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Advice how to get into float flying.

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Needtofly

Post subject: Advice how to get into float flying.

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 1:59 am

Rank 1

Joined: Fri May 20, 2011 1:33 am
Posts: 15

Hi long time reader first time poster.
To start off I got into flying because like everyone I have dreamed about it when I was a kid. So I started geting my licenses in 2005 not knowing anyone or anything. To say the least a few flight school later and a lot of cash I got my CPL MIFR and class 4 instructor rating. Then I worked as a flight instructor with a larger school for 2.5 years. Then as well all know in aviation crap happens and the school went tits up in Jan. So now I have been working for my familys company non aviation and looking.

But then I got the bright idea of doing a float rating and I fell in love with it!!!
Now all I want is a job flying floats. But I have no idea where to start. So here are some of my questions.I know absolute no bush pilots, just all my instructor buddies that moved on so any help would be appreciate greatly.

1. Do I need 50 hours on floats to get a job flying floats? All the flight schools say I need to ( but we all know about the pilot shortage they tell us about as well)

2. Should I go for a dock job first, or try to stay away

3. Me and my family want to live up north is it possible to get year round work there. (we hated the city life as we are from a small town)

4. Where is the best place to start looking for work. North ont, man, sask

5. When should I start sending out resumes and going for a drive? (as I am sure i missed hiring this year)

6. Anything else I need to look out for or be awar of

Thanks everyone for your input.

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Mr-fix-it

Post subject: Re: Advice how to get into float flying.

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 4:05 am

Rank 1

Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:06 am
Posts: 15

float flying is pretty fun and cant wait to finish my licence

heres to your questions;
-its whatever the insurance company wants the pilots to have for hours
-unless you have tons of float hours a dockhand job would be the way to go to start flying floats but make sure you ask lots of questions about the possibility of flying
-start sending out resumes in march and follow up

Hope this helps!

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DHCdriver

Post subject: Re: Advice how to get into float flying.

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 5:10 am

Rank 4

Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:56 pm
Posts: 277

Congratulations Needtofly! I'll answer your questions the best I can.
1. Some guys say take the 50 hr bush course, I personally think it's a waste of money. Learn the ropes from the high time guys where you get your first float job. You will learn more from a 10-20,000 hr float driver then some young float instructor with no real world experience.
2. Well I guess you realyy have no choice. I'm assuming you have limited float time. But not to worry the dock job will teach you the ins and outs of float flying. eg: Docking the airplane in windy conditions, loading the thing properly and just being around the airplane you are eventually going to fly.
3. Sorry buddy but I think your nuts. :lol:

4. I personally worked Ontario and Manitoba and have no beefs with both. (worked with a great bunch of guys over the years)
5. Right away and yes go for a drive.Most operators have there drivers already but you never know.
6. I'll leave this one alone. Just make sure to ask what the job details are and ask how much flying do they think that you might be doing.( you probably won't get alot but you will learn lots from that right seat until they cut you loose.

Good Luck to you my friend and where your journey takes you.
P.S: Practise glassy water landings every chance you get. Good Luck DHCdriver.

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iflyforpie

Post subject: Re: Advice how to get into float flying.

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 6:11 am

Top Poster

Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:25 pm
Posts: 5610
Location: The Misty Mountains...

Your story sounds very familiar... I think I flew with you a couple weeks ago....

Anyways, 50 hour course, not really required. You are going to need to get time with the company you wind up working for and they are going to want you to fly their way under operational rather than training circumstances.

Dock is an absolute with no float time, but with your hours you might not have to spend as long there as some. Just don't let them make you chase the carrot for too long.

The only place floats aren't a seasonal thing is on the West Coast. If you could get on with an operation that does wheels or skis you might find year round work. Just remember too that the further north you go, the less number of daylight hours there are in the winter (re: single engine 703 ops).

The best place to start looking is where the job is. Doesn't matter if it is NWO, NWT, or even BC. A job could pop up anywhere and at any time. Fortune tends to favour the bold. The last pilot we hired here had 350TT because he showed up at the right time ready to work.

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sheephunter

Post subject: Re: Advice how to get into float flying.

