Roadtrip!

hellholeflyer · Post by **hellholeflyer** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:09 am

Hey all,

I know this topic has been up here more times than I can count but hey whats one more that

Always like to keep old topics fresh lol

Planning on doing a road trip in the very near future and was looking for some advise. I was planning on just heading stiaght north from edmonton and keep going north tell I find something. From what I read in the past yellowknife is a good place to go door to door at.

Does anyone have any new leads that they would like to share or some plan old advice on how to go about this road trip?

Thanks everybody!

B-rad · Post by **B-rad** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:04 am

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:12 am

Hit Fort Simpson, Fort MacMurray, Whitecourt, on your way up to yellowknife.

where are you starting from?

hellholeflyer · Post by **hellholeflyer** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:22 am

Just another 270 hour wonder with a fresh MIFR

As for a job I am not picky at all, I am fine with working the ramp or anything else for that matter. I am just a little worried about getting stuck on the ramp for a very long time(not complaining, just worried). All I want to do is fly and am more than willing to pay my dues in order to do that. I am just very tiried of hating my current job, everyday.

I am starting my drive from edmonton.

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:51 am

Just get onto http://www.pilotcareercentre.com, print out the listings of all the companies in alberta, northeaster BC, southern NWT, call, prioritize, see who hires for the ramp, or ideally directly into a small single engine, or something like that.

don't ignore the Sask. hot spots as well. Mikisew in fort mac does lots of ramp hiring, but it seems like the folks there are somewhat disgruntled. Macmurray aviation has a 206. What about AES in whitecourt? don't they have C177 doing pipeline patrol? Wolverine Air in Fort simpson has a 206, and a 172, i think. If you can make it up to Norman Wells(winter road only, i don't know the status of it), NorthWright hires for the ramp with quick(usually) transition to the 206.

Make some calls first so you don't waste your time at places where there is no potential.

Good luck
wp.

Donald · Post by **Donald** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 3:30 pm

YHY- Landa Aviation

YSM- Northwestern Airlease

YFS - Simpson Air & Wolverine Air

YVQ - North-Wright (only if you have a "college" diploma)

YZF - Air Tindi, Arctic Sunwest, Buffalo Airways(you might catch Joe in YHY as well)

It's not a definitive list and they are not all great companies, but they could be a start. Good luck and drive safe.

hellholeflyer · Post by **hellholeflyer** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 4:46 pm

Question for you guys/gals? When you send out resume's do you actually ever hear back from people or is it better to start calling them. I am trying to walk the line about being annoying

B-rad · Post by **B-rad** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 5:38 pm

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:02 pm

Donald wrote:YHY- Landa Aviation

YFS - Simpson Air & Wolverine Air

It's not a definitive list and they are not all great companies, but they could be a start. Good luck and drive safe.

acutally, I think that Simpson Air got bought out by Wolverine, didn't they?

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:05 pm

hellholeflyer wrote:Question for you guys/gals? When you send out resume's do you actually ever hear back from people or is it better to start calling them. I am trying to walk the line about being annoying

No, rarely hear back from places if you only send a resume.

I recommend calling them first. If things sound positive, or at least not negative, tell them you will forward a resume just in case a position comes up. Then you have a bit of a segway when you show up on their doorsteps a couple weeks or months later... "..remember me? I talked to you/sent my resume...blah blah blah."

TopperHarley · Post by **TopperHarley** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:12 pm

hellholeflyer wrote:Question for you guys/gals? When you send out resume's do you actually ever hear back from people or is it better to start calling them. I am trying to walk the line about being annoying

You should definetly keep in touch with the companies you meet via phone on a regular basis (just dont be annoying). When I did it, I was calling every 2 weeks, which then turned into once every 3-4 weeks. It took me 7 months of phone calls to finally get an offer. Nowadays, it shouldn't take 7 months though. I've met people who've gotten hired with as little as 1 phone call!

As for your road trip, North American Charters and Wasaya in Ontario would be good places to check out too. Their ramp time seems to be shorter than any company in YZF.

