I walk about 9 to 10 miles a day surveying the pipelines across the country. I work for a corrosion service company and I always make sure to give the pilots a wave when you fly above us.
I used to fly pipeline (2018) and this is not what my experience was at all. I was the spotter, pic, picture taker and communicator with the pipeline company. A real pipeline pilot departs before the sun rises and ends when he can no longer see the mile markers. In all honesty the job sucks, however I flew 8-10hrs a day for 3-4 days out of the week and I built my time quickly enough to get out of the company and onto better prospects. Work hard and move on.
Pipeline controller here. Thanks for patrolling my transmission lines! Good looking out! You guys are really an invaluable asset. We need eyes everywhere. Controllers don’t see by scada alone haha
Matt, that was really cool! Thanks for sharing. I think that’s the first pipeline patrol video that I’ve seen and I think you’re going to inspire some folks to go that route!
Just came across your post,l had a friend who flew the pipeline in the late 70s,early 80s. Much as you describe,just alone,no observer. He was flying along,headed north,at about 500 AGL when a giant hand pushed the 172 upwards strongly and violently. When he recovered the aircraft , he noticed. a B52 speeding up the same heading. The bomber must have been about 200 feet AGL when it went under him. Never happened again,and he said he was lucky to recover the Cessna from the turbulence.
It's nice to see two pilots flying pipeline. Much safer. I did some areal patrol back in the 80's, always solo. The trips were never longer than 2 hours, usually less. About 5 years ago I rode with one of our pipeline patrol pilots. We were in the air all day. Refugio to Corpus Christi to San Antonio to Laredo, south to McAllan, then back to Refugio.
I really enjoyed working with two pilots on board for many reasons. You're right that it's much safer. Anything can happen very quickly when you're that low. It also helps give new pilots some experience working in a team. And it helped with boredom on the 6 hour flights haha. I imagine those long flights through Texas aren't too dissimilar from Alberta. I got to spend a few weeks down there in Dallas and I loved every minute of Texas. Thanks for the comment.
Cool to see this! Did the same sort of pipeline survey for 2 and a half years in Australia. Took us about 100 hours to do you whole country once a month in a 182RG. However the pilot used to fly, and the other crew would take the photos.
I hear more and more people, including pilots, calling the instrument panel a "dash" like they were in an automobile. A few decades ago I recall a Piper Cherokee Six crashing while inspecting pipelines or power lines, it was due to metal fatigue. A lot of low level flying can cause stress on aircraft and the Cherokee Six had 30,000 hours on it. Thank you for this video.
floatpool, You must not be a pilot. Pilots I knew wanted to know what caused aircraft accidents or incidents, so they could stay away from potential disaster. It is known as education. AOPA and airplane publications are filled with incidents or potential incidents to educate and protect lives.
floatpool It seems you may have some kind of problem with your thought process. If you know the maintenance history of your aircraft, know everything about the aircraft you fly, do proper pre-flight checks, obey the law and do more practice air work than required to pass reviews you will be a safe pilot and be able to respond to queries from those that fly with you or anyone else. For those that fly with you whom are concerned about or fear flying, you can allay those fears with facts.
Holy crap cant believe I just discovered your channel , Im actively looking for pipeline patrol jobs in western canada, im just done my CPL and need to get my first job as a pilot !
My dad flew pipeline for many years, some 10,000 plus hours at or below 250 agl before moving into jets. Hearing his stories about some of his “leak” finds is amazing. Often only smelling it not seeing it. Crazy how many landowners would try and park mobile homes over the buried lines. One cool flying job!
I have seen the orange Cessnas fly over my house since I was a kid! I live north of in Sundre on a farm. I’m finally starting my pilots license I’m so excited!
Hey Matt, I’m 17 years old and currently working on my Private Pilot License, with my end goal to be an airline pilot. I’m curious as to what ratings you have and if you are trying to get your ATP or what your goals are. Also, about how many hours a week do you log as PIC working with the pipeline?
Hey Evan. I have my group 1 instrument rating along with my CPL. I don't quite have the ATPL yet but soon. My end goal is to be flying some sort of long hauls, whether that's an airline 787 or a private Global. I haven't figured that part out yet haha. For the hours, it's not uncommon to be logging 60-70 hours a month. The winters here are a lot slower and we'll see around 30-40 hours in those months. Thanks for the questions.
Any updates? Have you become an airline pilot yet? If so what was your path? I have the same goal but I did a lot of research and I have the feeling now that it's extremely hard or even impossible to get a job in Canada if you don't want to become a flight instructor.. what was your experience?
@@FinjanHolschuh-zj4ob Hey! It’s crazy to me that I wrote that comment 5 years ago. It’s unbelievable how fast the time goes by. Since writing that comment I have earned my Private, Instrument, Commercial, Commercial Multi, CFI, CFII. I now work for a private charter company flying a Hawker 400. It’s a great job that pays well and I have an awesome quality of life. It is definitely harder to get a job without being a CFI but not impossible. I would highly recommend the CFI route though because it made me a much better pilot and really solidified my knowledge. Also looks great on a resume.
@@evanbarton9281 Wow, I actually didn’t expect a reply since the comment was 5 years old, lol. It’s really great to hear from someone who has had a successful career path. How did you get your license? Did you go to college, or did you do it privately? I'm 17 years old right now and in a similar situation to where you were back then. I just finished grade 11, and over the last year, I’ve been working on my PPL. I have my exams coming up in early September. I've done a lot of research over the past few months because I really want to fly commercially one day, but everyone seems extremely negative. I’ve talked to retired pilots and spent at least 20 hours reading through Reddit posts 😅. I’m not sure if you’re from the US or Canada, but in Canada, the pay is just terrible for low-level pilots, whether as a CFI or a bush pilot. You just can’t survive on $30k a year when you live close to Vancouver, so I’m quite surprised to hear that you have a good quality of life 🙃. I’m from Europe and not a permanent resident of Canada yet, but since I’ve been living here for almost 3 years now, it shouldn’t be a big deal. I’m really curious about your career path and how you found a job as a CFI. Thanks again for your time-any advice you can offer would mean a lot!
