Roger Roger
I am le tired
Best way is to get on with a company that does wheels and floats and get a year or two under your belt flying wheels to build a good rapport then get checked out on floats.
Bush Flying
- Thread starter Low&Slow
- Start date
CFI A&P
Exploring the world one toilet at a time.
As a result of Marvin Renslow, employment at Seaborne now requires ATP-MES, or be eligible to obtain ATP-MES. The big hurdle is fifty hours in category and class. Not sure if they're offering assistance with that but MES time is often the hold up.
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KKochan
Well-Known Member
Best way to get into floats in AK anyways is in the southeast. I was at the right place at the right time and got in with a company out of Anchorage, but I did have 600hrs Alaska time and about 400 tailwheel. I fly floats and started with a fresh rating.
I know Promech/Taquan was holding out for higher time guys this season, but of course didn't fill their spots. They were desperate about a month ago.
I know Promech/Taquan was holding out for higher time guys this season, but of course didn't fill their spots. They were desperate about a month ago.
CFI A&P
Exploring the world one toilet at a time.
Right off of MySpace today:
https://seaborne-airlines.hiringthing.com/job/13821/first-officer-pilot-twin-otter
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There's a CA where I work that fell into a seaplane instructor job right after he got his SES at 300ish hours.
Did that for a while then spent some time in SE AK in a Beaver on floats.
Then transitioned down the Caribbean and flew both the Twotter and Saab at Seaborne.
Then got hired at my current shop not long after me, and upgraded quick on the CRJ.
Some guys just have great timing.
Nark
Macho Superpilot
@TallFlyer have you upgraded yet? I've dumped Facebook and lost track of folks.
Low&Slow
Ancora imparo
@TallFlyer Wow! That's awesome!
Do you know where he was instructing?
Do you know where he was instructing?
Have not. Made a stupid choice to bypass last fall for family holidays and then the gravy train stopped. Really kicking myself on that one.
That said I've gotten involved in some other aspects that have the potential to restart said gravy train. At the very least I've got the platform to speak truth to power. We'll see.
I really don't.
Here's the thing though, if you're an A&P, get your ass up to AK yesterday and turn some wrenches while finishing up your ratings. Heck, just looking on flyalaska.com and there's an ad for an FE on a DC-6, which your A&P qualifies you for. Do that for a bit, finish off the ratings, then slide to the right seat.
Or get your CFI to get you to 500 hours which is 135 VFR mins, then go from there. As some have said, if your goal is floats then a season or two as a wheel pilot with a company that also has floats on property makes you a prime candidate to fly floats for them.
All that said, if you do go turn a wrench up there have a nice long chat with @Roger Roger about the pitfalls of using wrenching as a means of getting a pilot job.
Low&Slow
Ancora imparo
Unfortunately I don't have an A&P yet. I have lots of airframe repair and fabrication experience as a 15G in the Army which landed me this very competitive airframe mechanic job as a Federal Technician. My partner and I are solely responsible for keeping about two dozen UH-60, and a few CH-47 airframes airworthy. We occasionally do some airframe work on a C-12 that's based here in Lansing, and I did lots of work on AH-64s over in the sandbox too.
I also provide assistance to the LUH-72 guys. You have to have an A&P to work on the LUHs because the Army doesn't own them, but my airframe skills and knowledge often exceeds theirs, because that's all I do, so I do some of their more challenging airframe work while their mechanics supervise the work, inspect it, and sign it off.
I'm planning on going to the FSDO and getting my General and Airframe license next year (2017). Too busy with CFI and CFII to get it this year. Still haven't worked out how to get my Powerplant license though. The local community college has an A&P program, but I'm at work during the day and can't attend. I'm thinking maybe I could get a flying job or two, quit this job, and go to school for the Powerplant license.
I've logged over 500 hrs already.
I thought it would be nice to fly during float season and wrench in the winter, but I don't want to be stuck just wrenching when I should be flying. Maybe I could fly wheels and/or skis in the winter too. I don't know how it works up there though. I view myself as a pilot with maintenance skills rather than a mechanic with flying skills.
Likewise, I don't want to be dishonest with an employer and start wrenching under false pretenses or expectations. I don't want to give the impression that I am only interested in wrenching, then take-off and leave them high and dry when a good flying job presents itself. I like mechanical work, especially airframe work, but flying is where my heart has always truly been.