Good luck on it. Bring a lot of canned food and a can opener

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:37 pm

C-HRIS would have been hired a lot faster if he looked better in a short skirt! What WERE you thinking??
On a serious note. Pack your bags as if you were intending to stay put. You never know. A job may be open NOW. If you don't have to go home to pack, it could be yours TODAY!! Have everything you'll need for at least a month WITH you.
Head to the local haunts in the evenings (eg. The Lake View, in YRL) and just listen.
Dress like the local pilots...leave the three piece suit in the car...unless you're in YYC, etc.
Do NOT look rich.....leave daddy's Porsche behind....ya got to look like a starving pilot...I have a van I can sell you....you could live in it..and it's UGLY!
Enjoy!

hellholeflyer · Post by **hellholeflyer** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 7:06 pm

So no short skirts than? No 3 peice suites? I think I am out of cloths and my big plan is gone, back to the drawing board. As for looking poor, I dont think that will be a problem, all I have is a decent truck everything else I own goodwill wouldnt take

But really thanks for all the advice everyone

looproll · Post by **looproll** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 7:06 pm

Although everyone calls it "Fort MAC", It's Fort McMurray, wally, not "macmurray".

Get an instructor rating and hit-up Adventure Aviation in Grande Prairie.

merlin · Post by **merlin** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:37 pm

No Wolverine Air didn't buy out Simpson Air, but Wolverine has been for sale for a few years now. I don't think either would be hiring right now, probably not worth the long drive in. Actually the ice bridge might not been open yet, only way into town might be to fly.

Personally I would try Courtesy Air in Buffalo Narrows. I know a lot of people don't have much good to stay about them, but how picky can you be at 250 hr. I know guy have been hire right into a plane, no ramp bs!

hellholeflyer · Post by **hellholeflyer** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:48 pm

I'm not picky at all thats for sure, thanks for the info I will give them a shot

. . · Post by **. .** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:51 pm

don't waste the drive up to mcmurray. I'd actually head east from edmonton. Hit up westwind/pronto/transwest/perimeter/wasaya/north american/lockhart/superior/that place in the pas/etc.

I believe a trip like that would be far more sucessful.

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:14 pm

endless wrote:don't waste the drive up to mcmurray. I'd actually head east from edmonton. Hit up westwind/pronto/transwest/perimeter/wasaya/north american/lockhart/superior/that place in the pas/etc.

I believe a trip like that would be far more sucessful.

My info is definitely not that current, so you might be better off listening to endless.

And good point about the ice bridge...it may not be in yet...i know the Peel and Arctic Red crossings are open to light traffic now, but further south, i haven't heard.

. . · Post by **. .** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:30 pm

Wally,

I think any roadtrip is going to have a massive element of luck to it. You could go to the least likley spot and hit the timing just right and get a job. On the other side of the coin you could hammer all the big places and be the second guy through the door at each spot and come up empty handed.

I think in todays market you could certianly pick an area that you might like a job in and try to find something within that area. There are lots of spots in North Western Ontairo/Manitoba that have very solid track records of hiring from the ramp. Yellowknife also has the same type of density.

The big risk with working the ramp is the unknown. You never know if you're gonna be the guy that works the ramp 3 weeks before going flight line, or if you're gonna be the poor SOD that times it wrong and spends 3 years.

Best of luck man. Keep us updated with what you're thinking and perahaps we can give you some more specific advise.

Clarence · Post by **Clarence** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:35 pm

Hey can I hi-jack this a little
anyone with ideas for BC road trip places to hit up
I have aztec and navajo time 500 hrs

merlin · Post by **merlin** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:10 am

Villers, Cariboo, Orca, CAC, Eagle,and KD all I can think of right now.

Idriveplane · Post by **Idriveplane** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 3:17 am

from ppl i know at wasaya, Their scrambling for rampies in both pickle and red

Donald · Post by **Donald** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 8:37 am

If you want to check out ice roads in the NWT try:

http://www.hwy.dot.gov.nt.ca/highways/

The ice road at Fort Simpson is open, however...

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/20 ... wning.html

It would seem that the ice nearby is not very thick. Why anyone would use a bobcat doing that job is beyond me. Safe driving all.

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:05 am

Wasaya's "scrambling" for rampies? Geeee, pity...they are a little short of "pilots" as well. Hint, hint.

phillyfan · Post by **phillyfan** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:17 am

Go North