I was on a line in that area 6 years ago, we had a lot of open ditch ready to blast/test for integrity testing (A long, long ditch). It rained for days! The pillows floated from under the pipe because the ditch was full of water, and the pipe "Sagged" down when it came off them. I had to run to Edmonton to grab roller sets for the excavators, in order to pick the pipe up. It was a rush for sure, as it was raining and you guys would not be flying. Everything was put back, inspected, and fine. And no photos! Lol.
Lost my job as a CFI when my employer went bankrupt earlier this year. Looking into applying to American Patrol down in Midland, TX. You have any advice or things I should prepare for? Love your vids!
If you were a flight instructor then I'm sure you're prepared for long days and real hands-and-feet flying. Just over prepare for an interview like any other job. Good luck!
There are definitely different types of risks associated with flying so low, but the majority of them are obstacles. That’s where flying two-crew was very beneficial. Two sets of eyes. We also had new pilots sit in the right seat for approx. 6 months before they started flying so that they could learn all the routes and obstacles along the way.
Flying pipelines here in the 70's we did not have any passengers or never had a flight time of more than two hours and the pay was not good. Did build up hours flying....
Why isn’t the spotter the one that takes the photographs? After all, the PIC is flying the plane. In law enforcement aviation, the spotter or the “tactical flight officer” is the one that handles things like that because the pilot is.......flying the aircraft. What’s the purpose of switching roles like that?
It’s because the PIC is in control of the aircraft and needs to follow the ROW (pipeline right of way) visually and with his GPS/GIS. Therefore he keeps the ROW on his left so he can follow it and looks for hazards and deficiencies along the ROW while the spotter watches for towers, power lines, birds, other patrol planes etc. I think that’s the basic reason, but I’m sure there are other reasons. I work for a pipeline company in the same area and that’s what I’ve observed on fly alongs. I’ve seen these nice orange Cessnas many times while working in the area. I’m one of those people that can’t help but drop what I’m doing when I hear an airplane above. Thank god for the Flightradar24 app 🙂
Matt, great video, thanks for sharing. I’m recently looking at a second career. Do you think because of COVID this will have an affect on the need for pilots specifically for pipeline flying?
Hi James, thanks for the comment. A lot of the niche jobs were hardly affected at all from covid (basically anything not related to travel), so I doubt that will change the need for pilots. The only thing I could see being different about it currently is that there are a lot of pilots out of work from elsewhere that could he trying to get these types of jobs. BUT this is also entry level, and employers seem to know that furloughed pilots will be going back to the airlines at the first opportunity, so they aren’t hiring them as much.
I respect what you guys do for a living. Down here in Kansas USA, our pipeliners do a more less altitude flight, with a lot of pull-ups for flight hazards. Don’t really know why the fly so low, and you would think with Kansas being somewhat flat around Wichita, they wouldn’t have that many things they have to fly huger for. Except when I worked for a sheriffs department, one of our reserves was also our pilot when needed for lost people, prisoner transports within flight distance in a 182, but, he was also a pipeline flyer. I was a dispatcher when this happened, but I got a call from another county, requesting information on a possible deputy with our department wanting confirmation. They said this deputy was flying a plane, and crashed inky a small mountain, and was killed. I immediately knew who it was, and gave the name, and they confirmed it. I told them I would have our sheriff give them a call, as he was close friends with him. The guys name was Burt Odel, who with his wife used to run the FBO at El Dorado, KS. Both him and his wife were friends with everybody. I don’t think they met a person that wasn’t a friend, or was one within 10 minutes. Nobody knows what happened, besides the obvious he flew into the side of the mountain, actually here called a tall hill. Investigation showed the engine was running, everything was working as it should have been. There was one sort of witness, who didn’t see the crash, but saw him abruptly pull up, and change directions very quickly, over one hill, then he heard the crash. He said upon getting to the crash site, the pilot was deceased. His wife put a full grace marble on his grave site, with a carving of his plane, complete with his N #, His military boot school number, and the poem “Flight”, the airman’s prayer. I don’t thing his wife ever got over his death. Keep it safe, awesome vids.
That's a very unfortunate story and a great learning experience for a lot of guys. From what I could tell, the company I worked for flew the lowest out of all the other pipeline companies up here by a couple hundred feet at most places. Low enough to see everything in detail but high enough to avoid obstacles. There were still phone towers and various other things that we'd have to go around but that's where having good route knowledge and an extra set of eyes in the plane was vital. I've seen videos of inspection pilots diving down to only a few feet and then pulling up to avoid powerlines constantly. It seems unnecessary. Looks like it's just hotdogging. Of course flying is meant to be enjoyable, but safety comes first in every situation. Thank you for watching and for sharing your story.
Hey Matt , thank you for you for sharing your beautiful video with us , and I would love to enjoy in your pipeline pilot supervision, I’m working on my check ride soon for my ppl and i will keep forward to done my IR and then CPL to be with your company, please if you can advise me what minimum hours and what’s the requirements because it’s gonna help me a lot to build my hours and it’s really cool job . Regards
@@agamsingh1147 I’d read up on forums to see what other people say. X-country can have a bit of a loose definition. Maybe different between Canada and US.
Hey man! Absolutely loved the video! I’m actually finishing my commercial pilot license out of yqf red deer! I’m looking for a job in the fall just wondering what the name of your company is? Are you guys based out of vilenuve? Thanks! Hope to hear back from you!
Hey, thank you! I've probably heard you on the radio a ton if you're out of YQF haha. I can't discuss companies over TH-cam, but we're out of the Edmonton area. I know that at least a few pipeline companies advertise job openings on AvCanada so that's a great place to look when you're ready!
The aircraft itself does not demand two pilots to fly it but the job does - since the spotter is making sure the plane is right side up when the flying pilot is taking pictures. Plus the spotter is doing the pre-flight walkaround, working the radio, and I assume navigation. Does this mean the spotter can record flight time? If so, is it PIC or dual? Would it be for the entire duration of the flight or what portion of the flight?
Hi, great question. You're right that the job is all two-crew. We've looked into this and the answer is so grey that we only log it as single-pilot. The PIC logs it as PIC time and the spotter unfortunately doesn't log time for our flights.
