Yellowknife

Pyleosnow · Post by **Pyleosnow** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:22 am

I was just wondering if anyone living in yellowknife could give me an idea of what to expect in the way of rent. Ive heard low end in the 500 range. Also what are the avliability of the non aviation jobs in the area? If i were to go up now what would the odds being of hooking on somewhere by the spring. Thanks

LT · Post by LT » Fri Jul 16, 2004 10:28 am

Wasn't someone trying to share his flat for $600/month?

cinical · Post by **cinical** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 10:40 am

I'm paying 500 plus bills so in the summer about 625 winter with car its about 700. You can get 6 non aviation jobs the day before you get here. Might not be a job you'd write home about but pay is pretty good. If you came now I think you would have a shot at getting on before fall for sure. Companies you should look at are Air Tindi, Arctic Sunwest and I think Northwestern. I'll leave opinions of these places up to others......

ymm flyer · Post by **ymm flyer** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 11:03 am

Like I've said time and time before stay away from Arctic Sunwest. Bad news. Yellowknife is ok in the summer if you can handle bugs, but the winter is mighty cold. Tindi is where ist's at. Just a side note on Arctic Sunwest, the rampies are bitter and underpaid and the management is mean and greedy.

flynfiddle · Post by **flynfiddle** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 6:41 pm

A job is a job is a job, and these days if you have an entry level job in the biz you're in the game instead of watching from the cheap seats .. ok, maybe more like you're keeping the bench warm but you get my point.

The biggest asset one can have these days is thick skin because there's no lack of sh*t and abuse rained down on rampys by power tripping a-holes. Arctic Sunwest is no exception but it sure as hell isn't alone. Alot of companies come to mind that are not paradise.

Just a word of advise .. if Arctic Sunwest offered you a job, take it!

Valhalla · Post by **Valhalla** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:06 pm

The difference between Arctic Suwest and Tindi... you'll be flying a lot quicker with Arctic Sunwest.

LT · Post by LT » Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:10 pm

Valhalla wrote:The difference between Arctic Suwest and Tindi... you'll be flying a lot quicker with Arctic Sunwest.

Flying for them or from them(home)?

HSG · Post by **HSG** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 4:05 pm

There is probably a reason folks stick around at Tindi for so long....

Daart · Post by **Daart** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 6:37 pm

Just wondering as I soon hope to make the quest northbound, just what is it like on the ramp? I know that is an ambiguos question, but what I mean is, do ths captains treat you like dirt? Do you work 7 days a week, 12 hours a day? Just because you have to start at the bottom, will I be treated like a bottomfeeder?

flynfiddle · Post by **flynfiddle** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 8:23 pm

Just the opposite in fact, you will quickly discover that most captains and f/o's treat the rampies well (they've been in your shoes before and know what it's like), for the most part it's the middle management types that relish sh*t rolling downhill. They're not all bad just some let it go to their head, not sure if it's a jealousy thing or not.

Aside from the occasional flogging, ramp jobs aren't bad. Depending on who you ask you will get extreme opposite views, for some kids fresh out of flight schools it's their first real job experience so being yelled at isn't what they expected of being "pilots", other just shrug and say it beats cutting trees or working the farm.

I think most will agree with me when I say it is harder to look busy than being busy... not to worry though, just look up the hill, there will be a guy up there waiting to roll some sh*t down to you!

Tango01 · Post by **Tango01** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 10:20 am

Yellowknife! you got balls to move there man!

T01

tusky · Post by **tusky** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 1:25 pm

how long does it usually take to get in the right seat at tindi and sunwest and when is the best time to move there in terms of getting flying in the shortest time.

ymm flyer · Post by **ymm flyer** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 3:04 pm

Tindi your looking at 2 years and Arctic Sunwest about 1 and a half years. Let me tell you it's damn cold there in the winter and slow so you always have to look busy. In the summer the bugs eat you alive. It's not worth it man. No girls, nothing to do. The f/o's are good guys, some captians are too. But ask me about the managerment? Arctic Sunwest be prepared to be verbally absued. Look in Manitoba or Ontario, it's a better lifestyle an won't change you as a person.

