Aerial Survey Work
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Aerial Survey Work
Hey guys, looking for some help as I plan for my next career move. Currently sitting at 1150 total time (mostly C210 charter up north) and just rated on C208 (30hrs). I want to get into some form of aerial survey as a lead into possibly ag work eventually down the track. I'm happy to live out of a suitcase as I'm young and not tied down (yet!) and always enjoy staying at new places. Interested in any type of survey work especially power line, gas pipeline, aerial mapping/photography. I've been looking for companies that may give me a start that I've listed below. If anyone could help add to this list or PM me any leads or advice that would be tops.
I understand that generally most work is done March-November so looking to ramp up my job hunt anytime soon. I popped into a couple survey mobs and haven't had any luck due to most people wanting you to have a little bit of survey experience.
Atlas (Rockhampton)
Fugro (recently taken over?)
Australian Aerial Surveys
Oberon (Albury)
Thomson Aviation Griffith
Panorama Bathurst?
Aerial aquisitions
I understand that generally most work is done March-November so looking to ramp up my job hunt anytime soon. I popped into a couple survey mobs and haven't had any luck due to most people wanting you to have a little bit of survey experience.
Atlas (Rockhampton)
Fugro (recently taken over?)
Australian Aerial Surveys
Oberon (Albury)
Thomson Aviation Griffith
Panorama Bathurst?
Aerial aquisitions
Join Date: Oct 2007
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After 6 and a half years of surveying, and watching the steady decline in work, and the subsequent price chopping and resulting cost cutting at all levels, I would be inclined to steer clear and go and do something else. If you want to do ag, then you may as well head straight for ag, I dont see any real advantage of flying survey lines in the interim.
However, be that as it may, here is my most up to date info on the operators I am familiar with:
Fugro Geophysics, Based in Perth now owned by CGG, based in Perth. Selling all their plastic rats (diamonds) and doing a little mag/spec in the Caravans, they also do Gravity and have or at least had a Skyvan and CASA doing Electromagnetic survey.
Fugro Spatial: Not too sure if that ended up being bought by CGG as well, they do high level stuff, Lidar, photography etc, Duke, Conquest, T206 I think.
GPX Surveys: Based in Perth, Mag/Spec Survey in 210s, although either one or both are parked with no work.
UTS/Geotech: Based in Perth, Got a new P750, 2 or 3 U206s, and 2 or 3 FU24s doing predominantly Mag/Spec with some gravity. Pretty much all parked up with no work, just a few jobs here and there.
Thomson Aviation: Based in Griffith, NSW, Mainly mag/spec, with facility to do Gravity too, 1 P750, currently in Mozambique last I heard, also 3 C210s with Mag Spec gear in. They have a little bit of work on, just enough to keep the boys going I believe.
Magspec: Perth based. New Startup company, 1 C210 at this stage, looking to expand, but at this stage no steady work, just dribs and drabs.
AAS, they have a P750 kitted out for Lidar, not sure what other systems they can fit, I think they just run it as required depending on work.
AAM: Based up Brisbane way somewhere. Lots of planes, C402s, C404s, Islanders, F406, T206, do mainly higher stuff, Lidar, photography etc. I know they pay a salary so probably one of the better places to work as most others tend to be casual.
Advance Aviation, dont know much about them but they have a Caravan out there doing Lidar at the moment. Saw it the other day.
Atlass: Know virtually nothing about them other than I had heard rumours they dont pay industry standard, had an idea they had been bought by AAM but I may have my wires crossed.
Corporate Air: Canberra Based, have a Conquest or a 404 with Lidar in it.
Thats all I can think of at the moment. The general guts of it is though, there is very little work out there right now. The companies like AAM that pay a salary are the ones to go for, as even though the other ones that pay casual day rates pay a lot per day, you could end up sitting at home for several months with no pay until the next survey job comes in.
Hope that is some help to you.
Best of luck and happy Grailhunting.
However, be that as it may, here is my most up to date info on the operators I am familiar with:
Fugro Geophysics, Based in Perth now owned by CGG, based in Perth. Selling all their plastic rats (diamonds) and doing a little mag/spec in the Caravans, they also do Gravity and have or at least had a Skyvan and CASA doing Electromagnetic survey.
Fugro Spatial: Not too sure if that ended up being bought by CGG as well, they do high level stuff, Lidar, photography etc, Duke, Conquest, T206 I think.
GPX Surveys: Based in Perth, Mag/Spec Survey in 210s, although either one or both are parked with no work.
UTS/Geotech: Based in Perth, Got a new P750, 2 or 3 U206s, and 2 or 3 FU24s doing predominantly Mag/Spec with some gravity. Pretty much all parked up with no work, just a few jobs here and there.
Thomson Aviation: Based in Griffith, NSW, Mainly mag/spec, with facility to do Gravity too, 1 P750, currently in Mozambique last I heard, also 3 C210s with Mag Spec gear in. They have a little bit of work on, just enough to keep the boys going I believe.
Magspec: Perth based. New Startup company, 1 C210 at this stage, looking to expand, but at this stage no steady work, just dribs and drabs.
