What amount of money would bring you to a reserve to fly?

[. ._]

Edited.

[Brewhouse]

Yes you are and thats OK. Not everyone can be a bush pilot, but someone has to keep the reserve supplied with booze, weed, and dirty bird. Also you city folks get to see what First Nations are really like. I believe that all bleeding heart Canadians should do a tour in a secluded reserve, than maybe our country wouldn't be so eager to keep the reserve system running the way it is. Its never going to get better the Indians are breading like rabbits so our children and grand children will be paying for them till the end of time.

End of rant!!

But on a serious note, I have spent plenty of time working out of reserves. I have enjoyed it for the most part, with only a few issues. Two winters ago I worked on a reserve in northern Ontario and it was great, friendly locals, decent accommodations and nonstop flying. I would go back tomorrow if the opportunity presented itself.

[Meatservo]

Meh. All rhetoric aside, I would be happy if jobs on fly-in reserves were capable of offering:

1) The same pay level on offer for the same aircraft type in "civilisation", PLUS
2) Accommodation expenses
3) Northern living allowance

I believe these factors are in place in the pay packages of other professional and semi-professional workers (ie, teachers, police, nurses) employed in remote fly-in communities.

[BeaverDriver13]

2500/mo for 185
3200/mo for beav

Rent included
Company truck with gas
Time off here and there through the summer

[shannon]

Not enough money. I look for quality of life first and foremost.

['effin hippie]

$3500/ mo MIN if all expenses covered. If you gotta buy your own frozen pizza and KD then another few hundred.
Regardless of type.

ef

ps. For the record, $1800/mo to start rising to $4000/mo after a couple years. PA-31. And yah, it was bush.
Icey roads, take me home...

[208Drvr]

2009 NWONT, Sandy Lake, 206 on floats and 207 on wheels, $2500 month, had to buy food and telephone. Accommodations, sat tv, running water and shower in the house along with washer and dryer all supplied.

Would I go back, hells ya! The owner and chief pilot were great people to learn from, they had lots of experience in the bush. The majority of the locals were friendly too.

208DRVR

[2slowsix]

I believe that all bleeding heart Canadians should do a tour in a secluded reserve, than maybe our country wouldn't be so eager to keep the reserve system running the way it is. Its never going to get better the Indians are breading like rabbits so our children and grand children will be paying for them till the end of time.

BANG ON!!!!!!!!!

Holy crap I get f'n sick of hearing those city slickers saying things like "Oh those poor people living in such run down houses in the middle of nowhere" First of all! Those people choose to live that way. They have always lived that way!! They have all of the resources available to get an education for only the investment of time and effort. Many are not even aware of thier options. Hey guess what else!! Those houses were built relatively recently with CANADIAN TAXPAYER MONEY. They're run down because no one there has any value for money because it's not earned. These people also pay very little tax, they're guaranteed jobs, and they do not have to pay for any healthcare(including the travel asociated with) so their money goes further. There is also money in place from the gov't to help those people with their houses and other community improvements but there's no accountability so the money ends up going to all of the crooked people who know how to milk the system. It makes me fu(king sick to my stomach to see all of it go down and in this day in age while being unable to do anything. Having said that I will add that not every reserve in Canada is like this. There are some which I have flown to and lived on that are fully functional and prosperous. Those reserves are few and far between and I find that the leadership changes frequently. The work ethic and honesty of those in charge at any particular reserve determines the way of life for everyone. We are making a spoiled child out of all of these people and the problem is just going to get worse. This is what happens when we blindly throw money at our problems. They become bigger problems. The average taxper is becoming more and more rare while the people who live off of the system are mutiplying rapidly. It's GOTTA END SOON!!!!!!!!!

The HOOK......... So while the gov't gives all of this money to the natives, guess who ends up with the money in the end. The white man. Natives are now an industry in Canada. Although there are many that would like to see the native funding dry up, there are far more people who financially rely on them. Think of what would happen if that money all of a sudden stopped. Where would aviation be then? I would personally like to see accountability.

My rant.

[2slowsix]

Sorry for the novel.

[Slats]

Those people choose to live that way. They have always lived that way!!

I agree with much of your post, with the exception of this. While I suppose residents of a reserve/aboriginal community do technically choose to live that way, Aboriginal peoples have NOT always lived that way. While it is not an excuse for the sorry state of affairs, the downward spiral that brought us all to the current situation began with contact from "European" or "Canadian" influences eg: disease, missionaries/religion, alcohol/drugs, transition away from traditional lifestyles, etc. And while anyone in this country should, in theory, be able to pull themselves up and rise above their circumstances to better themselves, when you really stop and think about it, it must be exponentially more difficult for someone born into some of these places and circumstances to do so. Of course there are wonderful, generous and happy people in these places, but I think there are a disproportionately large number of "bad apples" and often times they are the ones who are most visible to us. Unfortunately, I think that the current system is too f-ed up and beyond repair to ever be fixed and the average Canadian is too blissfully ignorant of the reality of life in these places to know the difference anyway. So, the government will keep dumping money on the reserves to keep the natives quiet and the rest of Canada oblivious.

