50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

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PattyLew
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50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

Post by PattyLew »

Hey everybody,

I'm going to finish my CPL by the end of this year, with the intention of finding a job flying on floats (hopefully not, but most assuredly in BFNW) next spring. I currently work for Harbour Air as a dockhand, which gives me a litany of pilot opinions on what I should do for training, but I'd still like the opinions of pilots elsewhere.

Thus far I have my PPL and night endorsement. I will finish my float rating within a week's time. I want to get more than a simple 7 hours on floats. I was wanting to do 50 hours, but don't know if it's the best course of action. I will do 15 hours minimum, but for the cost of the other 35, I could do MEIFR. While I do not plan on using MEIFR, it would make me a more rounded pilot with more safety nets if I couldn't find float work.

What do you guys think? Obviously having safety nets is important, but is it worth it in this instance? Will I have difficulty finding float work with only 15 hours? Am I more likely to simply be a rampie because I'm not trusted in relatively uncharted waters? Is MEIFR worth it if I in all likelihood will see it lapse?
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Re: 50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

Post by Shiny Side Up »

If you want to be a float pilot, fly float planes.
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Pop n Fresh
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Re: 50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

Post by Pop n Fresh »

Isn't this like asking, "I want to buy a used car. Would it be better if I borrowed five dollars from my aunt or asked my dad to give me eight dollars?"

The multi Instrument could both be an advantage and simultaneously be a way to get into trouble. Then again you could possibly fly approaches and learn how to fly IFR well.

More float time in theory will get you a float job that an operator cannot give to a person with out 50 hours due to insurance.

In conclusion, read what shiny wrote.
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Re: 50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

Post by PilotDAR »

When you have 50 hours flying floats, you'll think back and wonder how you survived those first fifteen hours without sinking yourself. When you have 500 hours on floats, you'll wonder back the same thing about the 50 hours. And so forth....

Get all the experience you can, in the realm you most intend to fly.....
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Duffman
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Re: 50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

Post by Duffman »

We (a float company) get lots of resumes from guys with a $10,000+ multi IFR and 7 hours on floats. The first thing I wonder is how serious this pilot actually is. If you want to do floats as a career (and its a good career) or even if you want to do it for a few years, get the float time now and worry about the IFR later.
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bigEh
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Re: 50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

Post by bigEh »

If you are intending on spending the money on one or the other, and you want to fly floats, then do the float training. The majority of the float jobs will be seasonal so you will have time to do the MultiIFR later anyway. And if you won't be flying multi or IFR for a couple years, then you'll most likely forget a lot of the training by the time you move on to that side of aviation (if you ever want to leave float flying that is).

From my limited experience, having 50 hours won't get you a job. It is the effort you put in to looking for the job, your luck finding a first job and having the right attitude when you get the first job. The luck and effort will get you a job, but attitude will make or break you.

We get loads of 50 hour pilot resumes and it's never the 50 hours that get someone hired. It's their persistence (finding the right balance between annoying and just sending a resume and hoping), their personality and timing.

Good luck.
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Re: 50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

Post by JMACK »

PattyLew wrote:Hey everybody,

I'm going to finish my CPL by the end of this year, with the intention of finding a job flying on floats (hopefully not, but most assuredly in BFNW) next spring. I currently work for Harbour Air as a dockhand, which gives me a litany of pilot opinions on what I should do for training, but I'd still like the opinions of pilots elsewhere.

Thus far I have my PPL and night endorsement. I will finish my float rating within a week's time. I want to get more than a simple 7 hours on floats. I was wanting to do 50 hours, but don't know if it's the best course of action. I will do 15 hours minimum, but for the cost of the other 35, I could do MEIFR. While I do not plan on using MEIFR, it would make me a more rounded pilot with more safety nets if I couldn't find float work.

What do you guys think? Obviously having safety nets is important, but is it worth it in this instance? Will I have difficulty finding float work with only 15 hours? Am I more likely to simply be a rampie because I'm not trusted in relatively uncharted waters? Is MEIFR worth it if I in all likelihood will see it lapse?
I just flew with a young lad who has been in the game for 45 years. He recounted starting on floats and then the company he worked for paid for his multi eng and instrument rating so he never incurred the heavy burden of the MEIFR training. I thought that was pretty neat not sure if you could pull it off these days but you sure will have more to offer as a pilot after a couple seasons of float flying.

I had the reverse offer as a PA-31 pilot working for a company with a Beaver and a 185. I was young and stupid and said no thanks.................live and learn.

Best of luck and enjoy, you' re a pilot the world is your oyster.

J
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trey kule
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Re: 50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

Post by trey kule »

First of all.
You can do much of the CPL on floats, so it is not an additional cost, but a much reduced extra cost.not sure if I made that as clear as I should have.

Secondly, you will have about 25 hours on instruments by the time you finish your CPL.

If the flight school does a good job of their IF training, that is more than enough to make you safe .
If you feel different, just get a SE IF rating.

Get float time. Get float time. Get float time.

When an employer sees a resume like that they know you are going to stick around for awhile even after the glow wears off.

as someone mentioned, when you see a resume with CPL, MultIFR, IATRA, done....you really have to wonder what part of their career is float flying.

Just one word of caution, which is why I mentioned the SE IF rating....the odd float company wants their pilots to hold an IF rating.

You have exposure to the float industry,,all be it, not the bush side, so you should know pretty much what is in store.

Just a little edit. Some FTUs like to compatmentalize training, rather than look at how to integrate it.
You can do a SE IF rating for not much extra, by doing some extra sim time in combination with your CPL instrument training, and come out with the rating. The same goes for multi, but to a lesser extent, and if you do not plan on using it, just get a single. Converting it to a group 1 later if and when you need it.

Best of luck..enjoy the journey
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Last edited by trey kule on Thu Jul 23, 2015 12:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

Post by North Shore »

If money isn't a problem, then do both - you might not get offered a float gig.
In general, though, as trey says, start getting your float time within your CPL - that will lower the cost a little. Perhaps consider just getting your multi, so as to leave the door open for Twotter gigs?
Personally speaking, I struggled through my initial MIFR at 200 hours; two years and ~ 500 hours more, and the renewal was light-years easier. I'd flown bigger, faster, and heavier machines and no longer had to use up so much cpu power just keeping it straight and level.

Good luck, however you choose!
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Re: 50 hrs. on floats vs. 15 hrs. + MEIFR

Post by upintheair_ »

I had a similar dilemma. Went with the MIFR with less float time. Now I'm flying a Navajo.. go figure. Good idea to pad your license with whatever you can. That way you can take any job that comes about.
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