ASOG Article of the Month: February 2022
ASOG Author: Patrick Ryan
As the acting ASOG Desk Editor, I routinely scan the internet for news & information that benefits you, the Airborne Sensor Operator professional members. The other day as I was jumping around to different sites, I came across a Q & A discussion on Reddit that I thought was very relevant to many members and future operators, i.e., what are the in's & out's of ditching your desk job for the cockpit?
With that, below is the discussion. Garret_TheFerret posted the question (a future ASO looking for information), and TheAbdBoy (an ASO manager at an Aerial Surveying company in Canada) providing very good career management information.
So, enjoy the discussion and if you're like TheFerret, I hope it helps you with your career choice. Also, for the veteran civil ASOs in the group, if you have something to add, please call it out. Remember, like with so many other professional career fields - networking, mentoring & cross-talking makes our profession stronger + safe and sound.
Post: Garrett_TheFerret, 8 years ago
Hey guys, I came across a local job posting for an aerial survey observer/navigator, and I'm really interested in taking it. I'm one of those guys who spent most of his teen years playing Flight Sim and I've taken a handful of lessons, but I haven't been able to make the financial leap into getting my license yet. I think this may be a great opportunity to get my foot in the door, but I just have a few questions for guys who are familiar with the business.
What's the typical pay?
Do most guys stick around for awhile? I understand pilots tend to use this as an hour building gig before moving on, but what about operators? Why/why not?
The description says I would be operating LIDAR and photogrammetry equipment; what should I learn about this tech before I interview? I obviously have no experience with it but I do want to know what I'm getting into before I speak with these guys.
What else should I know before I ditch my desk job to try this? I want to know what the day to day life is like and whether it would be a wise career choice for someone like me, who aspires to fly professionally someday but currently has zero experience.
Thanks in advance for your guys' input!
Post: TheAbdBoy, 8 yr. Ago
I'm breaking my comment-ginity for you, because I'm currently in the process of hiring and training Sensor Operators at the aerial surveying company I work for in Alberta. I also occasionally jump in the plane and operate the equipment every once in a while.
Starting pay is between $18.30CAD/hour - $21.60CAD/hour
Pilots do not really stick around, they build their hours and then move onto bigger planes. We also don't fly in the winter because snow tends to ruin photos and LIDAR data, so the pilots who want to continue to fly in the winter usually end up working somewhere else. The sensor operators we hire are Geomatics Engineering Technologist (Geospatial Technologists in the US) and they like to stick around because we offer both field and office work related to their schooling. During our flying season they'll be operating the equipment, and in the winter, they'll be working on the data they collected. The sensor operators that leave are typically the people we hired that were overqualified for the job and they moved onto things that were better for them.
For our company, we hire Geomatics Engineering Technologists or people with a similar background. These people will have gone through a two-year diploma program, and some even have gone through a four-year engineering program. Depending on the company, you will probably need a diploma or experience in a geospatial related field to be considered. The equipment can require a bit of extensive knowledge on how they work. I personally think understanding the theory behind aerial survey flight plans is critical, because it will help you make some decisions in the air when ATC does not let you fly what you originally planned. It will also help you make decisions about navigation tolerances when the pilot is flying lines in turbulence. You can find the basics on aerial survey flight planning through Google.
The weather determines when you fly and how long you are working for. Sometimes you'll be away from home for a long time and feel overworked. Expect to be working on weekends and holidays. The sun determines how long your days are and in the summer, and the days can be long (at least when you do photo surveying, you can't take photos or fly around mountains in the dark). The good news is that you typically fly when it's SKC. The best part about it is being able to explore your country. I got to travel all over Canada, and on some bad photo weather days I got to do some fun things, such as kayaking in the mountains. If you want to do sensor operating as a career, I recommend getting a Geomatics Technology diploma first. If you want to fly for a career, you should finish your flight training. I've done over 500 hours of sensor operation and none of that counts towards my PPL!
Just to add a few things, having a interest in aviation for this job is a great asset! Most sensor operators do not understand the aviation side of aerial surveying, which can be quite frustrating at times because they don't understand the things pilots can't do (e.g. fly in icing conditions, fly into CYR airspace without permission, etc.). Working as a sensor operator in the plane also helps a lot as a student pilot. I'm currently working on my PPL, and I noticed I had slight advantages over other students. Working as a sensor operator in the plane allowed me to listen to the radio, become familiar with my home airspace, and become familiar with procedures with different airports and airspaces.
If you have any more questions about aerial surveying, feel free to ask me. I'm also an absolute nerd when it comes to the geomatics industry, so feel free to ask me about that too.
Posted: Garrett_TheFerret, 8 yr. Ago
Thank you very much for your reply. My google searches on the subject have turned up a ton of input from pilots, so it's great to hear your perspective on the industry. I want to ask you more questions so I'll be PMing you soon.
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