[2slowsix]

Aboriginal peoples have NOT always lived that way

Sorry I was a bit vague on that one. I agree 100% with what you said in your post. I was referring more to the fact that they have lived in the same remote, geographical area for ages. The run down houses on the other hand is more of a "they know no different thing".

the current system is too f-ed up and beyond repair to ever be fixed and the average Canadian is too blissfully ignorant of the reality of life in these places to know the difference anyway. So, the government will keep dumping money on the reserves to keep the natives quiet and the rest of Canada oblivious.

My thoughts exactly!!

So now that i've been sufficiently side-tracked would I ever go back.......

Depends on the amount of money, the job, the boss, the airplane, and the reserve. You couldn't pay me to stay in some of those places or work for some of those people. Others I would have no problem.

Dollar amount?..... For DHC-2 - 5 k/mo, all accom. included. Plus legal duty times/days only.
Wouldn't go there for a Cessna any more but I also wouldn't go anywhere else for a Cessna either.

[CaptainHaddock]

The money is of some importance, but why are you really asking?. Do you have a strong desire to fly in the bush, are you looking for a first job?. If you are looking for your first job you should look into other more important info,what will you fly (condition,maintenance), where will you fly, is it a solo operation or will you have direction and experience from others available.

2cents

[North Shore]

2009 NWONT, Sandy Lake, 206 on floats and 207 on wheels, $2500 month, had to buy food and telephone. Accommodations, sat tv, running water and shower in the house along with washer and dryer all supplied.

Would I go back, hells ya! The owner and chief pilot were great people to learn from, they had lots of experience in the bush. The majority of the locals were friendly too.

208DRVR

I worked for the same company back in 1998, and got paid the same then....

[FltDrvr]

Well chaps, all in all a good discussion about the amount of money desired to work in a native reserve.

In conclusion, one must question an employer about low salaries for the work done because if one doesn't, how would we ever get this whole low salary thing changing for the better.

Well I can say personally, that if you do, you will be fired. Because I was.

Thank you for your time.

I think a break from aviation will be a healthy choice.

[North Shore]

After 'suffering' through a float season, and part of a ski season living on a reserve, I packed it in for the winter, and went home (to Mum and Dad's basement) to be a ski instructor so as to avoid pogey. The next summer I blasted out again, and got a Twotter gig based on the Chief pilot's assessment that: "Anyone who can live in XXX XXX (name of reserve - X'd out to protect the innocent! ) for a summer can work for me!"

Don't fold the tent yet!

[Expat]

After 'suffering' through a float season, and part of a ski season living on a reserve, I packed it in for the winter, and went home (to Mum and Dad's basement) to be a ski instructor so as to avoid pogey. The next summer I blasted out again, and got a Twotter gig based on the Chief pilot's assessment that: "Anyone who can live in XXX XXX (name of reserve - X'd out to protect the innocent! ) for a summer can work for me!"

Don't fold the tent yet!

NS,
You are right, and after thoses stints, you could handle Africa and Afghanistan...

[Meatservo]

North Shore has trouble "handling" a spoon. Don't let him pull the wool over your eyes with his tales of derring-do!

[North Shore]

^Mmmphh...the 'Wunnumin submarine' strikes again!

[Meatservo]

^This from the "Webequie White-Water-Rafter"!

[North Shore]

^Says the Kingfisher Orange juice partier!

[Meatservo]

^quoth the "Sioux Lookout Lothario"

[North Shore]

Ahh, err, ahh, umm! Dang! out of shots.

And that's a low one, btw...

[mr.jinks]

The reason I got out of flying is because the salaries have been stagnant if not declined over the last twenty years. The future of aviation in my eyes isn't very bright. I wish I had listened to all of old crusty pilots when I was younger that said to "get a good job that pays well with decent time off and fly for fun" well, its ten years later and I've finally found that quality of life...outside of aviation of course.

[Brewhouse]

The reason I got out of flying is because the salaries have been stagnant if not declined over the last twenty years. The future of aviation in my eyes isn't very bright. I wish I had listened to all of old crusty pilots when I was younger that said to "get a good job that pays well with decent time off and fly for fun" well, its ten years later and I've finally found that quality of life...outside of aviation of course.

And miss out on all the fun? I can attest that you can make a decent living, and have a good life as a pilot. I guess it depends on what your expectations are. I never wanted to be an airline pilot, I'm a bush pilot through and through.

[FltDrvr]

The Good Life is a relative term. Some peoples lives are gooder than others.

That being said, I think it would be a healthy experience, for anyone skeptical about being a pilot, to explore new options.