I recently completed my CPL with float and MIFR ratings. My main area of interest lies with float flying and off-airport operations, although since the ink is still wet on my license I have no off-airport experience and not much float time - not to mention the float season is well underway. I have been offered the opportunity to shortly get onto a twin turboprop as a co-pilot (eventually progressing to captain) but the company would like a three year commitment, if not more.
I don't really want to give them my word and then leave the company next spring for a float job after they've spent money training me, nor do I really want to miss out on float flying or off-airport operations for three years.
Is it worth flying a twin turboprop for a few years to gain experience and hours or should I wait for a float/off-airport job to come up? Would the time logged flying a twin turboprop be of any great help to get into float flying or off-airport work after my commitment to this company is completed? What would you do in this situation?
Floats or commuter
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StudentPilot
- Rank 3
- Posts: 164
- Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 5:02 pm
wait for the float job and give me their number 
seriously though, it depends on what path you want if you want to make a career out of bush flying turboprop time can't hurt (if you want on something like a twin otter) if your looking for beavers or something smaller then the float time would be more valuable (could be wrong though just my opinion) and tell that company that i'll move tomorrow and stay for three years
seriously though, it depends on what path you want if you want to make a career out of bush flying turboprop time can't hurt (if you want on something like a twin otter) if your looking for beavers or something smaller then the float time would be more valuable (could be wrong though just my opinion) and tell that company that i'll move tomorrow and stay for three years -
tofo
- Rank 6
- Posts: 484
- Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 9:21 pm
- Location: fired for posting bullshit on avcanada
but but but what about the ramp, you could go to perimeter throw bags for 2.5 years then get in to an airplane for three hours and get fired or be one of the lucky ones who gets to watch your 1000 hr captain run it off the runway. You see there are always options 
fly the fukin plane
fly the fukin plane
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ontheslide
- Rank 1
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 6:45 pm
I've always figured a job in hand is better than not flying at all...
Also, how much float time do you have? With a 50hr course you may have some luck finding float work, but a 7hr rating probably won't suffice.(Though I have a buddy that got a 180 job, however the operator owed his dad a large favor)
Even if you spend a couple years flying twins instead of floats, you're still building hours-and twin time. You could always leave that and get on a 185 (possibly working for someone you met while flying, it is a small industry) in the future. Then if you wanted to get on a twin otter or beech 18 or goose or get into fire bombing after you get bored of the beaver it'd be that much easier to step into one of those jobs.
I think it all depends on the direction you want to go with it.
Let us know what you decide.
Also, how much float time do you have? With a 50hr course you may have some luck finding float work, but a 7hr rating probably won't suffice.(Though I have a buddy that got a 180 job, however the operator owed his dad a large favor)
Even if you spend a couple years flying twins instead of floats, you're still building hours-and twin time. You could always leave that and get on a 185 (possibly working for someone you met while flying, it is a small industry) in the future. Then if you wanted to get on a twin otter or beech 18 or goose or get into fire bombing after you get bored of the beaver it'd be that much easier to step into one of those jobs.
I think it all depends on the direction you want to go with it.
Let us know what you decide.
