Stepping Up

[BearForceOne]

Float driver here looking ahead to summer 2019. Spent the last few seasons flying 185/206’s for small operators I really liked, but with no opportunity for advancement. Good experience 1200 TT (960 hrs floats). I’m looking to step up this summer and wondered if there was any recommended strategy involved here? Is it reasonable to expect being trained up on say a Beaver this spring, or would larger operators most likely want to see me in their 185/206 for a while first? Any leads on good operators? PM’s welcomed.

[digits_]

Float driver here looking ahead to summer 2019. Spent the last few seasons flying 185/206’s for small operators I really liked, but with no opportunity for advancement. Good experience 1200 TT (960 hrs floats). I’m looking to step up this summer and wondered if there was any recommended strategy involved here? Is it reasonable to expect being trained up on say a Beaver this spring, or would larger operators most likely want to see me in their 185/206 for a while first? Any leads on good operators? PM’s welcomed.

People with less than 1000 hours have been flying beavers past season. Don't refer to yourself as having good experience though, with 1200 hours, that won't go over well. The people that are hiring you, are probably used to having applicants with triple your hours in the past. They might begrudgingly be hiring pilots with lower time nowadays because they have no choice financially, but that doesn't mean they consider the lower time pilots as having good experience.

Good luck!

[C.W.E.]

185's and 206's are more demanding to fly than a Beaver, once you have mastered the 185 and 206 flying the Beaver is relatively easy.

The reason owners look for high hour pilots is because of the cost of replacing a Beaver if you wreck it.

With your time and good references from your former employers you should be able to move up to the Beaver.

[TailwheelPilot]

With the way the industry is right now just decide where and who you want to fly for then start applying. Tofino Air just put up an add for a Beaver/180 float pilot; 1000 TT & 500 floats so even on the West Coast you have a good chance of getting in a Beaver.