2021 beaver salary

[leslats]

I am back into bush flying. What can I expect as salary for flying a Beaver in Northern Quebec? I have 24,500 hours, 1500 on floats (DHC-2/3, C-180/185), arctic, skis.
Also, what about that TC mandatory submerged training? Is it in force? Who give that egress training?
Thanks, and fly safe!
Frank

[scdriver]

I am back into bush flying. What can I expect as salary for flying a Beaver in Northern Quebec? I have 24,500 hours, 1500 on floats (DHC-2/3, C-180/185), arctic, skis.
Also, what about that TC mandatory submerged training? Is it in force? Who give that egress training?
Thanks, and fly safe!
Frank

I'd be interested to know what that'll pay this year. I would expect it to be less than you might want given that only a small part of your time is on floats/skis. What is the rest on? As for egress training, to the best of my knowledge it comes into force March of next year.

[leslats]

DC-3, CV-580, G-150, Airbus 340, Boeing 767/757/737, ATR-42, Ce-560 XLS, Dornier 328, DHC-6, Piper Pawnee agplane
So, what is your guess for a reasonable salary for a DHC-2 summer position?

[Tuk U]

"a reasonable salary" LOL.... for someone with the experience you show you have it seems hard to believe that you would use the words reasonable and salary in the same sentence.

[scdriver]

DC-3, CV-580, G-150, Airbus 340, Boeing 767/757/737, ATR-42, Ce-560 XLS, Dornier 328, DHC-6, Piper Pawnee agplane
So, what is your guess for a reasonable salary for a DHC-2 summer position?

I’m out west so can’t speak first hand to salaries elsewhere. If I had to guess $6500-7000 a month?? Who knows with COVID and what will happen with Americans. If that’s way off someone please correct me

[leslats]

$5500?? 6000?? 6500?? $7000/per month?? Anybody with a number?

[leslats]

Thank you for your input ScDriver. It is a good reference for me. Enjoy the West Coast Mate!
A+
Frank

[scdriver]

Thank you for your input ScDriver. It is a good reference for me. Enjoy the West Coast Mate!
A+
Frank

Good luck with the season!

[leslats]

Got my Beaver seat for the summer. Yahoo! Hope it will feel as great as 40 years ago.
Cheers!

[RedAndWhiteBaron]

Got my Beaver seat for the summer. Yahoo! Hope it will feel as great as 40 years ago.
Cheers!

Any chance you would mind sharing what you're getting paid for it and whereish you're working?

[beaverpuq]

If your first question is “ How much are you getting paid” for flying a Beaver, then I would suggest a bush flying job may not work for you. I love my bush flying, and I am paid well, but first and foremost, I love my bush flying.

[scdriver]

If your first question is “ How much are you getting paid” for flying a Beaver, then I would suggest a bush flying job may not work for you. I love my bush flying, and I am paid well, but first and foremost, I love my bush flying.

How do you know that’s his first question? Wondering what a reasonable salary for the season will be is hardly something that would indicate this guy isn’t up for bush flying. He’s simply wondering what a guy with his time is worth.

[OneYonge]

If your first question is “ How much are you getting paid” for flying a Beaver, then I would suggest a bush flying job may not work for you. I love my bush flying, and I am paid well, but first and foremost, I love my bush flying.

How do you know that’s his first question? Wondering what a reasonable salary for the season will be is hardly something that would indicate this guy isn’t up for bush flying. He’s simply wondering what a guy with his time is worth.

If you are going to consider any job at all, and you don't bother to find out the pay, you are an irresponsible sucker.

[TurbineBeaver]

Going rate in Alaska this summer at the fishing lodges is
$15,000 US a month, plus your room and board. Or $60,000 for the summer season. It actually avg out about 300/350hrs for the season. Fly out in morning, watch em fish all day, haulem back to Lodge by 5 ish. Great job if you like to fish.
Cheers
E

[TailwheelPilot]

Too bad most Canadians do not have the right to work in the US...

[scdriver]

Going rate in Alaska this summer at the fishing lodges is
$15,000 US a month, plus your room and board. Or $60,000 for the summer season. It actually avg out about 300/350hrs for the season. Fly out in morning, watch em fish all day, haulem back to Lodge by 5 ish. Great job if you like to fish.
Cheers
E

Sounds awesome. Do you know how much the guys that work year round in AK make? Alaska Seaplanes or similar. Because either they’re rolling in it big time or there’s a big discrepancy between seasonal and year round.

