Becoming a Police Pilot
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Helinut
Did you go the instructer route or NS..or something else.
What would your advice be to a novice just joining the ranks of commercial aviation who would like to work towards Police/Air Ambulance work in the future, apart from the years of hard graft??
Did you go the instructer route or NS..or something else.
What would your advice be to a novice just joining the ranks of commercial aviation who would like to work towards Police/Air Ambulance work in the future, apart from the years of hard graft??
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I did military aircrew selection at cranwell last year..and passed.. could point you in the right direction, but i think it's too late now anyway by the sound of it, but if you do want to know anything and if i can be of some use just drop me a line. I put an exam paper together for some mates of mine who went for it, they said it really helped and i could probably dig it up for you.
Anyway if i can help just get in touch.
Anyway if i can help just get in touch.
Avoid imitations
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RM,
I suggest you contact PAS, McAlpines or even your local ASU to ask about the CAA's minimum hours requirements laid down in the Police Air Ops Manual Part 1.
They are quite demanding and without them you don't really have a hope of being accepted. Unfortunate, for keen folk like yourself but it's for good reason, as Helinut has said. The ASU I worked at demanded double the CAA minima.
I suggest you contact PAS, McAlpines or even your local ASU to ask about the CAA's minimum hours requirements laid down in the Police Air Ops Manual Part 1.
They are quite demanding and without them you don't really have a hope of being accepted. Unfortunate, for keen folk like yourself but it's for good reason, as Helinut has said. The ASU I worked at demanded double the CAA minima.
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RM,
Any advice must be general - specific advice will depend on personal circumstances.
I went the "instructor" route (pre-JAR FCL); it made sense then. It is all much more difficult (and expensive) post JAR FCL. Most of my time has been spent combining instructing and flying commercially. I did not have the option of flying in the military (far too old)- if you can, you should think of military flying as an option for several reasons.
Although I had it in mind to have a go at police flying, I really wanted to just fly helicopters, rather than particularly fly for the police. I have always enjoyed the flying and that's why I changed careers. Now that I fly for the police, I particularly enjoy the teamwork, and not knowing what is coming next (as well as the flying).
It has cost me a moderate fortune in training costs to get where I am today, and it has cost me even more in lost income. However, I would not want to do anything else, and I manage to earn some extra by doing what I used to do part-time. This was very useful early on, when it was really impossible to earn a living wage purely by flying.
Most helicopter work in the UK is freelance - your personal circumstances need to be able to cope with that.
Minimum Experience for police flying is along the following lines, although it does vary and if not ex-mil you normally need a lot more than the minimum to be considered seriously:
Min Rotary Time 1,500-2,000 hrs
Multi Eng Time >500 hrs
"significant" VCF overland, with some low level experience
Night Flying 50+ hrs
Although most police hele ops are VMC, they are also looking for significant instrument experience, cos inadvertent IMC at night is always a possibility. Civi pilots often have IRs, although they are not kept valid.
In most cases, a significant amount of the time needs to be PIC.
Some ASUs ask for other requirements where relevant too.
Any advice must be general - specific advice will depend on personal circumstances.
I went the "instructor" route (pre-JAR FCL); it made sense then. It is all much more difficult (and expensive) post JAR FCL. Most of my time has been spent combining instructing and flying commercially. I did not have the option of flying in the military (far too old)- if you can, you should think of military flying as an option for several reasons.
Although I had it in mind to have a go at police flying, I really wanted to just fly helicopters, rather than particularly fly for the police. I have always enjoyed the flying and that's why I changed careers. Now that I fly for the police, I particularly enjoy the teamwork, and not knowing what is coming next (as well as the flying).
It has cost me a moderate fortune in training costs to get where I am today, and it has cost me even more in lost income. However, I would not want to do anything else, and I manage to earn some extra by doing what I used to do part-time. This was very useful early on, when it was really impossible to earn a living wage purely by flying.
Most helicopter work in the UK is freelance - your personal circumstances need to be able to cope with that.
Minimum Experience for police flying is along the following lines, although it does vary and if not ex-mil you normally need a lot more than the minimum to be considered seriously:
Min Rotary Time 1,500-2,000 hrs
Multi Eng Time >500 hrs
"significant" VCF overland, with some low level experience
Night Flying 50+ hrs
Although most police hele ops are VMC, they are also looking for significant instrument experience, cos inadvertent IMC at night is always a possibility. Civi pilots often have IRs, although they are not kept valid.
In most cases, a significant amount of the time needs to be PIC.
Some ASUs ask for other requirements where relevant too.
Last edited by Helinut; 11th May 2003 at 03:18.