Is the spotter an hourly paid position like any other job, and he/she just works for the company as a non-pilot? Would sure hope so if they can't log hours.
@@JoshOnGuitar The spotter gets paid hourly just like the pilot. The point of spotting, other than safety and to assist the PIC, is to learn the job and learn all of the pipeline routes before you go into PIC training.
True story..about 40 years ago, some poor SOB was flying pipeline, unbuckled his seat belt as I mentioned hit the hot air turbulence....knocked himself out by hitting the cockpit ceiling. Crash investigators determined the aircraft flew itself into the ground. If I recall it was featured in Flying Magazine.
Dang, this is great! I miss flying as an observer for an outfit from Texas. We used to run a set of lines in the Midwest. I absolutely loved the job! But I value my life. I would absolutely do it again as PIC. I love that you were a 2 man crew. Seeing how you took photographs is exactly how I wanted to. I purchased a DSLR just for this but my company required us to use their iPads or really bad laptops to take photos. It was a trip! "Hey ___ take me around again, the iPad froze" was said about 20 times a day. We also had to send photos and descriptions live. It made for a hot mess. Tower, Plane, Ground. Almost hit all 3. Incredible job and those that do it right I salute you!! Neat end to this is years later I moved across the state and while headed to the new place I saw a white Cessna doing circles over the new area. When I got home I checked out the radar and saw it was my old bird. We live 250' from the line I used to fly over and I get to see her every week and take pictures. Doesn't look as good without the pants. lol.
Finding a job is half what you know and half who you know. Connections and networking is important. Other than that, keep your eyes on any job postings that you can find. When you get an interview, prepare for it like it's a final project in university. Do more research than anyone else.
I've had a ONEOK pipeline patrol pilot terrorizing my family for 15 years and ONEOK will not stop him. He buzzes my property at treetop level whenever he feels like it in Bowie, Texas. At least a dozen people know about it but nothing gets done about it. ROW Supervisors and reps have confirmed it's ONEOK's plane but will not divulge his name. Any suggestions?
Man I’ve been doing pipeline construction for the past few years and I’m about to start working on my commercial pilots license. I’m worried about getting out with my commercial and not finding a job. About how many hours do you need for something like this?
Hey man, I'm a private pilot working towards commercial, how many hours do you need typically for one of these jobs, how hard is it to find one, how many hours do you have currently and how many did u have upon accepting the job?
Hey! Aerial surveillance is typically an entry-level pilot job, depending on the aircraft flown and the work being done. Having the commercial license should be able to cover a job like this. I had roughly 250 hours when I first started flying pipeline patrols. And like most careers, when job hunting it's half "what you know" and half "who you know." Network, keep in touch with other pilots including your school's flight instructors, go to aviation expos / job fairs, etc.
@@TheDogsoldier117 We're out of Edmonton. There are pipeline companies in a lot of places around Alberta, but to my knowledge, the two biggest ones are out of Edmonton. There are also companies that do other types of aerial inspection like gas meter readings that are based out of Edmonton and Springbank. Generally you'll be based out of a bigger city, but a lot of these companies will have overnight trips to smaller towns.
Very cool. I live along the refined products line that runs from Edmonton area to Calgary area. I assume its your company that fly's the line, either the white or orange planes. Keep safe
I was talking to a pilot of a cessna 182 from the Ohio State Patrol over say 8 yrs ago and he told me that he flies 100 hrs a month sometimes taking vips from the state capital to anywhere there destinatinon is. He was a traffic patrol pilot enforceing laws on the inter states with ground officers working with him.@@4lberta That is way too many hours. Airline pilots fly 80 hrs a mth.
@@travis2386 it depends. Typically it was the experienced guy flying and teaching a newer guy in the right seat. It took quite a while to know the entire job well enough to get in the left seat. If it was two checked out pilots that were able to fly, we'd usually alternate days on who was PIC.
@@4lberta Cool, thanks for answering my questions. Whats the interview generally like at an AB pipeline survey company ? Should I be reviewing CPL air law, nav, meteorology, etc ? Also, can we expect any King Air corporate flying vlogs from you ? Would be pretty sweet to watch a day in the life of that !
Ok, I’ve got to ask. 5-7 hours in the air. What about the bathrooms? My personal minimums include no longer than a three hour flight between landings. Even then, I have an air sick/relief bag in reserve. How do you guys do 5 hours? And don’t say, depends.
One of the most common things people would ask me. The pilot took the photos because they could maneuver the airplane themselves to get the shot that they wanted. It doesn't seem like it'd be easier, but it was easier. The spotter always made sure the aircraft was safe while the pilot was taking photos.
Do you mean many gallons do the planes hold? Because oh boy, I don't remember anymore. Been out of this game for too long haha. This is typically an entry level job. Just a commercial license and around 250 hours.
@@mrthomaslaux1 pay was good for a first job. Planes were well maintained. Of course, I had a good company. Every company is different. I've heard horror stories from other pipeline companies.
Great video and very interesting job. What license/rating would one need to have a realistic chance of getting a position? Thanks again for the vid....
For the company that I worked for, it was a very standard interview. It started with a quick phone call from the employer followed by a formal interview offer. I prepared as much as I could. Researched the company, looked up news articles. The questions were normal. "Tell me about a time you XYZ" and "What are your goals in two years." Any bits of information you can find in your research can be helpful. Also, prepare a few questions for when they ask if you have any questions about the company.
@@4lberta Hey Matt your video is very helpful, I am going for an interview in about 10 days , looking forward to start to fly these orange birds.(hopefully the interview goes well)
@@4lberta How long was the training(what are those training?) before you actually strated working on your own? In the video I see two pilots working, one on the right seat cannot log flight time but still get paid?
@@4lberta oh ok i seen on some job postings that housing was provided just was curious to how that went but still am interested in doing this route...cfi is not for me
@@MrJum861706 Instructing wasn't for me either. I've known people in a few different pipeline companies and all of them lived at home. Potential overnight trips depending on the company.
I know certain companies fly with a Observer because the Pipeline company wants that . But flying with 2 Pilots on Pipeline Patrol is Overkill . I have 9000 Hours on Pipeline and sometimes we flew with an observer but 98% of the time not . Great Video and stay Safe thanks for sharing
@@4lberta Sure agree with the safety part 100% .Pipeline Patrol these days is very Dangerous and severely underrated. But two Pilots for Pipeline Patrol is overkill .
