Becoming a Police Pilot
Tightgit
The other two pilots on my Police ASU are both civilians and they are pretty good guys too
There are no limits
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Shrewsbury, England.
Age: 67
Posts: 505
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well I was, then I wasn't, then I was most of the time and now I am.
But I refer the learned gentleman to the first post on this subject!
But I refer the learned gentleman to the first post on this subject!
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: land of fruits & nuts
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I can only speak for the USA. Here, I'd estimate about 98% of all law enforcement aircraft are flown by fully sworn full-time law enforcement personnel (police officers, sheriffs, state troopers etc). In the vast majority of cases, you have to get hired, go through the training process, do your time on the street before going to an air support unit. There are a few jobs from time to time where experienced police officers/pilots are recruited directly to aviation units. There are a small number of agencies in the USA that hire civilian pilots to fly with a police officer observer/flight officer. There is a lot of competition for those jobs.
When I checked last year, there were 94 ex mil and 22 straight civilian police pilots. This was just those full time at ASUs, and did not include any floaters/relief pilots.
Cyclic, I am ignoring your last remark.
Cyclic, I am ignoring your last remark.
Tigerfish
And remember that 1,500 hrs Rotary is an absolute minimum ( none negotiable). Most units will not consider under 2,000 hrs!
There are more pilots coming in now through the none military route and one unit has the first full time female pilot.
Most ex military Pilots are ex Army Air Corps ( for historical reasons mainly, - as the first specialist company into the business of hireing out pilots - PAS,- was from that background ) today there are many ex Royal marines, ex Royal Navy,& a few ex RAF. Its the experience that counts!
CAA demand that the role of Police Pilot is separate from that of the police air observers. I understand that their view is that the Pilot has the overriding responsibility for that of flight safety and there is always the danger of a conflict of interests if the pilot was to be a serving police officer.
I recognise that other countries may take a different view, but that has been the UK rule & it has served us well.
The quality and proffesionalism of our pilots is first class hence our demand for high hours.
There are more pilots coming in now through the none military route and one unit has the first full time female pilot.
Most ex military Pilots are ex Army Air Corps ( for historical reasons mainly, - as the first specialist company into the business of hireing out pilots - PAS,- was from that background ) today there are many ex Royal marines, ex Royal Navy,& a few ex RAF. Its the experience that counts!
CAA demand that the role of Police Pilot is separate from that of the police air observers. I understand that their view is that the Pilot has the overriding responsibility for that of flight safety and there is always the danger of a conflict of interests if the pilot was to be a serving police officer.
I recognise that other countries may take a different view, but that has been the UK rule & it has served us well.
The quality and proffesionalism of our pilots is first class hence our demand for high hours.
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Liverpool based Geordie, so calm down, calm down kidda!!
Age: 60
Posts: 2,051
Likes: 0
Received 17 Likes
on
6 Posts
Age ranges!! What do you think?? I am a newby whipping boy at liverpool, aged 43 1/4 with over 5000 hours and 2 ATPLs. A nice person would say that police pilots are generally 'mature' in age!!!!! 
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,576
Received 426 Likes
on
225 Posts
But some would call them "KOSs"
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: UK
Age: 71
Posts: 1,364
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The experience is fixed and as others have said non-negotiable.
The age (obviously) isn't. Lots of pps are mature, but there are some who are not. There was a chief pilot in his thirties who has moved on recently.
Lots of ex-mil pilots seem to automatically look to police work when they leave the mil, as the nearest/next best thing. Many of them seem to stick in the first job they get. That has been their experience - to move when you are told. "Civi" pilots have often come up the self-improver route and have got used to looking after their own careers. Especially if they are not "mature" they tend to be more likely to move on after a period. All the above are generalisations.
My personal take is that flying for one Unit in the same area and utilising the limited range of pilot skills necessary for police pilot work eventually gets boring. But the work is fun if you are lucky enough to get a good Unit. Like most things - depends what you want.
The age (obviously) isn't. Lots of pps are mature, but there are some who are not. There was a chief pilot in his thirties who has moved on recently.
Lots of ex-mil pilots seem to automatically look to police work when they leave the mil, as the nearest/next best thing. Many of them seem to stick in the first job they get. That has been their experience - to move when you are told. "Civi" pilots have often come up the self-improver route and have got used to looking after their own careers. Especially if they are not "mature" they tend to be more likely to move on after a period. All the above are generalisations.
My personal take is that flying for one Unit in the same area and utilising the limited range of pilot skills necessary for police pilot work eventually gets boring. But the work is fun if you are lucky enough to get a good Unit. Like most things - depends what you want.
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Liverpool based Geordie, so calm down, calm down kidda!!
Age: 60
Posts: 2,051
Likes: 0
Received 17 Likes
on
6 Posts
Agree with last post, I can tend to get 'slightly' bored on shift, the jobs you see on the TV every five minutes don't actually happen every five minutes. People often say to me 'your job must be really exciting!!' I wish.......
However, I like this unit and don't want to move to another one. Not because of military mentality, more that I like the shift pattern.... a lot. There is more to life than your job after giving everything to the RAF for years. Quality of life is now much more important than an exciting job, I could have stayed in to get the adreneline etc etc.
However, I like this unit and don't want to move to another one. Not because of military mentality, more that I like the shift pattern.... a lot. There is more to life than your job after giving everything to the RAF for years. Quality of life is now much more important than an exciting job, I could have stayed in to get the adreneline etc etc.
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: USA & UK
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
tigerfish,
"CAA demand that the role of Police Pilot is separate from that of the police air observers. I understand that their view is that the Pilot has the overriding responsibility for that of flight safety and there is always the danger of a conflict of interests if the pilot was to be a serving police officer"
I'm interested in this comment and the basis upon which you made it. Are you suggesting that it is not possible to be both a serving police officer and a police pilot. If not where can I find the relevant CAA document / legislation to read for myself.
Many thanks,
R1tamer
"CAA demand that the role of Police Pilot is separate from that of the police air observers. I understand that their view is that the Pilot has the overriding responsibility for that of flight safety and there is always the danger of a conflict of interests if the pilot was to be a serving police officer"
I'm interested in this comment and the basis upon which you made it. Are you suggesting that it is not possible to be both a serving police officer and a police pilot. If not where can I find the relevant CAA document / legislation to read for myself.
Many thanks,
R1tamer
VPAW Pilot
Come on, wasn't that you representing the Airwing at the last Gay Pride event, marching right next to Christine Nixon?
I heard the major source of discontent there at Essendon was that you all couldn't have the time off to go ?
P1
Come on, wasn't that you representing the Airwing at the last Gay Pride event, marching right next to Christine Nixon?
I heard the major source of discontent there at Essendon was that you all couldn't have the time off to go ?
P1
I'm interested in this comment and the basis upon which you made it. Are you suggesting that it is not possible to be both a serving police officer and a police pilot.
1. Could you afford to get the required flying qualifications/experience on a PC's wage.
2. If you already had the required qualifications/experience, would you want to do my job as a PC for just over half my wages.
I also think that it was recognised very early on, that if PC's were trained up as pilots, then they would probably leave for better paid jobs.
PS: hey Pprune, how about some commission for hosting those Google ads on the left??
Last edited by MightyGem; 23rd Oct 2006 at 09:41. Reason: Smart as**ed comment!!