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 3:03 pm

Rank 7

Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:02 am
Posts: 620
Location: Muskoka

The above pretty much nails it, especially about the brave or ever what was said pertaining to not sitting around in your basement waiting for a job to come to you. If I saw a job offer, I would very much consdider packing a small carry-on, with your work clothes and be on that dock the next morning ready to work. Showing initiative works as does being at the job site when they need someone yesterday. As for glassy water.... it is just so nice flying when everything is calmed right down, but do take time to do a bunch of landings. Last season I came into camp late, late in the day and it was absolute glass and couldn't tell the far shoreline from the water or sky. It was brutal. Set-up, everything going nice, kept feeling for the water, feeling for the water and finally was running out of room and powered up and went around to find a "better" spot to land and ended up with a nice / easy landing with about a 1/2 mile taxi to camp. This was when I did it to the "books" the first try was only halfway to the books and I only half way landed. No good. Asked the guy on the dock how high I was off the water when I powered up, he said Oh, you were landing, thought you were goofing around, you were still about 25' in the air. WoW, I really had that screwed up. That was the worse glassy water / light situation I have been in and an extremely poor effort on my part. My lesson was in complacancy. So, yes instead of just flying around when it's that nice out go ahead and practice some touch'n goes.

Not the same flight or lake, but semi-glassy.

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DHCdriver

Post subject: Re: Advice how to get into float flying.

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 6:09 pm

Rank 4

Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:56 pm
Posts: 277

sheephunter wrote:

when it's that nice out go ahead and practice some touch'n goes.

Exactly never enough practise. You might not get glassy water all summer long then 2 weeks before the end of the season you get a week of no wind, and there you are out of practise. I flew most of my float days on Otters and Beavers and loved the Beaver. With the Beaver I would set up 70 mph and a descent rate at about 300fpm and picked a shore line or grassy island and down I'd go. Always look forward, pick a spot. Always worked for me. Everybody will have there own little trick that works and then practise,practise then practise again, because one day it will bit you in the ass. All this talk, I'm sure missing floats. Have fun guys DHCdriver.

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trey kule

Post subject: Re: Advice how to get into float flying.

Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 7:14 pm

Rank 11

Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2005 3:09 am
Posts: 3133

You say you worked for 2 /12 years as an instructor, so I would expect you have some time.
That is a big plus. I would expect someone will give you a shot at a plane if you have 5 or 6 hundred hours, even with a bare float rating.

A couple of cautions though, to all the excitement. flying a float plane is a hoot. I love it. As far as flying a plane goes, still one of the greastest thrills for me after many many years..
But working in the bush is ....well...its work. Its a job. Particularily when you are starting out and spend 40 minutes rolling barrels down to the plane, fuelling up, and then doing a 15 minute flight to unload. Keep that in mind. dont confuse the fun of flying a float plane with what you will be doing when you are working with one. Your company is there to make money , not provide a plane for your entertainment.

The second thing, is go up and start work for awhile before you bring up your family. Make sure you like the folks you are working for. Pay shows up on time in the right amount.
And then, if that is all good, bring up your family, particularily if you have school aged children.

As far as technique goes, the only thing I used to stress to new hires, is that if I caught them step taxiing, they had better have a bloody good reasons for having to do it. If you want to practice things like full flap landings or glassy water landings, talk to your CP. You dont practice stuff on revenue flights, and you get permission to practice on emplty legs.
Just a couple of suggestions to make your career go better. Self authorized training is not usually appreciated.

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down north

Post subject: Re: Advice how to get into float flying.

Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 5:01 pm

Rank 2

Joined: Thu May 06, 2010 6:26 pm
Posts: 61

Quote:

Self authorized training is not usually appreciated.

How a-boot self authorized side fishing trips while holding for the customer, are they appriciated?

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Needtofly

Post subject: Re: Advice how to get into float flying.

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:22 pm

Rank 1

Joined: Fri May 20, 2011 1:33 am
Posts: 15

Thanks guys for all the info!!
Here is a bit of an update on me. About a week after my post the flight school called me back and they found someone to buy then out(and downgrated there fleet and workers). They said they were in need of some class 2 and offered me a better pay and to be checked out on there twins. So looking at my log book and how slow it was moving me and my family decided to move back and take the job. But I told them about my new found goal and I Have decided to try to get into floats next season when I got a few MPIC and and ATPL. So I will be driving around knocking on doors in march of 2012 looking for a ramp job or whatever I can get!

Pluse I like teaching people how to fly much better then working for my Dad. Hahaha

Happy landing to everyone!

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