I've also thought about flying in AK from spring to fall, then going to the Carribean, South America, South Pacific, or something like that to fly during the winter. Not sure how realistic and/or feasible that is though.
I also provide assistance to the LUH-72 guys. You have to have an A&P to work on the LUHs because the Army doesn't own them, but my airframe skills and knowledge often exceeds theirs, because that's all I do, so I do some of their more challenging airframe work while their mechanics supervise the work, inspect it, and sign it off.
I'm planning on going to the FSDO and getting my General and Airframe license next year (2017). Too busy with CFI and CFII to get it this year. Still haven't worked out how to get my Powerplant license though. The local community college has an A&P program, but I'm at work during the day and can't attend. I'm thinking maybe I could get a flying job or two, quit this job, and go to school for the Powerplant license.
I've logged over 500 hrs already.
I thought it would be nice to fly during float season and wrench in the winter, but I don't want to be stuck just wrenching when I should be flying. Maybe I could fly wheels and/or skis in the winter too. I don't know how it works up there though. I view myself as a pilot with maintenance skills rather than a mechanic with flying skills.
Likewise, I don't want to be dishonest with an employer and start wrenching under false pretenses or expectations. I don't want to give the impression that I am only interested in wrenching, then take-off and leave them high and dry when a good flying job presents itself. I like mechanical work, especially airframe work, but flying is where my heart has always truly been.
I've also thought about flying in AK from spring to fall, then going to the Carribean, South America, South Pacific, or something like that to fly during the winter. Not sure how realistic and/or feasible that is though.
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That DC-6 FE job I mentioned? They also have DC-9s and C-46s. Pretty sure there's a LOT of sheet metal on those aircraft, and you're worth what you negotiate. There's also a lot of engine hanging off of all those platforms (144 sparkplugs on the -6 alone!), and therefore plenty of ways to get hours for a "P" license. There's a lot of UH-60s in the ANC area as well. You just never know.
The way to avoid dishonesty and false pretenses is simply to be honest. You wouldn't be the first guy to work his way into a cockpit by turning wrenches or bending sheet metal, and you certainly won't be the last. The good news for you, unlike in times past, is that there is strong demand for both good mechanical skills AND pilots. Given the shortage in supply and that most of that supply has SJS there's plenty of opportunity up north.
Ultimately though, if you want to be in AK year round, the sooner you get there, the better, whether wrenching, instructing, getting your CFI tickets, whatever. There ARE jobs for wet ink, 250 hour commercial guys (I believe one outfit is still doing the right seat caravan thing, @ASpilot2be or @alaskadrifter would both have more recent intel than me), and combining your sheet metal skills (you dent a lot of aluminum on gravel runways) with that kind of position MAY make the compensation bearable.
The way to avoid dishonesty and false pretenses is simply to be honest. You wouldn't be the first guy to work his way into a cockpit by turning wrenches or bending sheet metal, and you certainly won't be the last. The good news for you, unlike in times past, is that there is strong demand for both good mechanical skills AND pilots. Given the shortage in supply and that most of that supply has SJS there's plenty of opportunity up north.
Ultimately though, if you want to be in AK year round, the sooner you get there, the better, whether wrenching, instructing, getting your CFI tickets, whatever. There ARE jobs for wet ink, 250 hour commercial guys (I believe one outfit is still doing the right seat caravan thing, @ASpilot2be or @alaskadrifter would both have more recent intel than me), and combining your sheet metal skills (you dent a lot of aluminum on gravel runways) with that kind of position MAY make the compensation bearable.
Roger Roger
I am le tired
My advice: if you want to wrench, wrench. If you want to fly, fly.
alaskadrifter
Landing gear operator
I've got a friend who is an A&P and turned wrench for Everts and now is an FE for them, he seems to enjoy it. I don't know how long he is going to stay there, but I can try and put you in touch if you're really interested.
z987k
Well-Known Member
You'll likely do better in all departments at a regional. Unless you have some super desire to fly the DC-6.
Roger Roger
I am le tired
Trying to remember who we have that flew the Irish Concorde.
z987k
Well-Known Member
They fly a shorts now?
Roger Roger
I am le tired
Referring to @99801 s profile. Looks like one of our pilots other than the SD3.
bustinminimums
Well-Known Member
Hageland has a SD3 based in FAI. The only turboprop that Everts added besides what they already have was another Caravan and that was a little over a year ago.
I'm trying to avoid the regionals and stay in AK. I've been doing 135 for a while, but I'm thinking 121 might be a good idea.