Pyleosnow · Post by **Pyleosnow** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:01 pm

You're saying that there is more to do in Norhtern Ontario and Manitoba then in Yellowknife? I dont know anything about the demographics in Yellowknife, but cant imagine that there are any more girls in Pickle Lake or Thompson. I figured it was just another perk on begining an aviation career that you take a vow of celibacy for about 3-4 years, unless you have a very understanding girlfriend. As for bugs in the summer dont care, live in N. ont and they are terrible here. Ill give you the cold. No entirely sure what is meant by Yellowknife will change you, if you could clarify for me. Just a question for anyone doing medivac in N. Ont. Whats the average flight hours/month.

just curious · Post by **just curious** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 6:51 pm

Yellowknife has all the amenities of Winnipeg or Thunder, and takes less time to get to them,

Women are both available & employed, and not too hard on the eyes. Generally, they can read and write, and likely earn more money that local pilots. This cannot, to the same extent be said of most places with the last name Lake, or the first name Fort.

Starting over, I'd go for the 'Knife first.

Daart · Post by **Daart** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 1:53 pm

While I've never been to Yellowknife, I have been to other towns like Thompson, Red Lake, and Laronge looking for work. Nothing against these places, but Yellowknife definetly cannot be worse than them. Dad used to spend the odd day there while he was a geologist and loved it there. Once I've got enough money saved to buy a reliable set of wheels I'm on my way, hopefully it'll work out for me.

flynfiddle · Post by **flynfiddle** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 2:23 pm

Forget the wheels, buy a sled! You'll have way more fun.

corn-shoot · Post by **corn-shoot** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 2:26 pm

flynfiddle wrote:Forget the wheels, buy a sled! You'll have way more fun.

Save your money and take one of those vacation packages to Aruba, come back and reconsider you career. Either way I think you can mortgage your dignity in a nicer place, if you really must stay in aviation.

Daart · Post by **Daart** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:43 pm

Yeah, and where did you get your start? Or did daddy buy you a job.

arsenal · Post by **arsenal** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:23 pm

ymm flyer... you description of yellowknife sounds alot like mcmurray...

ymm flyer · Post by **ymm flyer** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 9:03 pm

What do I mean by the knife changing you? I was not a happy person and as a pervious post said it helps if you have an understanding girlfriend. I did and let her go, great girl and not too sure what I was thinking. That would not have happened if I was back in Ontario. I was a bitter person who drank too much and missed me girl and family all the time.

Flybabe · Post by **Flybabe** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:27 am

Aw, YZF isn't THAT bad!!

Yeah it gets cold in the winter but the summers are GORGEOUS. Yes the bugs are bad, the blackflies ate me alive. nasty little shits.

If you don't drink before you go to YZF chances are your liver will be in for a shock. That seems to be the most common pastime. I can't say much for Sunwest, Marvin had sold off most of his machines when I was there but Tindi, well.. it's a big family and you WILL put in your time and work your way up. It may take 6 months it may take a couple years, depends on supply and demand!

I couldn't wait to get out of there and now? I wish I could go back. Sure do miss the northern lights (I lived in Kam Lake, had a great show every night!) and for some reason I miss the little "ticky tacky ticky tacky" sounds the power substations make lol

Horseman · Post by **Horseman** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:47 am

Took a trip up to Yellowkjnife last Summer, to scout out the work environment. Lots of rooms for rent, and they seem to come open all the time.

The Northern News is published on the WEB each Monday with News and Classified section. (170 For rent), will give you some idea of the cost of housing. Real expensive, but some operators provide some help by the way of a housing allowance.

http://www.nnsl.com/bin/classifieds.pl?170

Good Luck.

Horseman

Croissant Wrench · Post by **Croissant Wrench** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:28 am

Tango01 wrote:Yellowknife! you got balls to move there man!

T01

I love it when a T.O.'r says that. In my very humble opinion, it would take bigger balls to move to Toronto, it's just so disgusting

Captain X · Post by **Captain X** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 10:10 am

For most people in Toronto "heading up north" is going to Muskoka.

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