What to expect as a SkyLens Pilot
Becoming an aerial imaging pilot is a fantastic opportunity. At SkyLens, the skills and relationships you build throughout the season are extremely beneficial to anyone trying to further their commercial aviation career.
As every season starts, you begin your time at SkyLens with a 2-week vigorous training session at company headquarters in Hammond Louisiana during the month of October. Both the Operations and Maintenance teams guide you through the day-to-day schedule you will experience, once you leave Hammond. This includes policy presentations, comprehensive safety classes, hands on aircraft maintenance, flight checkouts, and other items that put you on the correct path as a SkyLens pilot.
The SkyLens staff is always there to answer any questions you may have, and the more questions you ask, the better. There is a lot of information to take in and is not something that should be seen as an easy task. The company expects a strong work ethic, honesty and personal integrity from every employee. If you are professional and put forth maximum effort, the successful completion of training will be no problem, and you will be assigned the aircraft that you will likely fly for the rest of the 7-month season.
Once your first projects are assigned, you will begin ferrying out to various airports across the contiguous 48 states (and maybe Canada). You can be based at a major class B airport, or family run airport surrounded by midwestern farmland. The terrain can be mountainous or flat for miles. The winds could be calm or strong. Your piloting skills are tested, flying in unfamiliar areas and conditions. You will never know where you will go next and it is an adventure, traveling all over the US.
There is no hard time off during the season. If the plane is good and the weather is good, you are flying, building hours and making money. Your days off will mainly be during cloudy or rainy times and sometimes aircraft or camera system maintenance. Occasionally, you’ll be waiting for snow to melt. The days on/days off ratio can be 60/40 to 80/20 but you will have ample time off. There may be times where you will fly 10 full days in a row but just as many times, you’ll be off for 10 days due to some combination of the above reasons.
Project length can range from a single day to several months. The pilots are given control over choosing bases with proper hangar, maintanance, and hotels within the parameters given during training. Full support is available from the operations office should it be needed.
Project length can range from a single day to several months. The pilots are given control over choosing bases with proper hangar, maintanance, and hotels within the parameters given during training. Full support is available from the operations office should it be needed.
You will be responsible for keeping your assigned aircraft clean and tracking the scheduled maintenance. SkyLens has a 4 Phase maintenance program with 50-hour intervals. New-hire pilots will receive instruction and practical testing on certain maintenance procedures that can be performed by non-A&P pilots to qualify for our PMX program. Once trained and signed off, pilots make extra money for oil/filter changes in the field.
You will have your own company-paid hotel room and will share a company-paid rental car with 1 or 2 other co-deployed pilots. Living out of a hotel for 7 months comes with some adjustments and annoyances. Hotels are the biggest expense for the company so there are limits on the room rates. Pilots will often be staying national budget chain hotels but with some negotiating, pilots have typically been able to secure nicer hotels with kitchenettes. SkyLens has several contracts with hotel groups that make it easier to book comfortable lodging within the budget limits.
You will typically be based with other SkyLens pilots flying the same area, so good teamwork/communication is necessary. You will make lifelong friends and build a network of individuals that can help each other on the aviation career path.
Good communication is also necessary with SkyLens management and maintenance staff to ensure effective and efficient operations. With everyone working together, you should never feel like everything is on you. Help is always available.
This is a first flying job for many, a second career for others, but an exciting time for everyone.
Good communication is also necessary with SkyLens management and maintenance staff to ensure effective and efficient operations. With everyone working together, you should never feel like everything is on you. Help is always available.
This is a first flying job for many, a second career for others, but an exciting time for everyone.
