Float plane training Alberta

[Francisco]

I am struggling to find any companies that offer float plane training in Alberta... Does anyone know of anywhere?
Thanks!

[ArbutusAir]

[GottaFly]

Orrrr.... U could hop a 1 hour Westjet flight to Abbotsford and get some real westcoast float time at fort Langley air. Stay for a week and they'll have you done. Then you see lakes, mountains and salt water.

[cyndy]

I have my seaplane rating (from a flight school in Nanaimo) but would be interested in a 50 hour local course. Save my details and keep me posted please! Cyndy@resolvelegalgroup.com

[iflyforpie]

** 50 hrs on float is the minimum required for a commercial pilot to be insured by the aviation industry. As well, 50hrs on floats is also the minimum for a pilot to be hired to fly float planes.

No it isn't. I know people who got hired on without even a seaplane rating. Only people selling training say that it is required.

It's not what you know, it's who you know. Spend that money on the road trip you will invariably take anyways, and let the operator pay train you their way.

[esp803]

** 50 hrs on float is the minimum required for a commercial pilot to be insured by the aviation industry. As well, 50hrs on floats is also the minimum for a pilot to be hired to fly float planes.

Funny, I got hired to fly floats with 7hrs... As did several of my close friends... Further to this propaganda, I checked out the website... And to say redflags and alarm bells were ringing is an understatement... I did my 7 hours with Dave at Ocean Air, had a great time, he was a fantastic instructor. You can bang off a float rating in a couple days without too much stress. Might as well go somewhere where they have experience, know how to teach, can offer a variety of training options (Ocean, Lake, River, log booms, beaches, docks... Did em all in 7 hours). Just remember that after 7 hours, there is still A LOT to learn.

In summary:
1) You DO NOT need a 50 hr float course.
2) 7 hours in the minimum required, but you will not be an ace float pilot after it... It will be the most challenging flying you can do for the first couple hundred hours. You won't be an Ace after a couple hundred, but it will get easier and easier.
3) It is the most fun an varied flying you can do, Enjoy it!

E

[Cat Driver]

For sure fifty hours is not a measure of what you can be taught.

However the seven hour course often lacks a lot of important need to know training.

For instance most float training is done without ever having experienced a true glassy water landing.

Like all flying training is mandatory if you want to be proficient, how much training will vary from person to person.

And most important of all is make sure your instructor is experienced enough to be able to give good instruction.

[ArbutusAir]

[esp803]

I was actually hired sight unseen over the phone for that first job. Every company I have flown floats for have not had any sort of insurance requirement beyond a chief pilot check out. If I was ever to suggest a 50 hours course, it unfortunately would not be in the landlocked province of Alberta... Straight to the coast!

[ArbutusAir]

[cessnafloatflyer]

How is it possible to say that you do these things, when you don't have a license to do any of them?
http://www.sandpiperair.ca/Products.html ---

"Working with local environmental and government agencies, we assist in wildlife counts, bird surveys and much more." you do?? Please tell us about these contracts, with whom, under whose authority?

I also believe that it is in contravention of CTA regulations to advertise air services when you are not licensed to do so.

It also looks kind of odd that a 2 time poster is asking a question that leads directly to your answer that seems more of an advertisement than a legitimate question.

[iflyforpie]

"Working with local environmental and government agencies, we assist in wildlife counts, bird surveys and much more." you do?? Please tell us about these contracts, with whom, under whose authority?

I know for an absolute fact that they don't.

[esp803]

Not everyone can take the time to "head to the coast" for flight training

I'm sorry, this is crazy talk... You can bang off a float rating in one very long painful day, or two very leisurely days... so fly out friday evening, train saturday and sunday, back sunday night. Bam! Done!

prairie, hills, mountains

These don't help with a float rating... I'll give you Lake though. I've flown in the neck of the woods as well, Yes it can get challenging, but when you are facing mountain waves, high density altitudes, windsheer, and other pointy land mass related challenges you shouldn't be learning how to fly floats. Further to this, your website appears to be down, and I have not seen one shred of evidence that you are able to deliver what you promise.

I am struggling to find any companies that offer float plane training in Alberta... Does anyone know of anywhere?
Thanks!

Nope there are none! For a good reason, all the float drivers are either East, West or North of Alberta! Go where there are high time float pilots working on float planes and you will find someone who can help you, and experience counts for a lot when it comes to float training!

E

[shimmydampner]

For a good reason, all the float drivers are either East, West or North of Alberta!

That's every bit as untrue as suggesting that 50 hours of float time is some insurance requirement. And suggesting that because Alberta is landlocked there can be no float flying there is equally disingenuous. Saskatchewan is landlocked and lots of float flying happens there. Lots of it in NWT, Manitoba and Ontario too and guess how much of it occurs on their coastlines? That's right, essentially none. Might as well be landlocked.

How is it possible to say that you do these things, when you don't have a license to do any of them?
http://www.sandpiperair.ca/Products.html ---

I've done A LOT of wildlife work but never paid much attention to the paperwork side. Beyond an OC that allows for aerial work, what licenses are required to perform wildlife surveys?

