At present there are more than a few current police pilots in the UK under threat of redundancy in the next year, I know of 2 in my region (not far from the Met) with IRs and 3000-4000 hours and ex Army, who will be quite interested in this job.

With this type of candidate looking to jump from their present employer before being pushed, is it any wonder that those with less qualifications and experience (IR, intimate knowledge of the procedures and legislation of police operations) won't be called for interview?

These are tough times for public money so the employer will want the very best for their cash.

no offence but thats just a horse*** rationalisation, the last 2 times they recruited were better in terms of public money available but the situation for a none ex-mil peep was no different then.

We all know they want ex-mil but they go through the PC nonsense of saying they are an "equal opportunity employer" to satisfy the auditors etc.

anyhow I dont even know why I am complaining, because I wouldnt want the crappy pay they are offering for someone of such tremendous experience anyway. let alone the the inevitably reduced pay coming further down the down with NPAS !

Just out of interest, how many civie trained pilots who have 500 hrs low-level overland flying experience also have the knowledge of winching and roping that the Met Police are looking for?

Of course they are looking for an ex-Mil guy, but then again, who wouldn't?!:O

Ladies and Gents
This is a Rotary 'Jobs' thread - not a Rotary 'Bitching' thread.
For the sake of keeping at least one thread on Rotorheads succinct and possibly 'useful' -
can we please keep the horse s4it comments on the 'jetblast' or 'Mil v Civ' forum or make-up some other thread to bitch on?
Porcine Aviation?

Harrumph.:(

Mr R

I think EESDL just gave you the answer to your question!

CF

no offence taken, I see your frustration with the situation, it's always been a job that attracts ex-mil, just in more plentiful times there were more jobs around to fill. To some extent the employers have to go down the road of advertising the position even if there is already a list of people waiting on the old boys network.

As for the remuneration, it is what it is because it's dictated by supply and demand. At present and in the next 3-5 years almost no demand in police aviation and plenty of supply from the military.

I have no axe to grind, just an insiders insight into the reality of this 'industry'.

do you still have to sleep yuor way to the top there?

Police Pilots
 

The difference in salary for police pilots working for different employers has always been large and (IMO) difficult to justify. The salary for pilots employed by contractors are not that far apart, driven as they are by commercial pressure and competition.

The direct-employed pilots salary range is huge. There is no national agreement on such things and locally salaries are arrived at, depending upon the influence that can be exercised locally. Some chief pilots have been more successful than others at arguing for a higher salary. Some chief pilots are not even asked about such things: the HR department goes through a spurious comparative process. HR departments exercise extraordinary power in some organisations.

One weapon in the armoury of those looking to justify higher salaries is to argue that "our" pilots need to be specially qualified. One of the big differences is whether a pilot holds an IR. If a pilot does have an IR, then potentially he can get an offshore job with their high salaries. If you can
make a case for that being a requirement, then you can justify higher salaries.[In such cases, it matters little that a police pilot does not REALLY need an IR].

Exactly the opposite is true of ex-mil pilots, as a group. Police flying is an easy option for ex-mil pilots, and as close to the mil job as exists. The work is largely regular, which feels safe to someone who has been a wage slave for some time. The ex-mil also often comes with a military pension and will be likely to accept lower salaries, as a result. These are likely to be factors why lots of police pilots are ex-mil.

It has been my privilege to fly as a police pilot for over 10 years, and I am not an ex-mil pilot. The best way to get a job as a police pilot is to have done it before, and fitted into the role. Getting the first job is the trick. There were routes by which civi pilots with relatively limited experience could gain police flying experience, so that they then had a police-flying track record. Those jobs offered pay that even an ex-mil pilot with a pension would not accept. In large measure, they no longer exist because those outfits do not do police work any more.

Some years ago, when I got a job flying for the MPS, the CP was looking for pilots with previous police experience, and I believe did not favour ex-mil as against civi pilots then. I was 1 of 2 "civi" pilots recruited at that time out of about 6. Existing police pilots would be attracted by the salary and the challenge of flying for the MPS. I suspect this will remain true on this recruitment. The MPS can afford to pick and choose, so it will. One entirely sensible justification for this is to reduce the risk of employment. Any employer should do this, if they can.

MPS annual flying hours are much more than many other police forces, so do not apply if you want a quiet life!

According to the advert, the roping/winching experience is not a requirement, just desirable. When MPS bought their EC145s they bought roping/winching capability. They had a battle to get the CAA to allow them to use it, but presumably they can now, if they advertise as they have. It is anyone's guess as to whether they will ever use such a capability in anger. As far as pilot recruitment goes they can now justifiably suggest that experience would be desirable. Whether they have done that in order to favour ex-mil would be conjecture: I imagine no one except military pilots will have done roping.

Being ex-mil is no guarantee of being good. There have been some extraordinary examples of problem pilots from that source, just as there have been from the civi pool.

If you are an existing police pilot and hold an IR and your base is planned to be closed under NPAS, it will not be surprising if you apply for the MPS position, whether you are ex-mil or not. If you fit that description, you are more likely to be successful than someone who has never done police flying, whatever else you have done.

The police flying I have done has been undoubtedly the most satisfying and rewarding work I have done.

Police flying is 'ok'. You just don't get to land anywhere much.

Once per sector is enough for most of us :ok:

Bertie,

I think the very best is dual Police/HEMS, but I have only done a bit of that....

Hems is much better in the summer months...... Police flying in the winter. There is nothing like arriving at a hems scene on a crappy day in winter. The mud and sleet manage to find their way in everywhere! I have been Mr Grumpy with this week's weather