Orange lets us stand out in the sky. So much easier to see than white or blue for other low level traffic. Plus it looks cool. Flight requirements are the CPL.
That can depend on the company you work for. I've only had to overnight in other cities about 5 times. Other than that, I'm home every night. I know pilots for other pipeline companies though that are away from home two or three times a week.
Cool, sounds like what I did too then. If you're a freshman then I'd say you have a lot of time to figure out what path you're going to take. I didn't know I'd ever be a survey pilot flying out of my hometown. I always figured I'd end up working ramp for someone and then move into the flight line. Goals can change and new doors open up all the time.
I walk about 9 to 10 miles a day surveying the pipelines across the country. I work for a corrosion service company and I always make sure to give the pilots a wave when you fly above us.
I used to fly pipeline (2018) and this is not what my experience was at all. I was the spotter, pic, picture taker and communicator with the pipeline company. A real pipeline pilot departs before the sun rises and ends when he can no longer see the mile markers. In all honesty the job sucks, however I flew 8-10hrs a day for 3-4 days out of the week and I built my time quickly enough to get out of the company and onto better prospects. Work hard and move on.
Every company is different. I've been fortunate enough to work for one of the best ones.
Which company did you work for ?
Pipeline controller here. Thanks for patrolling my transmission lines! Good looking out! You guys are really an invaluable asset. We need eyes everywhere. Controllers don’t see by scada alone haha
Matt, that was really cool! Thanks for sharing. I think that’s the first pipeline patrol video that I’ve seen and I think you’re going to inspire some folks to go that route!
Thank you!
Just came across your post,l had a friend who flew the pipeline in the late 70s,early 80s. Much as you describe,just alone,no observer. He was flying along,headed north,at about 500 AGL when a giant hand pushed the 172 upwards strongly and violently. When he recovered the aircraft , he noticed. a B52 speeding up the same heading. The bomber must have been about 200 feet AGL when it went under him. Never happened again,and he said he was lucky to recover the Cessna from the turbulence.
Thank you for the story. Sounds like a great pilot.
I'm curious what to do when that happens?
It's nice to see two pilots flying pipeline. Much safer. I did some areal patrol back in the 80's, always solo. The trips were never longer than 2 hours, usually less. About 5 years ago I rode with one of our pipeline patrol pilots. We were in the air all day. Refugio to Corpus Christi to San Antonio to Laredo, south to McAllan, then back to Refugio.
I really enjoyed working with two pilots on board for many reasons. You're right that it's much safer. Anything can happen very quickly when you're that low. It also helps give new pilots some experience working in a team. And it helped with boredom on the 6 hour flights haha.
I imagine those long flights through Texas aren't too dissimilar from Alberta. I got to spend a few weeks down there in Dallas and I loved every minute of Texas.
Thanks for the comment.
Nice! I’m from corpus!
Great video man, I enjoy all the aviation channels out here and I bet you don’t dread going into work!
Hey thanks! I love it haha
Cool to see this! Did the same sort of pipeline survey for 2 and a half years in Australia. Took us about 100 hours to do you whole country once a month in a 182RG. However the pilot used to fly, and the other crew would take the photos.
That would be pretty interesting flying around Australia.
I hear more and more people, including pilots, calling the instrument panel a "dash" like they were in an automobile. A few decades ago I recall a Piper Cherokee Six crashing while inspecting pipelines or power lines, it was due to metal fatigue. A lot of low level flying can cause stress on aircraft and the Cherokee Six had 30,000 hours on it. Thank you for this video.
We thankfully have in house maintenance and they do a great job. And aircraft with a lot less than 30,000 hours.
@floatpool yikes
floatpool, You must not be a pilot. Pilots I knew wanted to know what caused aircraft accidents or incidents, so they could stay away from potential disaster. It is known as education. AOPA and airplane publications are filled with incidents or potential incidents to educate and protect lives.
floatpool It seems you may have some kind of problem with your thought process. If you know the maintenance history of your aircraft, know everything about the aircraft you fly, do proper pre-flight checks, obey the law and do more practice air work than required to pass reviews you will be a safe pilot and be able to respond to queries from those that fly with you or anyone else. For those that fly with you whom are concerned about or fear flying, you can allay those fears with facts.
The mid-flight wardrobe change and change back was pretty cool.
Holy crap cant believe I just discovered your channel , Im actively looking for pipeline patrol jobs in western canada, im just done my CPL and need to get my first job as a pilot !
My dad flew pipeline for many years, some 10,000 plus hours at or below 250 agl before moving into jets. Hearing his stories about some of his “leak” finds is amazing. Often only smelling it not seeing it. Crazy how many landowners would try and park mobile homes over the buried lines. One cool flying job!
Wow that's a lot of time flying pipeline. A lot of landowners also try building sheds over the lines. Definitely an awesome job.
Matt Schultz yeah, I think it would be an awesome flying gig to build hours.
Remember, it's not the tower that gets ya.... It's the guy wire.
Great point. I should have included that!
i was always told, it’s the cup of coffee you didn’t have before take off… ☕️😃
I am going to be finishing up my flight training soon any ideas on where i should be looking for applications to apply?
Thank you for the effort you put into making this video about your interestting work.
I love doing it. Thanks for watching!
I have seen the orange Cessnas fly over my house since I was a kid! I live north of in Sundre on a farm. I’m finally starting my pilots license I’m so excited!
Have fun with it!
Are you with ISS or Airborne energy? I heard they was in severe need of pilots and will hire at 200
Hey Matt, I’m 17 years old and currently working on my Private Pilot License, with my end goal to be an airline pilot. I’m curious as to what ratings you have and if you are trying to get your ATP or what your goals are. Also, about how many hours a week do you log as PIC working with the pipeline?
Hey Evan. I have my group 1 instrument rating along with my CPL. I don't quite have the ATPL yet but soon. My end goal is to be flying some sort of long hauls, whether that's an airline 787 or a private Global. I haven't figured that part out yet haha.