[cessnafloatflyer]

I've done A LOT of wildlife work but never paid much attention to the paperwork side. Beyond an OC that allows for aerial work, what licenses are required to perform wildlife surveys?

Well there you have it. From what i can tell, they have no OC and no registered aircraft. So to advertise that you do thee things, plus a whole lot more is unethical, wrong and illegal. Just because my OC has Aerial Fire Patrol listed on it doesn't mean that i can advertise that I do it and a lot more, if I don't. I can offer the service but not advertise that I am doing it.

Working with local environmental and government agencies, we assist in wildlife counts, bird surveys and much more.

No you don't do these things without an OC. If the poster tells me that he has an OC and contracts them to do these things, then I will apologize and say that I am mistaken, but in the meantime, this in false advertising advertising and the CTA rules say it's illegal as well.

From transformer damage to pipeline leaks, our patrols specialize in identifying problems before they become bigger issues.

They do?

operations on glassy water, downwind rough water and in crosswind conditions.

Please don't teach a new endorsement pilot Downwind rough water landings.

To end my rant: it's tacky to use other pilot's and company's planes in your Gallery -- isn't that Fort Simpson's Beaver in the gallery?

ANyhow, you're stating a company and that's fine, but there are CTA rules and regulations and ethical ways of doing business. Advertising experience and ongoing contracts as well as services that are offered that you have no licenses to do is in contravention of those.

[Beefitarian]

I know this guy is a monster and we need to act quick before he converts our children but...

Is it at all possible he is trying to expand another company while making the Alberta operation look autonomous since everyone is so violently opposed to other provinces? If you're on a fifty hour course, maybe you can use some of that time to fly yourself to the coast if you actually think a salt water check out is required.

Maybe float training in Alberta will become a high standard since what we call lakes are little tiny puddles at 3500' ASL. How's that going to work out with a full load in August, no wind and 30 degrees C?

Sorry to interrupt. Burn him! ~shakes snow shovel~

[iflyforpie]

Some good points Beef.... but there are plenty of tiny mountain lakes on the Island and the Coast that are at that elevation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5pXqYK5a0A

The best thing about the Coast is that it offers everything the Prairies offer... plus ocean experience... year round!

If you really want to know what it is like going through Windy Pass on a day of 30 knot uppers... do it in a 152 since the type of landing gear doesn't really matter once you are airborne.

[Beefitarian]

Hey I'm a fan of the coast. I made a very nice realtor show us some houses on North Pender Island. I couldn't get to the point where the wife and I agreed on one so we still live here.

The potential benefit of a satellite or break off operation in Calgary. Is there are young guys making lots of money here.

Then again it might not work. They tend to waste all that money on tall diesel 4x4s and Ed Hardey T-shirts. Or maybe if they're really nuts a house and an over priced Motorcycle.

[shimmydampner]

Just because my OC has Aerial Fire Patrol listed on it doesn't mean that i can advertise that I do it

Says who? Since when do you require a contract in place before you can advertise a service if you are within your rights to provide that service? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm genuinely curious because that doesn't make sense to me.

isn't that Fort Simpson's Beaver in the gallery?

No. That beaver was yellow on red and I believe it is now back in the Yukon.

With regards to everyone who advocates float training on the coast, many are the same who insist 7 hours is the way to go; so why does it matter if it's on the coast? 7 hours is enough time to cover just the very basics. Do you really believe learning those basics is going to be that appreciably different based on location?

[cessnafloatflyer]

Doing something and being licensed to do it are 2 different things.
Working with government and local agencies on wildlife surveys bird counts and much more is not the same as: we are licensed to do surveys and wildlife counts.

Found it and licensed to do it are different things.

[angry inch]

The hilarity of this is that this guy is just speculating. There a lots of operators in this country doing the "not so legal" thing day in & day out.... & they're far too busy to be posting on Avcanada! Now, back to "Float Training In Calgary"

[shimmydampner]

ANyhow, you're stating a company and that's fine, but there are CTA rules and regulations and ethical ways of doing business. Advertising experience and ongoing contracts as well as services that are offered that you have no licenses to do is in contravention of those.

Things like survey, banner towing, pipeline patrol and basically anything that is considered "aerial work" are actually exempt from CTA regulations.
I'm no lawyer but I can't see how anything on the website is illegal, as you say, with regards to the CTA. From looking at the site things do seem a little suspect (not listing any aircraft is the big red flag to me), but for all anyone knows it could be a well-qualified float pilot getting the ball rolling on a new start-up operation.

[LousyFisherman]

Guys, I am heading to Kelowna this week because there is NO FLOAT PLANE TRAINING IN ALBERTA!!!! When I return I will be in the market for dual and solo hours. While I will not buy all 40 hours to get to my REQUIRED 50 HOURS (insurance on floats under 50 hrs is 10K, over 50 hours <2k) from him, if I have to travel to Kenora/Dryden or Lac La Ronge to get my hours it will take me a lot longer.

Its called an unfulfilled market.

Can we at least wait until August, 2014 before we burn the heretic? It's aviation, I really hope they succeed but......

my $0.00 (round down)

LF

[I_Heart_Seaplanes]

I've only been to Calgary once or twice in the winter, but I seem to remember all the water being frozen.