Alternative to Air Hart

[moocow]

OK, I been searching the forum but hoping for an update on this issue and yes I used Google as well.

Situation:

I messed up my CX's Cadet interview but not so bad that I would be black listed. Right now I'm working at an office job and going to BCIT at night. I still want to break into the aviation industry and been reading about float and bush flying.

Problem:

It seems no one around Vancouver offer CPL on floats and Air Hart have been mentioned a few times on here. The issue is that it's located in the interior and I can't exactly quit my job since I don't like taking out loans with no means of repaying. The only 2 school that I can think of around Vancouver is FlightSafety (sp?) and Fort Langley but both only offer endorsement and 50 hour Bush but not exactly CPL. Any suggestions from the experience aviators are much appreciated.

[200hr Wonder]

Assuming that they are an FTU, which both are that can do CPL, there is no reason why they can't offer you a full CPL on floats, just call them up and ask. So long as there FTU allows for CPL training and they are willing to do then you are good to go. Though not sure what they would want to see before allowing you out in the plane on a rental for time building.

[North Shore]

If you could work out the commute to Victoria, i'm sure that Airtids at Pacific Sky could help you out....

[cessnafloatflyer]

It seems like your only option is to build your time in a seaplane then do the required training hours dual on wheels so that you make the time for the requirments and do the test on wheels. I think its about a 30 hour difference. In the meantime you can practice more seaplane skills and leave the test stuff for the test.

Feel free to PM me as i have experience with your situation.

[Airtids]

Here are your options to do a full CPL (or PPL for that matter) on floats:

1: Buy your own floatplane, and find an instructor who also holds a float rating and 50 hours on floats who would be willing to freelance your CPL. Please note: insurance may be impossible to secure for option 1.

2: Find a FTU that has a floatplane, and an instructor who also holds a float rating and min 50 hours on floats. I don't know if one of those exists, other than Airhart, out west here. We used to do it at High Alpine Air in Nelson, and we are looking at that route here at Pacific Sky, but are not there yet (thanks for the push, though, Northy ).

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ocean Air for your float work, but I don't know if Dave holds a FTU OC and an instructor rating. You may have trouble finding such a thing. I'm surprised there aren't more operations who cater to exactly your situation. Kills two birds with one stone, so to speak. The only stumbling block can be the post-rating solo time, but there is nothing wrong with sending a float pilot (non-instructor rated) along as a safety pilot to keep the insurance company happy. TC is OK with it as it is still considered solo time.

Good luck,

Robin

[moocow]

Thank you for all the suggestions so far. Sorry that I didn't clear up my problem earlier but yes, renting floats for time building is going to be an issue. So far, none of the flight schools' website have any sort of solo rental information. Another thing that came up is the amount of hours I have currently: 73 dual and 23 solo with VFR PPL. I guess I should get more solo hours first before even attempting the floats rating.

[cessnafloatflyer]

In your log book there is no row for solo, only PIC so this whole solo thing is really about the 5 solo take off and landinings needed for the rating after that there is no solo requirement of any kind and no way to even record it. PIC time is what you should be intererested in terms of fulfilling some sort of requirement for employment and/or insurance.

[Airtids]

In your log book there is no row for solo, only PIC so this whole solo thing is really about the 5 solo take off and landinings needed for the rating after that there is no solo requirement of any kind and no way to even record it. PIC time is what you should be intererested in terms of fulfilling some sort of requirement for employment and/or insurance.

(B) 30 hours solo flight time including:
(amended 2006/12/14; previous version)

(I) 25 hours solo flight time emphasizing the improvement of general flying skills of the applicant which shall include a cross-country flight to a point of a minimum of 300 nautical mile radius from the point of departure and shall include a minimum of 3 landings at points other than that of departure; and
(amended 2006/12/14; previous version)

(II) 5 hours solo flight time by night during which a minimum of 10 takeoffs, circuits and landings were completed.

Except there is a solo requirement for the CPL. It is time that is to be spent working on the skills that will be assessed during the CPL flight test. However, that doesn't mean you can't have a non-instructor on board while practicing CPL exercises solo (OK, with the obvious exception of stalls and spins and the night portion) .

[cessnafloatflyer]

True AirTids. Strange that solo refers to time without a rated instructor.

[usib]

Sea to Sky Air in Squamish.

They offer full flight training on floats.
Float ratings, PPL, CPL.
They also rent to cpl students on course.

Best deal going for float time...they have really good rates.
The winter is a great time to learn floats on the coast.
Everyone I know that trained here loved it.
http://www.seatoskyair.ca

[moocow]

I will start checking out the Sea To Sky, FloatSafety, and Fort Langley next weekend, thank you for all the inputs. However, have any of you used their services in the past year?

[viccoastdog]

IMHO don't spend extra money getting your CPL on floats as opposed to wheels (it will always cost more on floats because of increased maintenance costs and what one has to pay a qualified pilot as opposed to te unfortunately low pay of flight instructors). Finish your CPL on wheels at the place of your choosing and when you've completed you CPL flight test and all of the dual components required for the CPL, then go and get you rating, followed by extra advanced training time. I know students who have gone this route and they're happy with the outcome.

You will come out with your 200 hours, a float rating, and some advanced float rating from a real operator. This is going to be the most economical option by far.

And since everyone else feels it's OK to plug their own business...go with Pat Bay Air for the endorsement and advanced training. They're a proper charter outfit with skilled, high time career float pilots, not a flight school with 50 hour-wonders pretending they know what float flying is really about.You can do the rating on a 172 followed by a check in the 185 if you like. These are planes that are actually used by commercial float operators. Oh yeah, we can get you cheap accommodation if you're from out of town.