For the hours, it's not uncommon to be logging 60-70 hours a month. The winters here are a lot slower and we'll see around 30-40 hours in those months.
Thanks for the questions.
Any updates? Have you become an airline pilot yet? If so what was your path? I have the same goal but I did a lot of research and I have the feeling now that it's extremely hard or even impossible to get a job in Canada if you don't want to become a flight instructor.. what was your experience?
@@FinjanHolschuh-zj4ob Hey! It’s crazy to me that I wrote that comment 5 years ago. It’s unbelievable how fast the time goes by. Since writing that comment I have earned my Private, Instrument, Commercial, Commercial Multi, CFI, CFII. I now work for a private charter company flying a Hawker 400. It’s a great job that pays well and I have an awesome quality of life. It is definitely harder to get a job without being a CFI but not impossible. I would highly recommend the CFI route though because it made me a much better pilot and really solidified my knowledge. Also looks great on a resume.
@@evanbarton9281 Wow, I actually didn’t expect a reply since the comment was 5 years old, lol. It’s really great to hear from someone who has had a successful career path. How did you get your license? Did you go to college, or did you do it privately?
I'm 17 years old right now and in a similar situation to where you were back then. I just finished grade 11, and over the last year, I’ve been working on my PPL. I have my exams coming up in early September. I've done a lot of research over the past few months because I really want to fly commercially one day, but everyone seems extremely negative. I’ve talked to retired pilots and spent at least 20 hours reading through Reddit posts 😅.
I’m not sure if you’re from the US or Canada, but in Canada, the pay is just terrible for low-level pilots, whether as a CFI or a bush pilot. You just can’t survive on $30k a year when you live close to Vancouver, so I’m quite surprised to hear that you have a good quality of life 🙃. I’m from Europe and not a permanent resident of Canada yet, but since I’ve been living here for almost 3 years now, it shouldn’t be a big deal. I’m really curious about your career path and how you found a job as a CFI. Thanks again for your time-any advice you can offer would mean a lot!
@@evanbarton9281 Congrats! Nice to hear that you made it
I was on a line in that area 6 years ago, we had a lot of open ditch ready to blast/test for integrity testing (A long, long ditch). It rained for days! The pillows floated from under the pipe because the ditch was full of water, and the pipe "Sagged" down when it came off them. I had to run to Edmonton to grab roller sets for the excavators, in order to pick the pipe up. It was a rush for sure, as it was raining and you guys would not be flying. Everything was put back, inspected, and fine. And no photos! Lol.
That's really cool to hear some of the stories from you guys on the ground.
Nice video. What are your weather minimums for your job, ceiling and visibility, do you fly special VFR ?
Regular VFR minimums with the allowance to go down to 1 mile vis for us. I believe that's what it was.. It's been a while now.
Great vid! What is your typical AGL altitude when patrolling ? When near populated areas, do you require a waiver to fly below 500ft?
We're around 500 AGL. We have a special ops certificate that allows us to fly below minimum altitudes.
About to start flight school, & originally wanted to be an aerial firefighter. But saw this job! This is my goal.
Awesome! It’s a great entry to aviation.
Very interesting flying you are doing. How many hours a week would you fly doing this?
David Robins anywhere from 15-25. We’d usually average roughly 70 per month if memory serves me right.
Lost my job as a CFI when my employer went bankrupt earlier this year. Looking into applying to American Patrol down in Midland, TX. You have any advice or things I should prepare for? Love your vids!
If you were a flight instructor then I'm sure you're prepared for long days and real hands-and-feet flying. Just over prepare for an interview like any other job. Good luck!
@@4lberta I’m definitely familiar with those long days for sure lol. Appreciate it!
Did you ever apply? If so, how is it flying for them?
did you get the job?
Nice video, is dangerous this kind of flight? Im thinking about the altitude.
There are definitely different types of risks associated with flying so low, but the majority of them are obstacles. That’s where flying two-crew was very beneficial. Two sets of eyes. We also had new pilots sit in the right seat for approx. 6 months before they started flying so that they could learn all the routes and obstacles along the way.
Hey, it’s a horizon or sky west e175. I would know I fly the Q400 that use to fly sea to Edmonton before the jet stole the route lol.
Flying pipelines here in the 70's we did not have any passengers or never had a flight time of more than two hours and the pay was not good. Did build up hours flying....
Why isn’t the spotter the one that takes the photographs? After all, the PIC is flying the plane. In law enforcement aviation, the spotter or the “tactical flight officer” is the one that handles things like that because the pilot is.......flying the aircraft. What’s the purpose of switching roles like that?
Or why don’t they have a sensor ball and take a continuous video of the line with the second pilot marking times and driving the camera.
It’s because the PIC is in control of the aircraft and needs to follow the ROW (pipeline right of way) visually and with his GPS/GIS. Therefore he keeps the ROW on his left so he can follow it and looks for hazards and deficiencies along the ROW while the spotter watches for towers, power lines, birds, other patrol planes etc.
I think that’s the basic reason, but I’m sure there are other reasons. I work for a pipeline company in the same area and that’s what I’ve observed on fly alongs. I’ve seen these nice orange Cessnas many times while working in the area. I’m one of those people that can’t help but drop what I’m doing when I hear an airplane above. Thank god for the Flightradar24 app 🙂
As a controller, I was curious at how this worked. Thanks man
Matt, great video, thanks for sharing. I’m recently looking at a second career. Do you think because of COVID this will have an affect on the need for pilots specifically for pipeline flying?
Hi James, thanks for the comment. A lot of the niche jobs were hardly affected at all from covid (basically anything not related to travel), so I doubt that will change the need for pilots. The only thing I could see being different about it currently is that there are a lot of pilots out of work from elsewhere that could he trying to get these types of jobs.
BUT this is also entry level, and employers seem to know that furloughed pilots will be going back to the airlines at the first opportunity, so they aren’t hiring them as much.
7 hours? I don't usually fly for more than about 2 hours myself in one go because I would tend to need to pee after that. How do you manage?
You learn very quickly to time your early morning coffee properly.
Good thing the windows in the 172 are so big, too...
How do you use the bathroom?
How many hours before they hire for this gig? Great video, keep up the good work 👏
Just a commercial licence.
