Keeper River

[SkyWolfe]

Hiya guys/gals,

Wondering if anyone could share experiences from this operator?

Cheers,

Wolfie

[Adam Oke]

Terry is a great guy. 'Old School' but safe. You will fly your ass off with Keeper River Air mainly as a native taxi and doing pop and chip runs. PCB is probably the most heard reg up around Red ... and usually the last one flying. Typical Deer, Pik, Pop runs and a few other reserves. I would think maintenance is good because they're constantly in for 50's. If things haven't changed, you the pilot will be dealing with cash (or short comings of) from your passengers. Quick time builder, and a good company to work for I hear. My guess would be an easy 500hrs+ a season ... could only imagine even more on wheels.

I have not worked for Keeper though, just info from talking with Terry, and from friends who worked there.

[Mr. North]

Excellent way to build lots of PIC float time. Terry's pilots are among the best paid in the YRL area (at the C180 level). This is a golden opportunity for a newbie with a little bit of float time looking to test and sharpen their newly acquired skills. As Adam mentioned, PCB, CXM, and VTU are popular call-signs in YRL. Other operators may not know your name but they will have heard you countless times over the radio, and that goes a long way when your knocking on their door in the fall looking for next year's beaver job.

Keeper River Air is a feeder for other bush operators. It is not a direct entry into Air Canada. So if you sign on do yourself and your reputation a favor and stick it out for the full season. Don't quit halfway through like some pompous clown did last year.

[Anonymous1]

Excellent way to build lots of PIC float time. Terry's pilots are among the best paid in the YRL area (at the C180 level). This is a golden opportunity for a newbie with a little bit of float time looking to test and sharpen their newly acquired skills. As Adam mentioned, PCB, CXM, and VTU are popular call-signs in YRL. Other operators may not know your name but they will have heard you countless times over the radio, and that goes a long way when your knocking on their door in the fall looking for next year's beaver job.

Keeper River Air is a feeder for other bush operators. It is not a direct entry into Air Canada. So if you sign on do yourself and your reputation a favor and stick it out for the full season. Don't quit halfway through like some pompous clown did last year.

They didn't all "quit".

[Mr. North]

Care to elaborate on that?

[LifeJet]

Don't quit halfway through like some pompous clown did last year.

Pompous Clown?

That's really funny.

I worked there for 6 weeks last spring, leaving for more money, a PT-6 and far superior quality of life. Now if you're a float guy, and you're gunning for a Beaver then maybe it's a good gig but I am not a float guy, and it certainly wasn't worth it.

After about 3 days working for these guys, I started sending out resumes again.

I don't know how it was in previous years, but in 2008 they hired a dispatcher / office manager that made working there absolute torture. I feel that her behavior, and the owner's refusal to keep her in line, ruined what could otherwise have been a positive job.

Still trying to get my final pay from them through Canada Labor Program.

PM me for more info.

[Mr. North]

Why on earth did you accept the position if you know your not a bush guy?!! If after 3 days it 'clearly wasn't working' for you why didn't you bow out then and allow someone else who wants to be there to take your place?! But I suppose Keeper River was good enough to hang your hat there while you looked for something else... Explain that to all the other struggling pilots you beat out for the job. Airmanship does exist outside the cockpit.

Good luck with the labor board.

[LifeJet]

Why on earth did you accept the position if you know your not a bush guy?!! If after 3 days it 'clearly wasn't working' for you why didn't you bow out then and allow someone else who wants to be there to take your place?! But I suppose Keeper River was good enough to hang your hat there while you looked for something else... Explain that to all the other struggling pilots you beat out for the job. Airmanship does exist outside the cockpit.

Good luck with the labor board.

A T210 isn't a bush plane and I didn't sign up to fly floats.

I currently spend a lot of time in the north, the 'bush' isn't the issue.

There's an old aviation adage that states you should never leave a flying job until you have a new one. The experience at Keeper wasn't bad enough to make me quit outright, but it wasn't good enough to stop me from accepting a much better opportunity when it came along (who's going to stay at Jazz if WestJet is calling). If another, better, offer hadn't come along then I would have stayed, done my job well and accepted whatever abuse was put upon me. It's the nature of the business.

I was initially excited by the job, but it quickly became apparent that the owners who hired me, had given almost total control of the operation to someone who refused to make working there a positive experience. I will not publicly slag this person, but suffice to say, she made every day an exercise in contradictions: the beauty of the country, the fun of the flying, the calm of the bay at night... versus... the yelling, the lying, the disparaging comments, the chain smoking in the office, the 'you don't like it, TOUGH' attitude, and the regular dangling of jobs in front of faces for no good reason. It was a totally unprofessional environment, bush or not. You won't find anybody who's worked there since that would have a different opinion.

I could have just walked away, but I gave my notice as a courtesy. If that's not enough in the way of airmanship, then I guess I just don't meet your standards. Sorry.

