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Question
Does fish spoting require a commercial license? Is it still a valid profession? I've been inactive for almost 20 years as a Privat w/instrument rating and am getting back into flying as a semi retiree. I live on the New England coast ad would purchase the right kind of plane if this was a viabe pursuit.
John
Yes, it does. Any flying for hire in any size aircraft requires a pilot to have at least commercial certificate. Some may even require an ATP for insurance purposes.
It is still a valid job, but I am not sure how many of them make a "profession" out of it. I can't imagine many such jobs would pay more than $20,000 as they are often considered just a time building position. I suggest asking around at the local airport or commercial fishing pier about who does fish spotting in your area. You might even check with your local FSDO and see if they are aware of operators who do it. While some might use contract pilots with their own aircraft, other operations hire pilots to fly their aircraft and train pilots how to do the job, much like local traffic watch reporting or banner towing jobs.
Hope this helps,
Dottie
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thank you Dottie. Fast response, I appreciate it. I'm interested in this for a retirement/part-time pursuit, so the $20k potential doesn't hurt. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
D. Norkus
Expertise
I can address questions about airline pilot employment & entry level airline careers in the United States, women pilots, flight training, pilot certification, U.S. flight scholarships (mostly for women), aviation & airline safety topics, aviation accident investigation and airline operations. ***Please note, I cannot address flight training & career queries from outside the United States, or aero engineering degree programs/careers, aviation management topics. ****
Experience
Airline captain with 15 years past experience in airline ground operations. I have previously flown as a commercial skydive pilot & ferry pilot and majored in Aviation Science
Organizations
International Organization of Women Pilots- The Ninety-Nines, charter member of Women In Aviation International, Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, Air Line Pilots Association.
Education/Credentials
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University; Aviation Safety/Accident investigation.
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