@@4lberta Been in oilfields most my life. With love of aviation and the patch, this would be a dream job.
I respect what you guys do for a living. Down here in Kansas USA, our pipeliners do a more less altitude flight, with a lot of pull-ups for flight hazards. Don’t really know why the fly so low, and you would think with Kansas being somewhat flat around Wichita, they wouldn’t have that many things they have to fly huger for.
Except when I worked for a sheriffs department, one of our reserves was also our pilot when needed for lost people, prisoner transports within flight distance in a 182, but, he was also a pipeline flyer.
I was a dispatcher when this happened, but I got a call from another county, requesting information on a possible deputy with our department wanting confirmation. They said this deputy was flying a plane, and crashed inky a small mountain, and was killed. I immediately knew who it was, and gave the name, and they confirmed it. I told them I would have our sheriff give them a call, as he was close friends with him.
The guys name was Burt Odel, who with his wife used to run the FBO at El Dorado, KS. Both him and his wife were friends with everybody. I don’t think they met a person that wasn’t a friend, or was one within 10 minutes. Nobody knows what happened, besides the obvious he flew into the side of the mountain, actually here called a tall hill. Investigation showed the engine was running, everything was working as it should have been. There was one sort of witness, who didn’t see the crash, but saw him abruptly pull up, and change directions very quickly, over one hill, then he heard the crash. He said upon getting to the crash site, the pilot was deceased.
His wife put a full grace marble on his grave site, with a carving of his plane, complete with his N #, His military boot school number, and the poem “Flight”, the airman’s prayer. I don’t thing his wife ever got over his death.
Keep it safe, awesome vids.
That's a very unfortunate story and a great learning experience for a lot of guys. From what I could tell, the company I worked for flew the lowest out of all the other pipeline companies up here by a couple hundred feet at most places. Low enough to see everything in detail but high enough to avoid obstacles. There were still phone towers and various other things that we'd have to go around but that's where having good route knowledge and an extra set of eyes in the plane was vital.
I've seen videos of inspection pilots diving down to only a few feet and then pulling up to avoid powerlines constantly. It seems unnecessary. Looks like it's just hotdogging. Of course flying is meant to be enjoyable, but safety comes first in every situation.
Thank you for watching and for sharing your story.
Hey Matt , thank you for you for sharing your beautiful video with us , and I would love to enjoy in your pipeline pilot supervision, I’m working on my check ride soon for my ppl and i will keep forward to done my IR and then CPL to be with your company, please if you can advise me what minimum hours and what’s the requirements because it’s gonna help me a lot to build my hours and it’s really cool job . Regards
Hi Raed. The majority of aerial inspection jobs are entry level so they only really require the CPL, hours-wise.
Matt Schultz thank you so much i will try to be on the way to find out how to be required Thanks again and god bless you. 👨🏻✈️👍
Sir what company did you work for?
Can you build Cross country time as a pipeline patrol pilot? THanks just wondering.
Yep. Using some sort of navigation to go long ways away. I’d call it cross-country.
@@4lberta Thanks! Just got my Commercial License, may opt for pipeline patrol instead of CFI since I'm close to 400 hours.
@@agamsingh1147 I’d read up on forums to see what other people say. X-country can have a bit of a loose definition. Maybe different between Canada and US.
Do all pipeline pilots were white shoes?
thanks for sharing!
Hey man! Absolutely loved the video! I’m actually finishing my commercial pilot license out of yqf red deer! I’m looking for a job in the fall just wondering what the name of your company is? Are you guys based out of vilenuve? Thanks! Hope to hear back from you!
Hey, thank you! I've probably heard you on the radio a ton if you're out of YQF haha. I can't discuss companies over TH-cam, but we're out of the Edmonton area. I know that at least a few pipeline companies advertise job openings on AvCanada so that's a great place to look when you're ready!
I’m sure I’ve heard you on the radio a few times! Haha ohh ok that makes sense! No worries! Sounds great I’ll check Avcanada! Thank you so much!
Attended the job interview there. Looking forward for a job offer!!!
The aircraft itself does not demand two pilots to fly it but the job does - since the spotter is making sure the plane is right side up when the flying pilot is taking pictures. Plus the spotter is doing the pre-flight walkaround, working the radio, and I assume navigation. Does this mean the spotter can record flight time? If so, is it PIC or dual? Would it be for the entire duration of the flight or what portion of the flight?
Hi, great question. You're right that the job is all two-crew. We've looked into this and the answer is so grey that we only log it as single-pilot. The PIC logs it as PIC time and the spotter unfortunately doesn't log time for our flights.
Is the spotter an hourly paid position like any other job, and he/she just works for the company as a non-pilot? Would sure hope so if they can't log hours.
@@JoshOnGuitar The spotter gets paid hourly just like the pilot. The point of spotting, other than safety and to assist the PIC, is to learn the job and learn all of the pipeline routes before you go into PIC training.
@@4lberta How long did you work as a spotter before you upgrade to PIC?
@@austinliu6265 averaged between 4-6 months at this company before moving to the left seat
Yep, nothing like flying in west Texas on a hot summer day, getting the crap beat out of you at 700ft. Pure nirvana.
True story..about 40 years ago, some poor SOB was flying pipeline, unbuckled his seat belt as I mentioned hit the hot air turbulence....knocked himself out by hitting the cockpit ceiling. Crash investigators determined the aircraft flew itself into the ground. If I recall it was featured in Flying Magazine.
Airborne by boat? how does that work?
Seems likely this job will be conducted my a drone in the future.
I could see that happening.
Shhhh.... don’t give them ideas! 😂
Now for the important part whats the pay approx?
35-45, when I was there. Enough to live off of for a first flying job. Potential to make more.
Finally piperiders have come to life !
Dang, this is great! I miss flying as an observer for an outfit from Texas. We used to run a set of lines in the Midwest. I absolutely loved the job! But I value my life. I would absolutely do it again as PIC. I love that you were a 2 man crew. Seeing how you took photographs is exactly how I wanted to. I purchased a DSLR just for this but my company required us to use their iPads or really bad laptops to take photos. It was a trip! "Hey ___ take me around again, the iPad froze" was said about 20 times a day. We also had to send photos and descriptions live. It made for a hot mess. Tower, Plane, Ground. Almost hit all 3. Incredible job and those that do it right I salute you!!