AAS, they have a P750 kitted out for Lidar, not sure what other systems they can fit, I think they just run it as required depending on work.
AAM: Based up Brisbane way somewhere. Lots of planes, C402s, C404s, Islanders, F406, T206, do mainly higher stuff, Lidar, photography etc. I know they pay a salary so probably one of the better places to work as most others tend to be casual.
Advance Aviation, dont know much about them but they have a Caravan out there doing Lidar at the moment. Saw it the other day.
Atlass: Know virtually nothing about them other than I had heard rumours they dont pay industry standard, had an idea they had been bought by AAM but I may have my wires crossed.
Corporate Air: Canberra Based, have a Conquest or a 404 with Lidar in it.
Thats all I can think of at the moment. The general guts of it is though, there is very little work out there right now. The companies like AAM that pay a salary are the ones to go for, as even though the other ones that pay casual day rates pay a lot per day, you could end up sitting at home for several months with no pay until the next survey job comes in.
Hope that is some help to you.
Best of luck and happy Grailhunting.
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Just to update your Atlass data Alieron_69, Atlass pay well over award, full time positions, not too mention that they pay for everything that has anything to do with the job..CIR, CRM courses, first aid courses, medicals, ASIC renewals...right down to headset batteries! They pay all costs on tour obviously as well.
Can't say enough for that outfit! Good luck finding a job in GA that provides a better lifestyle than there!
Can't say enough for that outfit! Good luck finding a job in GA that provides a better lifestyle than there!
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Can concur that survey at all levels seems to be on the slide at the moment.
Mining companies in Aus are cutting back. Very little exploration and established mines are measuring their piles less often. Also uav's are sneaking in.
Think there are a few 'surveyors' looking to move on but there does not seem to be much going on in the flying industry anywhere, possibly also due to mining companies requiring less charter and freight movements.
Having said that the conditions at a couple of the outfits that The Aileron mentioned above are pretty good if you are happy to live out of a bag.
Mining companies in Aus are cutting back. Very little exploration and established mines are measuring their piles less often. Also uav's are sneaking in.
Think there are a few 'surveyors' looking to move on but there does not seem to be much going on in the flying industry anywhere, possibly also due to mining companies requiring less charter and freight movements.
Having said that the conditions at a couple of the outfits that The Aileron mentioned above are pretty good if you are happy to live out of a bag.
Last edited by Ken Worth; 23rd Dec 2018 at 03:17.
Great post aileron69, very informative and helpful. You appear to have a good knowledge of the operators in that space 
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Survey is the slowest its been since 2009. Back then geoscience aus kept dribbling out enough work to keep the main operators alive, but with all the public sector cuts this lifeline isn't here this time around. One look at the greenfield drilling stats will tell you the story and it's not going to change much in the next 12 months.
Unfortunately the dog-eat-dog cost cutting that's gone on on led to quality and service going out the window as many good people walked out the door and took their expertise elsewhere.
Unfortunately the dog-eat-dog cost cutting that's gone on on led to quality and service going out the window as many good people walked out the door and took their expertise elsewhere.
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I worked for 2 operators and was seconded to a third briefly. I also owned an aircraft that I leased to a survey operator. My expertise is Mag/Spec with a bit of gravity work. I have contacts in all the main companies that do Mag/spec. I think I'm reasonably up to date with that scene.
Regarding Atlass, I never said they pay less than the award. The award is significantly below industry standard. Admittedly it was awhile back now but a work mate called them up answering an ad, when he told them who he currently flew survey for, the response from Atlass was "we don't pay anywhere near as much as you get now where you are." We were getting the industry standard at the time so I deduced from that, Atlass pay less than industry standard.
Regarding Atlass, I never said they pay less than the award. The award is significantly below industry standard. Admittedly it was awhile back now but a work mate called them up answering an ad, when he told them who he currently flew survey for, the response from Atlass was "we don't pay anywhere near as much as you get now where you are." We were getting the industry standard at the time so I deduced from that, Atlass pay less than industry standard.
iPahlot,
Atlass let half their pilots go due market conditions. I heard a couple of weeks ago that AAM have also let the same number of pilots go, and for the same reasons.
Atlass is privately owned by a family company based in Rockhampton.
As Jet_pilot00 said, you won't find a better paid job or better conditions on the same equipment.
Atlass let half their pilots go due market conditions. I heard a couple of weeks ago that AAM have also let the same number of pilots go, and for the same reasons.
Atlass is privately owned by a family company based in Rockhampton.
As Jet_pilot00 said, you won't find a better paid job or better conditions on the same equipment.
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The December ABS figures show the survey downturn will be long-lasting:
8412.0 - Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia, Sep 2014
8412.0 - Mineral and Petroleum Exploration, Australia, Sep 2014
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Visualontop, if Ag is where you want to go I would be heading there now. You could have 5000hrs survey flying but you will still have to start at the bottom in Ag, i.e. Loader/mixer. The pay can be quite good and you will get a firsthand look into the industry and decide wether it's right for you. If it isn't, your still young enough to try something else.
Good luck.
Good luck.
