86BravoPapa
Well-Known Member
With a wet commercial in hand, is Alaska a good place to start a career? From what I've read, it's a fairly common path but is it a smart/safe one for low time individuals with no mountain flying experience?
Beginning in Alaska
- Thread starter 86BravoPapa
- Start date
ShortField
No one of consequence
I started up here and it worked out pretty dang good for me. I had a wet commercial as well and started in the right seat of the 1900 for hageland. There’s a large portion of the state that has a ton of flying and zero mountains, especially where most people start out in the mighty Yukon/ Kuskokwim Delta.
The flying is interesting, the days are long and laborious, but I’ve found that the experience gave me an interesting and valuable perspective that I’d not have had otherwise.
alaskadrifter
Landing gear operator
Alaska is 1/3 the size of the Lower 48, so the terrain is varried, everything from mountains, to flat tundra, to dessert, to rain forrest. With a wet comm no one is going to hand you the keys and say have fun, you will be an sic somewhere for a bit. Be ready to load, clean, and de ice all on your own. Always have a plan b, and you will scare your self at some point. I think the Aviation industry up here has slowly gotten safer over the years. There are a number of experienced AK pilots here (more so than I), so don’t hold back on questions.
86BravoPapa
Well-Known Member
Are there certain companies that would be better than others for someone totally new to Alaskan flying? Any good books?
alaskadrifter
Landing gear operator
Bering Air, Hageland/Ravn, Ace Air Cargo, Ryan Air Service all hire low time copilots.
86BravoPapa
Well-Known Member
Any of those have a better reputation than others at training, safety, not pressuring/forcing upgrades from SIC if a pilot doesn't feel ready?
Roger Roger
Bottom of the list
Bering Air is pretty much the premier of those listed (maybe of the whole state).
alaskadrifter
Landing gear operator
True, but you have to live in Nome, which isn’t for everyone.
Roger Roger
Bottom of the list
No, even on a rotation it could be a poor fit for many.
86BravoPapa
Well-Known Member
How is Alaska time viewed in the lower 48...121,135,91?
ppragman
No pasa nada.
Literally noone cares.
alaskadrifter
Landing gear operator
86BravoPapa
Well-Known Member
Wow, wouldn't have guessed that.
86BravoPapa
Well-Known Member
That's funny. Well done.
Nark
Macho Superpilot
You get street credit, but that's about it.
I left in 2010, without bending metal. The guys in this thread would know a better where to start knocking on doors.
Keep in mind: In 2009 I asked @ppragman the same questions you did, and without a doubt, the best flying season I had was that follow on year.
I left in 2010, without bending metal. The guys in this thread would know a better where to start knocking on doors.
Keep in mind: In 2009 I asked @ppragman the same questions you did, and without a doubt, the best flying season I had was that follow on year.
ShortField
No one of consequence
If you want to do it, now is the time. Most everyone starts running classes in early spring, so you’ll need to get your ass on the jet and start knocking on doors.
86BravoPapa
Well-Known Member
It's a door knocking culture? I imagine those doors are spread out all over; that's alot of geography to cover. Any suggestions as to where to start?
ShortField
No one of consequence
Unfortunately, it is a bit of a knocking on doors culture. Maybe it stems from the blue collar nature of the flying, but dropping off a resume in person and being able to shake some hands will get you a lot further than firing off a few emails in my opinion.
With the exception of Bering Air, most of the places you would be looking at have offices and operations in Anchorage. Cruise over to the Ravn/Hageland office, Ryan, and Ace Air Cargo. Pretty sure Bering has a link for applications on their website being that their home office is in Nome.
Do you have a CFI? Where are you located?