Most got into their current positions from their college internships or co-ops with the NTSB.

Interestingly, the FAA folks say to come work for the FAA instead of the NTSB as the FAA pays more and you still get to work a bunch of aviation accidents.

You can become an accident investigator at whatever airline, although I think it is on a volunteer basis. Check with whaever union or safety team is organized for your airline when you get there.

Accident investigation is not for weak stomaches or the faint of heart. The smell of a fresh accident scene is something you'll never forget, despite your best efforts. Picking up the pieces of friends and whatever they were in when they crashed can be difficult. But there is something about the scavenger hunt and puzzle that overrides the smells and sights. Others are motivated by crashes around them to become investigators, you're providing closure and hopefully preventing future accidents.

Good luck!
 
Well there is always aircraft dispatch if you want to stay in an airline environment. (airline environment, work weekends, nights, holidays, get low pay, living the dream) :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top