Bush flying to ATPL: most efficient way?

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gearup4waterlanding
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Bush flying to ATPL: most efficient way?

Post by gearup4waterlanding »

I've been doing bush flying for a while and live overseas in the winter (with permanent residency and the right to work there). I'm thinking of transitioning to an airline position overseas soon but a Canadian ATPL would make that goal a lot more reachable. I've met the total time, XC time and PIC time requirements and have multi and Group 1 ratings in hand. Written exams to be done soon. But! No two-crew PPC or experience and basically no night time or instrument time because I've just been doing Day VFR float work.

Any advice on the quickest, most efficient way to build night time (and instrument time) in a 2-crew operation in Canada? Specific operators? The idea would be to meet the ATPL requirements and then continue working the same job until such time as I can get on with an airline overseas. If I had to pay out for a training bond for leaving early, I'd probably do it. If the pay is crap but I can get those ATPL minimums logged, I'm in.

Alternatively, if there are operators where the schedule is like a month on and a month off, for instance, so that I could still keep up my life overseas in between long work shifts in Canada, then even if it took much longer to meet all the ATPL minimums that would be acceptable, too.

Basically, I don't want to be away from my real home base overseas for something like 2 solid years just to reach the goal of being able to fly there year-round.

Is there a realistic path to reach my goal here?
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172DDriver
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Re: Bush flying to ATPL: most efficient way?

Post by 172DDriver »

703 medevac might be the best play on something like a King Air or a Metro. Most companies that I know of do two weeks on two weeks off. Lots of operators in Winnipeg, but those companies are a dime a dozen across the country.

Good luck.
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