Float Rating vs. MIFR

[Stander]

Does a entry level pilot stand a better chance of acquiring a flying job with 50 hours or more on FLOATS or by acquiring their Multi IFR? Your thoughts? Which rating has a better chance of being used when trying to enter the workforce?

[TiXeon]

IMHO, in nowaday's market, both are pretty good ways to get into the industry. The real questions you should ask yourself, is about your career's plans, and the kind of operations you'd like to get involved into.

Just recall that if you work your MIFR, you'll end up moving somewhere, nowhere should I say, building time on a right hand seat, living with low incomes, most probably in a high cost of living area. Someplaces you would even need to buy a PPC to get on a plane !

In the other hand, doing your float rating will get you a bit sooner on the left hand seat, living luckily nowhere enough that accomodation (sometimes food as well) will be provided ; I would guess money-vs-expenses' rate a bit higher this way. You most probably see any concrete at all before a longer time than in MIFR ops. So if your family/gf is surrounded by concrete, don't expect to see them at all during your contract !

Flying floats just isn't the same that flying wheels, Stander, and you'd have to set career objectives straight before going one way or the other.
Both are good ways to get into it, so good luck !

[husky]

Float rating would probably get you flying faster, but the multi-IFR route probably gets you to Jazz/AC/WJ faster than building float time, then switching over.

[Rowdy]

Pick a route!

Do you want to go right seat and wear a fancy shirt and tie? Spend a few years there before moving left?

Go floats? Lots of grunt labour, far far away from any major center. Good luck keeping a girlfriend. Been there done that.. they just don't dig Northern canada!!! But plenty of valueable PIC time and a load of fun.

It's a career path choice.

Best of luck either way. You'll get where you need to go

[Pete]

I made a topic about this, How much of a pilot market is it? And for how long? In my case, it wouldn't take long to get my group 1...and I dont mind at all working ramp...but these days how long will it take to move up from ramp? Is it even worth working ramp to get into a plane with such great movement? Any comments appreciated. I never thought this decision would be so hard lol.

[HighBypass]

Ive found in Yellowknife that the the captains are the ones that started on floats, then ended up getting MIFRs and got upgraded onto Twin otters and buffalos, (and even king airs/99's even tho those are shirt and tie planes) whereas the FO's are usually rampies that go their MIFRs and are now sitiing right seat logging 1/2 time towards the atpl..

The float drivers are the ones that have the real experience, but of course you dont need that down south where every runway is 5000'x100' ashpalt with a set of papi's.

Roger perdactor.

[SQ]

finally the question is how long/difficult would be the transition from bush to shirt & tie ?

imagine a 750hrs pilot wondering to work in shirt & tie getting his fresh MIFR. with his experience and 750 hrs = don't we have here a guy with reliable "decision making" and obviously good handling.

isn't that better than 1500 VFR circuit, slow flight, stall and spin hrs, and at least, no decision making ?

That would be great to have a CP advice about that

[Pete]

There must be a shortage of instructors for a reason...wouldnt that rule that out? Hours are hours judging by the looks of things going on today. But yeah a CP's opinion would be nice

[Pete]

unless your being sarcastic...I cant tell, Im computer stupid lol

[SQ]

no I'm not sarcastic I really want to know what thinks a CP if he had to choose between a 1200 hrs instructor and a 700 hrs bush pilot with 20 multi time, 600 beaver

[HighBypass]

I know 100% that the CP's in YZF would take the 750hr bush pilot over the 1200hr instructor anyday. Unless of course it was to fly a navajo or BE99.. because those planes end up going to the longer strips anyways.

Roger Perdator.

[shimmydampner]

no I'm not sarcastic I really want to know what thinks a CP if he had to choose between a 1200 hrs instructor and a 700 hrs bush pilot with 20 multi time, 600 beaver

First of all, with 700 hrs, there's no possible way that 600 of that would be beaver time, but semantics aside, it's been my experience that CP's will often tend to pick guys/gals with similar experiences to their own. So, if your CP was an instructor, chances are he'll often pick instructors because he can relate to their experience and it's more of a known quantity in his mind. Likewise, a crusty old float driver will probably prefer guys that went the same route as him.

I've done both, and in my opinion float flying is better for making you a better pilot. It will constantly be a challenge to your skills. Instructing was good, but to a point. After the first couple hundred hours you've learned all you're gonna learn. But that gets into a whole other argument about why people should really want to instruct and should have some real experience to back them up so it's not the severely vision impaired leading the blind.

[Cat Driver]

Good luck keeping a girlfriend. Been there done that.. they just don't dig Northern canada!!!

Sure, but a true Canadian is not a racist so there is an unending supply of girlfriends in the north.