Neat end to this is years later I moved across the state and while headed to the new place I saw a white Cessna doing circles over the new area. When I got home I checked out the radar and saw it was my old bird. We live 250' from the line I used to fly over and I get to see her every week and take pictures. Doesn't look as good without the pants. lol.
Looks fun. Can’t wait to start working.
How do you control the bladder for 7 hrs? Yoga? Meditation?
Learn quickly to time your coffee consumption. There was the very odd time when someone would have to land somewhere for a pit stop.
Was the Mustang a rental car? I couldn’t help but notice the automatic transmission.
Nothing the ladies like more than an automatic Mustang
A Mustang equipped with automatic gearbox is less likely to run over pedestrians at the car show.
Do you have to have pilot license just to be a passenger and take photos
This company worked two-crew. Both guys in the plane had their commercial pilots license.
What exactly is the process to obtain a pipeline job after your CPL?
Finding a job is half what you know and half who you know. Connections and networking is important.
Other than that, keep your eyes on any job postings that you can find.
When you get an interview, prepare for it like it's a final project in university. Do more research than anyone else.
Matt Schultz Thank you for.all your advice
I start going to school for my commercial license soon and I was looking at flying patrol, seems like a good job and a nice way to build up hours.
So do u log 7 hours individually or split and log 3.5 each?
The PIC logs the entire time.
@@4lberta
Ok so whoever is flying
@@blessedexpress4476 yep, you got it
Do both pilots log PIC time?
Only the left seat pilot logged time. The right seater doesn't log any time.
Cool video. Never knew this job existed
Thanks! It's a good one.
Hi Matt I have lots of questions on how to find a job like yours I am a CFII looking for a Pilot job like yours
I bet it gets boring really quick, but yes, a great way to get a lot of experience really quick.
Never a boring day in the air, right? (no, yeah. Definitely very boring sometimes haha)
I've had a ONEOK pipeline patrol pilot terrorizing my family for 15 years and ONEOK will not stop him. He buzzes my property at treetop level whenever he feels like it in Bowie, Texas. At least a dozen people know about it but nothing gets done about it. ROW Supervisors and reps have confirmed it's ONEOK's plane but will not divulge his name. Any suggestions?
Does this plane have ILS instruments?
Very interesting video about your work,thank you.
Thank you!
i have a cpl with 350 hours. how does one get a spotter position?
Apply.
@@4lberta yes, but apply to who? how do i find companies or individuals who do pipeline flying?
@@mjw4450 Google. Indeed. Pilot Career Centre, if you're Canadian. There's probably an equivalent website in America. Meet people. Make connections.
Two pilots needed ? I am going to start my training and considering this job for hours building.
Man I’ve been doing pipeline construction for the past few years and I’m about to start working on my commercial pilots license. I’m worried about getting out with my commercial and not finding a job. About how many hours do you need for something like this?
Most pipeline patrol and aerial surveillance jobs are entry level. Just the commercial licence.
Hey man, I'm a private pilot working towards commercial, how many hours do you need typically for one of these jobs, how hard is it to find one, how many hours do you have currently and how many did u have upon accepting the job?
Hey! Aerial surveillance is typically an entry-level pilot job, depending on the aircraft flown and the work being done. Having the commercial license should be able to cover a job like this. I had roughly 250 hours when I first started flying pipeline patrols. And like most careers, when job hunting it's half "what you know" and half "who you know." Network, keep in touch with other pilots including your school's flight instructors, go to aviation expos / job fairs, etc.
Thanks for the reply dude. I'm from Calgary btw, where are you guys based and where can I expect to be based doing a job like this?
@@TheDogsoldier117 We're out of Edmonton. There are pipeline companies in a lot of places around Alberta, but to my knowledge, the two biggest ones are out of Edmonton. There are also companies that do other types of aerial inspection like gas meter readings that are based out of Edmonton and Springbank. Generally you'll be based out of a bigger city, but a lot of these companies will have overnight trips to smaller towns.
@@4lberta is your company currently hiring or do you they will be hiring within a year and a half or so?
@@TheDogsoldier117 I'm not at all involved in the hiring so unfortunately I can't say.
Ppl here, wondering what endorsements you need to apply? Instrument, commercial, etc.?
Only the commercial. This company just uses 172s. Potentially a multi down the road if the company you're looking at uses a twin.
Which company do you work for? This looks like an amazing job. Working on my CPL. Is this only during the summer!! Thanks for sharing man!!
could anyone tell me which airport is it?
Edmonton International.
I want to fly with y'all. Are you hiring? I have my checkride Thursday. I still want to get my Multi-Engine and maybe my CFI.
So, 2.5 to 10 hours on the right seat without being able to log time?
Yep.
Matt Schultz
Roughly how long are you in the right seat before being able to move to the left seat and log hours?
Very cool. I live along the refined products line that runs from Edmonton area to Calgary area. I assume its your company that fly's the line, either the white or orange planes. Keep safe
Awesome, that's most likely us. Hopefully we don't get tooooo low over you.
I love that line!
Cool video man!
Great video! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you!
Tom Spitler bb
What are the regs concering flying 7 hrs of flight in ` day?? Is that not too many hours to fly in one day?
60 hours in any 7 consecutive days limit. There are monthly and yearly limits too but we don't normally come close to them.
I was talking to a pilot of a cessna 182 from the Ohio State Patrol over say 8 yrs ago and he told me that he flies 100 hrs a month sometimes taking vips from the state capital to anywhere there destinatinon is. He was a traffic patrol pilot enforceing laws on the inter states with ground officers working with him.@@4lberta That is way too many hours. Airline pilots fly 80 hrs a mth.
@@DANCINGERN way too many hours for my liking
No neck strap on the camera?
Does the spotter get to take credit for second in command logbook time ?
No.
@@4lberta So do the 2 people on each crew just alternate who is in command? Do most survey companies in Alberta fly 2 people or solo ?
