Any one work for this company before??? I'd be greatful for any info on them. I'm referring to the CYKZ Buttonville location.
Thanks.
Skywords
Moderators: North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako
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diddydumdiddydoo
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You'd better have another job and already live in the Toronto area because line pilots only make $20/flight. This is a really bulls#it wage and you will hardly ever work less than 3 hours for a mission (ie. you will hardly ever make more than minimum wage).
Skywords does banner towing as well as traffic flights for CKRB/Mix99.9 (Guy in the Sky) in C172s.
Traffic flying is pretty easy once you get to know the layout of the roads and the different routes that are used to fly through Pearson's airspace. Watch out for the traffic pilot from the competition company (the old, grumpy one)...he thinks he knows everything and won't hesitate to try to get you fired/violated/humiliated for something he thinks you are doing wrong. The owners won't pay for the aircraft to be properly deiced (but they do supply you with a spray bottle and windshield washer fluid
) so if you can't ensure that the plane is clean of ice and frost...DON'T GO! Believe me this job is NOT WORTH IT!
In the beginning you can expect an extra 3 hours of work on top of the flight time you get for banners. As the pilot you have to build the banner, set it up, fly it, gather it after your done, and take it apart. When you start to get better at the job you can shave the non-flying work for each banner down to about 2 hours. I found banner towing challenging and enjoyable on most days. I got to fly some very interesting missions over all sorts of different areas. You will get VERY good at picking out small fields that you might be able to land in while you are flying over Toronto.
Skywords also flies skysigns (the big light grid that straps to the bottom of the C172 from wing tip to wing tip). I was lucky to have only had to fly this once and I would have refused to fly it again. Basically you're a test pilot (at night, over a densely populated area) when it comes to flying that thing...it causes SOOO much drag. It would be good if you need to build night time for your ATPL though.
This is a job that you want to get your time in and then GET OUT. The owners will dick you around like crazy. The way the pilot market is right now you should be able to find another better job in no time.
Hope this helps!
HJ
Skywords does banner towing as well as traffic flights for CKRB/Mix99.9 (Guy in the Sky) in C172s.
Traffic flying is pretty easy once you get to know the layout of the roads and the different routes that are used to fly through Pearson's airspace. Watch out for the traffic pilot from the competition company (the old, grumpy one)...he thinks he knows everything and won't hesitate to try to get you fired/violated/humiliated for something he thinks you are doing wrong. The owners won't pay for the aircraft to be properly deiced (but they do supply you with a spray bottle and windshield washer fluid
) so if you can't ensure that the plane is clean of ice and frost...DON'T GO! Believe me this job is NOT WORTH IT! In the beginning you can expect an extra 3 hours of work on top of the flight time you get for banners. As the pilot you have to build the banner, set it up, fly it, gather it after your done, and take it apart. When you start to get better at the job you can shave the non-flying work for each banner down to about 2 hours. I found banner towing challenging and enjoyable on most days. I got to fly some very interesting missions over all sorts of different areas. You will get VERY good at picking out small fields that you might be able to land in while you are flying over Toronto.
Skywords also flies skysigns (the big light grid that straps to the bottom of the C172 from wing tip to wing tip). I was lucky to have only had to fly this once and I would have refused to fly it again. Basically you're a test pilot (at night, over a densely populated area) when it comes to flying that thing...it causes SOOO much drag. It would be good if you need to build night time for your ATPL though.
This is a job that you want to get your time in and then GET OUT. The owners will dick you around like crazy. The way the pilot market is right now you should be able to find another better job in no time.
Hope this helps!
HJ
Last edited by HavaJava on Sat Apr 15, 2006 5:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
What more would you need to get the frost/icicles off a 172? I can't really imagine banner towing in coditions where its neccesary to call the truck over to de-ice. Its not un-common to operate at strips/airports where there is no de-ice services available. A pressure bottle full of iso-propyl works fine in all but the most extreme cases. In those cases, its like you say don't go.HavaJava wrote:The owners won't pay for the aircraft to be properly deiced (but they do supply you with a spray bottle and deicing fluid
Cheers,
PP
Some people are like slinkies: Not much good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
No, de-icing is not normally an issue with banner towing...but it is with morning traffic.
The planes are literally plowed in by airport operations and on mornings when it's -30 and there's 6 inches of crusty snow and ice on the entire plane a little pressure bottle and iso-propyl doesn't quite cut it. I've spent more times than I liked spending over an hour in the dark before sunrise just trying to get the ice off only for the washer fluid to refreeze on the wings...and all that for $20!!! All I can say is make friends with the boys at flightline and your life will be ALOT easier.
Cheers,
HJ
The planes are literally plowed in by airport operations and on mornings when it's -30 and there's 6 inches of crusty snow and ice on the entire plane a little pressure bottle and iso-propyl doesn't quite cut it. I've spent more times than I liked spending over an hour in the dark before sunrise just trying to get the ice off only for the washer fluid to refreeze on the wings...and all that for $20!!! All I can say is make friends with the boys at flightline and your life will be ALOT easier.
Cheers,
HJ
