Question about building time for a float/bush career

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sendymcsendyface
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Question about building time for a float/bush career

Post by sendymcsendyface »

Hi Folks,
Trying to decide the direction I should take while building time for my CPL. I'd like to fly floats for one of the lodges in North Ontario/Manitoba, and eventually hope to end up in BC. Currently at 80TT, and around 30PIC. I was intending to do my 7hr float rating this fall, and get my CPL done next fall. However, I have just come into some money, and am considering doing my 50hr float rating with Georgian Bay Airways. My assumption is that having 50hrs on floats would look better to a prospective employer than having just 7, but I have heard conflicting things here about that. Additionally, I can't log any of the float hours as PIC, even if I am building time after getting my rating (This is just according to Georgian Bay, something to do with insurance). So what would be more valuable? 50 dual hours in a 180 on floats, or 7-10hrs on floats, and 50PIC in a 172 on land?
Thanks!
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angry inch
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Re: Question about building time for a float/bush career

Post by angry inch »

Probably not a bad idea to contact some operators that hire newbies & ask what they would like to see. However... If you want to fly floats commercially, then it is not a bad idea to build as much float time into your CPL time building as possible. I would look for a place that will eventually cut you loose to fly PIC on floats... if they even exist any more. Thats what I did 20 or so yrs ago & ended up with around 60 hrs on floats when I finished my CPL. Can’t remember how much of that was dual, but only a few more hrs of dual after the initial rating was done to learn some new techniques... The real learning will come once you get a flying job.
Shop around... maybe you can turn it into a float flying vacation in another part of the country??
Good luck
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sendymcsendyface
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Re: Question about building time for a float/bush career

Post by sendymcsendyface »

angry inch wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 8:28 am Probably not a bad idea to contact some operators that hire newbies & ask what they would like to see. However... If you want to fly floats commercially, then it is not a bad idea to build as much float time into your CPL time building as possible. I would look for a place that will eventually cut you loose to fly PIC on floats... if they even exist any more. Thats what I did 20 or so yrs ago & ended up with around 60 hrs on floats when I finished my CPL. Can’t remember how much of that was dual, but only a few more hrs of dual after the initial rating was done to learn some new techniques... The real learning will come once you get a flying job.
Shop around... maybe you can turn it into a float flying vacation in another part of the country??
Good luck
There aren't any in Ontario that let you do solo time, but there is one in BC that will cut you loose after 25hrs, however their program is also significantly more expensive. Does seem to make sense to build float time though, seeing as that is what I want to do. Besides, if I only do 7hrs, and spend what I have left on time building in a 172, I don't end up with significantly more hours. The PIC time does seem to the issue. Good idea to contact some of the operators, I will do that.
Thanks!
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kemmc
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Re: Question about building time for a float/bush career

Post by kemmc »

sendymcsendyface wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 8:50 am
angry inch wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 8:28 am Probably not a bad idea to contact some operators that hire newbies & ask what they would like to see. However... If you want to fly floats commercially, then it is not a bad idea to build as much float time into your CPL time building as possible. I would look for a place that will eventually cut you loose to fly PIC on floats... if they even exist any more. Thats what I did 20 or so yrs ago & ended up with around 60 hrs on floats when I finished my CPL. Can’t remember how much of that was dual, but only a few more hrs of dual after the initial rating was done to learn some new techniques... The real learning will come once you get a flying job.
Shop around... maybe you can turn it into a float flying vacation in another part of the country??
Good luck
There aren't any in Ontario that let you do solo time, but there is one in BC that will cut you loose after 25hrs, however their program is also significantly more expensive. Does seem to make sense to build float time though, seeing as that is what I want to do. Besides, if I only do 7hrs, and spend what I have left on time building in a 172, I don't end up with significantly more hours. The PIC time does seem to the issue. Good idea to contact some of the operators, I will do that.
Thanks!

yeah there is. sudbury aviation cuts you loose on their 172 floaters.
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Found
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Re: Question about building time for a float/bush career

Post by Found »

There are some operators in Ontario that have CPL with the 7 hour float course fly around minnows, beer, groceries, etc. while doing repairs and loading planes to get there 50 hours float time so they can start flying customers around.
A 50 hour float course is very expensive after you have done your CPL, just look for the ads when the economy picks up next summer.
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co-joe
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Re: Question about building time for a float/bush career

Post by co-joe »

If you want to fly floats, don't bother with the multi or the ifr rating, spend the money on float time.

An idea worth asking about that I don't know the answer to is; would pic on an ultralight on floats be worth anything? If it comes down to insurance, 50 pic on floats should be 50 hours pic on floats right? Look for the cheapest float plane, that you will be able to rent solo eventually. Scout, c150, whatever.
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Bede
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Re: Question about building time for a float/bush career

Post by Bede »

Buying a float plane (especially a home built) is one of those things that much cheaper than renting. Wheel gear not so much. You can pick up a homebuilt float plane for ~$30k.
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EPR
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Re: Question about building time for a float/bush career

Post by EPR »

I just did the basic 7 hour float endorsement (ratings expire, endorsements don't), and then worked my tail off as a dock hand for two seasons up North.
My reward was two sweet years of flying floats, skis, wheel-skis and some off strip as well as sched flying in the one and only Twin Otter!
That flying has been forever looked back on fondly as the best flying experience ever in my career to date! IFR is boring flying!
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