Usually you will be using a 100 ft line, again like flyting said, depends on the system you will be flying. so let say a 100ft line + the bird at the end and the aircraft will be flying at 200ft following the contour a 70kts, usually at gross weight because they want you to go for as long as you can, expensive to come back for fuel. Yes you will be flying an ILS the whole time with, depending on the contract + or - 50 meters play on each side of the line. There is a display or computer or etc set up for you to follow. There may or may not have an operator on board with you.
Boring, maybe, maybe not you need a lot of attention on the job, you will get use to it, long hours sometimes and make sure, make sure that you keep your altitude at a safe level, birds are expensive, sometimes one of a kind for that particular job.
Ask them to explain to you the system and how it works in layman terms. You will understand why the specific speed and altitude etc
Also, Google "Airborne Geophysical Survey" that will give you an idea of the systems involve in this job and what it is.
JD
Last edited by fijdor; 27th Sep 2013 at 23:24.