Aerial Firefighting Pilot

Location: Los Angeles County, CA
Job Type: Full time

Pay

$120,888.00 - $162,914.16 Annually

Essential Job Functions

• Operates twin-turbine-powered aircraft over mountainous or hilly terrain to give assistance to fire fighting activities below.
• Transports personnel and equipment in fire areas during fire suppression activities.
• Uses a variety of helicopter accessories in fire suppression work including aerial drops of fire retardants.
• Drops hose in fire areas.
• Patrols mountains to detect fires, lost or missing aircraft, missing persons, or for related purposes.
• Reseeds burnt-over areas from the air.
• Functions as a ground vehicle operator during required personnel manning changes at remote deployment sites.
• Attends in and out-of-state Department training and meetings requiring operating a Department vehicle, privately owned or rented vehicle.
• Operates Department refueling vehicle during normal operations.

Additional Job Functions

• Conducts pre-flight and post-flight inspections in accordance with manufacturer and/or organization approved checklists.
• Conducts ground and in-flight tests.
• Performs single-pilot operations.
• Transports essential personnel and equipment.
• Communicates with Air Traffic Control.
• Communicates with supported ground units.
• Operates a variety of helicopter mission equipment.
• Completes appropriate FAA and Fire Department documentation.
• Participates in briefings.
• Participates in periodic and annual flight evaluations and ground crew training, mandated departmental continuing education, FAA medical recertification, and flight simulation training.

Requirements

• Four thousand (4,000) logged hours of flying time in helicopters as Pilot in command, excluding flight time logged while instructing to include experience in power-off-auto rotational landings.
• Fifteen hundred (1,500) hours of this time must have been flown to/from unimproved landing areas at altitudes over 4,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) while conducting map survey work, power line patrol, construction work, fire control work, rescue operations work, or similar assignments requiring take-off and landings at aircraft maximum loads on unimproved landing areas under adverse weather conditions.

Required Certificates

• A valid Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate with a Rotorcraft-Helicopter Rating issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or a valid Commercial Pilot certificate with a Rotorcraft-Helicopter Rating issued by the FAA.
• A current and valid First Class or Second Class Aviation Medical certificate issued by the FAA.
• A valid Commercial Pilot certificate with Helicopter Instrument Rating issued by the FAA at the time of appointment.

License

• A valid California Class C Driver License is required to perform job-related essential functions.
• Applicants must provide a valid California driver's license at the time of appointment and obtain a copy of their driving record from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles before final appointment.

Physical Requirements

Physical Class 4 – Arduous: This class involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working above ground on irregular surfaces. It includes those positions that occasionally demand extraordinary physical activity such as those in Safety positions.

Examination Content

This exam will consist of three parts:

• Part I: A qualifying evaluation of training and experience based on application information and supplemental questionnaire responses. Candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher to proceed to Part II.
• Part II: A structured interview, weighted 30%, assessing Professional/Technical Expertise, Work Skills, and Interpersonal/Communication Skills. Candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher to proceed to Part III.
• Part III: A performance test administered during day and night hours, weighted 70%, assessing aircraft operations skills in a variety of environments and knowledge of Federal Aviation Regulations and air traffic rules. Candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on each weighted part of the examination.

Schedule

Appointees must be willing to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Additional Information

• Applicants who pass the assessment(s) are placed on a list for a period of 12 months. Vacancies in the Fire Department will be filled from this list.
• Candidates extended a conditional offer of employment will be required to complete a criminal background check, including a fingerprint scan, followed by a medical examination.
• Testing accommodations are available for those who require them. Contact the Testing Accommodations Coordinator at Fire-Examination@fire.lacounty.gov.