If the company hadn't broken their word... and stolen close to a thousand dollars from me and my family, I would have been perfectly content to move on and chock it up to experience. There's not much airmanship in stealing from your employees.

Could have been a fantastic job... but it wasn't. Really a shame.

[Giveitago]

After about 3 days working for these guys, I started sending out resumes again.

Isn't it amazing that someone can figure out everything is going to be horrible with a company and dispatcher after 3 days....

Anyone want to start the "bond" issue as an offshoot on this thread..........

There's an old aviation adage that states you should never leave a flying job until you have a new one.

Theres another old adage floating around the world as well....."Keep your frigging word...it's all you really have"

Hope you enjoy your PT-6, enough operators get wind of this type of behavior you might be there for a while.

[LifeJet]

"Keep your frigging word...it's all you really have"

Wonderful how you assume I promised them something and then bolted...

Didn't make a commitment. Didn't get paid for training... actually did all my 'training' on empty legs, so the company didn't spend any money training me.

Gave my notice, they hired somebody else, service was uninterrupted.

It's just business.

[fortis risk]

Its unfortunate but his attitude is why companies turn to bonds. If we as pilots are less than completely honorable we create an environment where the companies feel justified in asking for a bond.

[LifeJet]

Its unfortunate but his attitude is why companies turn to bonds. If we as pilots are less than completely honorable we create an environment where the companies feel justified in asking for a bond.

Fortis Risk, how long should I have stayed in order to be completely honorable?

Should I have passed up the better opportunity, indefinitely?

Flying the 210 wasn't a seasonal job so its not like I signed on to stay for the 'season.'

[Widow]

LifeJet, sounds like you did it the right way ... you got there, found out you weren't a "good fit", and gave notice ... what else were you supposed to do? Leave after three days so they were stuck with NO pilot?

[Mr. North]

they hired somebody else, service was uninterrupted.

It's just business.

Service was not uninterrupted, you left Terry hanging high and dry until your replacement was trained. In this business keeping your word goes a long way - so does word of mouth.

Should I have passed up the better opportunity, indefinitely?

No, you shouldn't have too. You'd be surprised how many companies will offer you a grace period when you say your honoring your current employer. I know where your working now and I would be very surprised if your CP didn't offer any accommodation.

Flying the 210 wasn't a seasonal job so its not like I signed on to stay for the 'season.'

You really have no clue do you?! Terry hires guys in the spring, right around the time when the ice roads go out, coincidence? Hardly, since the 210 will be going steady until the winter roads are back in. Sure the 'season' isn't as black and white as you may like but it's no less important.

what else were you supposed to do? Leave after three days...

Yes! As opposed to leaving mid season when business is in full stride?! Right after he spent time to train you? How much stuff did he leave on the tarmac so you could ride along and fly back on the empty legs? No it didn't cost him anything...

The point is buddy I know three other guys who were trying to get in on that 210. Instead you got it. Then you made a piss poor impression not only on yourself, but every other guy coming through that door looking to catch a break. While I can't say a training bond was required in this case, it's attitudes like yours that will prompt employers to seek one. Grow a little backbone bone in your new and 'far superior quality of life'. Good riddance!

[LifeJet]

Mr. North, you're entitled to your opinion.

As for me having a backbone... I take as little shit from people as possible. Terry provided a piss poor working environment so I left. It's pretty simple.

If you think it's such a great gig, without having worked there, then you and your friends are welcome to it. Can't say I envy any of you.

Good riddance indeed.

[jamesinator]

I don't want to get into the argument too much here, but I've heard some great things about Keeper River. I applied there, and I'm really hoping I can have a chance at the job, even though I don't have too much experience.

[Flybaby]

Mr.North I find it funny I still don't know who you are from all the time in Red. But besides that, Terry is a great boss, pays well above average for the planes he flies, buys steaks and beer for his employees on occasion, one of the nicest guys you will meet in the business. His family has been through a lot this past year, the least of which was dealing with a 200hr wonder that moved up to Red to fly for a bush company that didn't want to fly bush.

[phillyfan]

If you made it through half the season you shoulda stuck it out. It's an unwritten rule. However it's never that cut and dry. I've packed the car and headed out once or twice. In those cases I thought injury or death was a real possibility. Your gonna deal with a lot more then homesickness or a mean office lady in your career. Pick your shots.

[bigEh]

Does anyone know the contact for this operation or if they are still open? I have tried 2 numbers that were both out of service. The positive reviews here make this sound like a great place to start and I would like to try to send a resume. Thanks for the help.

[Duffman]

I don't really know the status of the company but the Cochenour base is not used much at all. Excellent Adventures has their otter in there once in a while and Kenora Air was there in the fall. It seemed to be a ghost town for most of the summer.

edit: Yeah, they no longer exist

[bigEh]

Thanks Duffman,

too bad. I guess that explains the no service phone calls.