[Lost Lake]

I don't work for less than $300 a day or $6000 a month. Don't ask me to wash the bosses car. If I'm not flying, I'm either fishing or golfing.

[scdriver]

I don't work for less than $300 a day or $6000 a month. Don't ask me to wash the bosses car. If I'm not flying, I'm either fishing or golfing.

Absolutely no beaver driver should work for less than $300 per day unless it’s your first season, and even then...

[FloatyMcFloatface]

I am back into bush flying. What can I expect as salary for flying a Beaver in Northern Quebec? I have 24,500 hours, 1500 on floats (DHC-2/3, C-180/185), arctic, skis.
Also, what about that TC mandatory submerged training? Is it in force? Who give that egress training?
Thanks, and fly safe!
Frank

Hey Frank,
Why not leave these jobs for the lower time guys trying to advance their careers in the industry in such a difficult time?

[North Shore]

My suspicion, and inclination, is that only about 2500hrs of that time is applicable. Whooshing along at FL360 in a jet isn't exactly building 'useful' bush time towards driving a Beaver- it's just padding your wallet and logbook. You might get some acknowledgement of your higher time, but questions I'd be asking of you are when was the last time you actually flew in the bush? What is your plan for when the recall comes? Am i going to be short a pilot on two weeks notice (or less) if your airline or corporate gig calls you back in the middle of July? At least if i hire a low-timer, I know that s/he's going to stick around for the season..

[scdriver]

My suspicion, and inclination, is that only about 2500hrs of that time is applicable. Whooshing along at FL360 in a jet isn't exactly building 'useful' bush time towards driving a Beaver- it's just padding your wallet and logbook. You might get some acknowledgement of your higher time, but questions I'd be asking of you are when was the last time you actually flew in the bush? What is your plan for when the recall comes? Am i going to be short a pilot on two weeks notice (or less) if your airline or corporate gig calls you back in the middle of July? At least if i hire a low-timer, I know that s/he's going to stick around for the season..

That's likely what I would ask too but apparently he's got a seat so someone is happy to hire high time jet drivers.

[FloatyMcFloatface]

It's moments like these which inspire me to press on with aviation and become the one on the other side of the desk, influencing natural pilot progression in the industry.

That being said, I hope it's like putting on an old shoe for you. Have a good summer, Frank.

[leslats]

Dear NorthShore,
Thank you for sharing your inputs. You have formulated a few questions that I would like to reply to. But first I would like to thank all those companies that I flew jets for at FL360. During all those years they gave me rigorous periodical trainings that I believe made me a better pilot (CRM, high altitude chamber, fire suppression in cabin simulator, aircraft simulator, first aid training, decision making seminar, route checks). For me, as a pilot, it was ''useful time''. I learned a lot. Now, the last time I flew in the bush was in 2010. I flew PC-12 on the Baffin and Ellesmere Island (Pangnirtung, Grise Fjord, Kugaaruk, Gjoa Haven, Artic Bay, etc.). At some stage I was living in a refurbished container in a makeshift camp near a DEW line site. The company I worked for was mandated to clean up the site. Does it count for ''bush time'' ? If you are looking for float time, then it was in 1980; DHC-3 on the Ungava and Hudson Bay coast, from Ft. Chimo to Great Whale, or Kuujuak to Kuujuarapik for the under 47 guys. What will I do if I am recalled? I sealed my agreement with my actual employer via a ''1980 style handshake''; the one that means something, like it was in those days. It took me 45 years of hard work, discipline and sacrifice to earn a modest but decent reputation. I won't scrap it, it is not me. Interestingly, during my career, I witnessed pilots, low and high timer, jumping jobs in a middle of a contract for different reasons (higher pay, promise of a captain seat, better working conditions, etc.). Low or high time made no difference, so treat well your employee. NorthShore, don't be jealous, please be happy for me. I am just a ''seasonned'', ''vintage'' pilot who wants to meet again with his first (and still) love! Give me 1 or 2 seasons, then you can ''grab'' my seat. Cheers!

[‘Bob’]

Honestly, all time is overrated, and all time is good time.

Going into Fort Scrotum for the 500th time isn’t exactly honing your skills any more.

[scdriver]

Honestly, all time is overrated, and all time is good time.

Going into Fort Scrotum for the 500th time isn’t exactly honing your skills any more.

Good point, but given the choice for a beaver seat between a highly experienced jet driver, who is likely an excellent pilot, and a guy with 5-10K float hours I'd take the float guy every day of the week. The thing about your float legs - you use em or you lose em.