@@travis2386 it depends. Typically it was the experienced guy flying and teaching a newer guy in the right seat. It took quite a while to know the entire job well enough to get in the left seat. If it was two checked out pilots that were able to fly, we'd usually alternate days on who was PIC.
@@travis2386 to my knowledge, every pipeline company is two-crew. Much safer.
@@4lberta Cool, thanks for answering my questions. Whats the interview generally like at an AB pipeline survey company ? Should I be reviewing CPL air law, nav, meteorology, etc ? Also, can we expect any King Air corporate flying vlogs from you ? Would be pretty sweet to watch a day in the life of that !
Ok, I’ve got to ask. 5-7 hours in the air. What about the bathrooms?
My personal minimums include no longer than a three hour flight between landings. Even then, I have an air sick/relief bag in reserve. How do you guys do 5 hours?
And don’t say, depends.
You learn very quickly to time your coffee intake accordingly.
So why doesn’t the observer/spotter take the photos? Seems a bit odd for the pilot flying to do that....
One of the most common things people would ask me. The pilot took the photos because they could maneuver the airplane themselves to get the shot that they wanted. It doesn't seem like it'd be easier, but it was easier. The spotter always made sure the aircraft was safe while the pilot was taking photos.
Matt Schultz thanks!
How much total gallons? How much hours needed for these jobs?
Do you mean many gallons do the planes hold? Because oh boy, I don't remember anymore. Been out of this game for too long haha.
This is typically an entry level job. Just a commercial license and around 250 hours.
@@4lberta yes, total gallons in plane. How is the pay. Are these planes well kept, maintained? Good for private buy?
@@mrthomaslaux1 pay was good for a first job. Planes were well maintained. Of course, I had a good company. Every company is different. I've heard horror stories from other pipeline companies.
total hrs needed? IFR?
usually close to 500 but can be lower. and usually IFR yes
depends on who you know though
Great video and very interesting job. What license/rating would one need to have a realistic chance of getting a position?
Thanks again for the vid....
Thank you! It's pretty entry level. CPL with 250-400 hours.
What can you tell me about the interview process for becoming a survey pilot ?
For the company that I worked for, it was a very standard interview. It started with a quick phone call from the employer followed by a formal interview offer. I prepared as much as I could. Researched the company, looked up news articles. The questions were normal. "Tell me about a time you XYZ" and "What are your goals in two years."
Any bits of information you can find in your research can be helpful. Also, prepare a few questions for when they ask if you have any questions about the company.
@@4lberta Hey Matt your video is very helpful, I am going for an interview in about 10 days , looking forward to start to fly these orange birds.(hopefully the interview goes well)
@@airbornepotato good luck!
@@4lberta How long was the training(what are those training?) before you actually strated working on your own? In the video I see two pilots working, one on the right seat cannot log flight time but still get paid?
@@coupegenesis4871 if you watch all his videos, you will get the answer, they always work two crews, the spotter don't log time and got paid the same.
Hows the housing situation
We lived wherever. No crew housing. Edmonton is a big city.
@@4lberta oh ok i seen on some job postings that housing was provided just was curious to how that went but still am interested in doing this route...cfi is not for me
@@MrJum861706 Instructing wasn't for me either. I've known people in a few different pipeline companies and all of them lived at home. Potential overnight trips depending on the company.
Is that a Cessna 172sp?
They were either M or N's. I can't remember which anymore.
Totally cool. Love it.
Thank you!
I asked my CFI what pipeline pilots do and TH-cam recommended me this video today... lol, thanks TH-cam!
That would be a fun job... I think im over qualified... but sure would be nice to just fly low level all day.
I know certain companies fly with a Observer because the Pipeline company wants that . But flying with 2 Pilots on Pipeline Patrol is Overkill . I have 9000 Hours on Pipeline and sometimes we flew with an observer but 98% of the time not . Great Video and stay Safe thanks for sharing
I don't think you can go overboard on safety.
@@4lberta Sure agree with the safety part 100% .Pipeline Patrol these days is very Dangerous and severely underrated.
But two Pilots for Pipeline Patrol is overkill .
Wow, I thought you were going to "buy a boat". But it turns out you said, "by about". Silly Canadians.
I might still buy a boat.
Super!
Explain theORANGE Cessnas👌💥🏌️♂️ What are the prerequisites for being hired for this work besides the ppl?
Orange lets us stand out in the sky. So much easier to see than white or blue for other low level traffic. Plus it looks cool.
Flight requirements are the CPL.
@@4lberta by
Is this the type of job for career pilots or guys who just want to fly for work?
What is flying?
@@4lberta Whoa! Steady on there Morpheus.
great gig man!
awesome video thank you
Thank you!
Looks like a great way to build hours. What would be a pretty typical number in a year? Seems like flying those 8 hour days could really add up quick.
Around 800 per year is normal. The hours definitely add up quickly.
@@4lberta Would this be a good job for someone who wants to be home every night? If not, is there a piloting job you could recommend for a family man?
That can depend on the company you work for. I've only had to overnight in other cities about 5 times. Other than that, I'm home every night. I know pilots for other pipeline companies though that are away from home two or three times a week.
@@4lberta thanks for the feedback. I'm a freshman in a piloting program. I'm just trying to figure out some future goal in this career field.
Cool, sounds like what I did too then. If you're a freshman then I'd say you have a lot of time to figure out what path you're going to take. I didn't know I'd ever be a survey pilot flying out of my hometown. I always figured I'd end up working ramp for someone and then move into the flight line. Goals can change and new doors open up all the time.
7hr flight holding the bladder?
Yep.
We could land somewhere if we really needed to.
Ever use a bottle?
@@canadiandude1974 I've heard stories of it haha
If you dont my you comment your company or DM? Looks like I great experience!
I see your planes flying by the whitemud and henday all the time. Do you ever take civilian passengers? I’m getting my ppl out of cooking lake
Unfortunately we can't due to insurance reasons.
Surprised you guys use 172's and not 182's
182s would be nice. We have the stock 160 HP engines replaced with 180 HP ones. Just that small boost makes a noticeable difference.
@@4lberta Ahh I see. Ya, that would give it a bit more jam.
Why not split the roles and have the pilot, well, pilot! And have the observer/co-pilot take pics?
Trial by fire.