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Oooops - saw this a bit late. Basically, computer game skills will get you through! All done in front of a screen in about two hours.
A bit of a number memory test, some spatial orientation tests, mechanical skills (keep the ball in the circle type tests), usual sort of stuff.
They say that you can't practice for it though, i.e. the program is sophisticated enough to assess your current skill level and adjust itself accordingly. Don't know if that's true or if they are just trying to pysch you out.
Just stay sober, get some sleep and pop those ProPlus. Stay frosty! Good luck.
A bit of a number memory test, some spatial orientation tests, mechanical skills (keep the ball in the circle type tests), usual sort of stuff.
They say that you can't practice for it though, i.e. the program is sophisticated enough to assess your current skill level and adjust itself accordingly. Don't know if that's true or if they are just trying to pysch you out.
Just stay sober, get some sleep and pop those ProPlus. Stay frosty! Good luck.
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Letsby Avenue,
It's because we are renowned for breaking stuff, I would imagine. As the story goes, two ball bearings each are given to a soldier, a sailor and a police officer and they are asked to make something out of them...
The soldier says, "I've made a marbles-type game."
The sailor says "I've made a model of the planets."
The copper says, "Sorry mate, I lost one and broke the other one..."
Does that explain?
So, SSS, any result?
DBChopper
It's because we are renowned for breaking stuff, I would imagine. As the story goes, two ball bearings each are given to a soldier, a sailor and a police officer and they are asked to make something out of them...
The soldier says, "I've made a marbles-type game."
The sailor says "I've made a model of the planets."
The copper says, "Sorry mate, I lost one and broke the other one..."
Does that explain?
So, SSS, any result?
DBChopper
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passed the ones from cranwell and made the most of the free lunch, now a bit nearer to becoming 'slf' for a living just hope we have a pleasant hostie on board the aircraft we have to serve refs.
Looking for a Police job?
PremiAir, formerly McAlpines Aviation Services, have got the contract for the Surrey ASU, and will require 3 pilots as from next April. The usual ATPL, 2000hrs etc required.
Gatvol
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Have an old Cop friend who works as a Sgt for Surrey Constabulary. I certainly would like to have someone get him in a Helicopter for a ride and give him a couple grey hairs. I owe him that for getting me totally pi55ed in Ripley one night or was it day.
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Would I be correct in saying that up until now Surrey used 3rd Met AS355 at Fairoaks? Does this therefore mean that Surrey will run another AS355 at Fairoaks and Met will re-position theirs elsewhere?
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So what's happening to the guys that are at Fairoaks at the moment? Will they be absorbed into the Met set-up at Lippitts Hill? Can't see Maclines (or whatever they're called now) getting many takers at the 'normal' rates of pay bearing in mind the cost of houses round there!
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All met pilots are relocated back to Lippits Hill. Macs are recruiting three new ones for their pilotage contract with Surrey. Pay is around 39K. (which should be just enough for a 120k garden shed in Basingstoke!)
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Whatc a nice bunch to work for though
I have spent some time with the guys down at Surrey and the Obsevrers are a good bunch. They are hoping that at least some of the pilots will stay with them.
It is common knowledge around the bazaars that, unfortunately, the current arrangement has become harder to keep going on a proper footing due to increasing demands on the aircraft and the increasing problems as the aircraft age. Surrey have been very brave and extremely forward looking in deciding to break away and go it alone.
I am sure everyone wishes them well and, having flown with them, I know they are a very professional bunch with high hopes and an incredible level of commitment to their unit and Surrey Constabulary.
Good luck boys.
It is common knowledge around the bazaars that, unfortunately, the current arrangement has become harder to keep going on a proper footing due to increasing demands on the aircraft and the increasing problems as the aircraft age. Surrey have been very brave and extremely forward looking in deciding to break away and go it alone.
I am sure everyone wishes them well and, having flown with them, I know they are a very professional bunch with high hopes and an incredible level of commitment to their unit and Surrey Constabulary.
Good luck boys.
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Normal?
Hi,
The first post said the would want 2000hrs and ATPL is the ATPL bit normal for police work?? and how much of a pain in the butt is it to get from a CPL point of view???
Cheers Lee...
The first post said the would want 2000hrs and ATPL is the ATPL bit normal for police work?? and how much of a pain in the butt is it to get from a CPL point of view???
Cheers Lee...
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MightyGem - How come McAlpines changed their name - they run into a slow patch or just a new marketing angle.
You talk about the Met running AS355s, do they still have their 222s or are they long gone.
You talk about the Met running AS355s, do they still have their 222s or are they long gone.