You are not yet qualified to pilot a Fire Boss.

To become qualified, obtain the requirements listed below. Once you meet the criteria, you may submit your application.

Qualification requirements:

• 1,500 hours total in all aircraft (NOTE: The majority of Dauntless Air pilots who meet all qualification requirements were hired with an excess of 4,000 hours total time)

• 1,200 hours in airplanes

• 200 hours in airplane single engine land

• 100 hours in airplane single engine sea (ASES) (NOTE: If you lack the 100 hours of ASES, but have your sea plane rating (ASES) and meet all other requirements, you may still apply)

• 25 hours in the same make and model to be flown (NOTE: If hired, you will receive these hours as part of the Dauntless Air training program)

• 100 hours in turboprop airplanes, as applicable

• 200 hours of low-level* flight in airplanes; this must include at least 100 hours of legitimate FAA Part 137 operations, commonly referred to as “crop dusting” or “aerial application” hours, which encompasses the dispensing of fire retardant, water on fires or agricultural materials/chemicals (i.e., liquid or dry products)

• 200 hours in mountainous terrain** or 100 hours after successfully graduating from a recognized mountain flying school (click here for recognized schools)

• 100 hours in airplanes in the last 12 months

• 10 hours in airplanes in the preceding 60 days

• Instrument rating

• Commercial certificate

  * Low-level flight is defined as pre-planned mission-oriented flight conducted below 500 feet above ground level (AGL) in support of Federal, State or Private resources such as wildlife surveys, telemetry work, ACETA, wildland firefighting, pipeline patrol, 14 CFR 137 dispensing, nap-of-the earth (NOE) flight operations below 500 feet AGL, etc. Ineligible flight time includes random low-level flight seeing or game spotting, and any time spent landing and taking off or pattern work.

  ** Mountainous terrain experience is defined as operating airplanes in mountainous terrain as identified in 14 CFR 95 Subpart B, Designated Mountainous Area. Operating includes maneuvering near terrain, crossing ridgelines and evaluating conditions such as wind, temperature and density altitude. If you meet all other requirements, but lack this specific time, you may still apply.

Additional information:

Crop dusting time is typically the hardest time to accumulate and the lack of it disqualifies many otherwise qualified pilots. To learn more about crop dusting and how to secure an agricultural aviation job, join the National Agricultural Aviation Association as well as your state’s agricultural aviation association.

Dauntless Air does not have leads or contacts in the agricultural aviation industry nor recommendations for flight schools.

read: how to become an aerial firefighter

Dig deeper into what it takes to become an aerial firefighter for Dauntless Air. Click below to read more about the experience, skills and traits needed to excel in a Fire Boss cockpit.