Bushland Airways Ltd.

[CBSW]

Hey..

Anyone know about these guys? Maintenance, weather, working conditions.. Saw the CP on T.V the other day.. made me think.. hermm...

[CFMartin]

What channel was that on? The APTN channel? I think they were operating a 185 and a 206 a few years ago...

[Bushav8er]

Cherokee Six and C206

[CBSW]

yes, 180,cherokee 6, C206

It was on the weather network

[farmerjoe]

its a day vfr gig for a rookie up in an isolated rezervation, flying pop and chips to other rezs. busy, good time builder, but crew....you are the crew. You have never experienced bordom and isolation till you have worked at a one man show up in YMO. Theres probaly a stack of a 100 resumes on his desk, if you want a shot, drive up there, take the train, and go say hi at the end of this season when the current guy moves on

[Highflyinpilot]

one man show, Really. that has got to suck.

[Donald]

Exactly how many people do you need to run a PA32 or C206 in a day VFR op?

[square]

1 pilot and 1 dispatch girl.

[Donald]

Are you saying that's what they employ, 1 pilot and 1 dispatcher?

[square]

No idea who they are or how they operate

[Bush League]

This ain't the big city folks. They don't have a big office at the airport. It's a family run, out of the barn type of op. They do lots of flying, day *caugh* vfr. They may have 1 or 2 pilots for any season. Dispatcher? ahaha you mean some guy who answers the phone. You would live next to the owner outside of 'town'. Good gig for someone who's a glutton for punishment, balls of steel, a desire to explore 3rd world Ontario and a passion to aggressively test the design envelope of small single pistons.

[Cat Driver]

Good gig for someone who's a glutton for punishment, balls of steel, a desire to explore 3rd world Ontario and a passion to aggressively test the design envelope of small single pistons.

I take it they are still working on developing their SMS?

[CBSW]

perrrrrffeeeccctttt! Just my type of operation.. What the H&^* do those Cessna designers know anyway!!!

[Sneeker]

They are a good little operation. The family is great, and it gets pretty busy in the summer months with pop/chip runs up the coast, and charters. The aircraft are safe, and they are always in the limits of the aircraft, no matter what some out side observers that fly jets have to say. Moosonee can be a bit of a culture shock, and the first month can be lonely, but if your a friendly guy that can change in a heart beat. As for a crew, there is usually 2 pilots and the owner's with family help picking up your load and doing all the dispatch work. Im sure you could do a lot worse, pretty chill operation, one of the best kept secrets.

They are full up for this year for pilots right now but it wont hurt to send in a resume, and maybe a visit near the end of the season.

Good luck.

[av8tor604]

They have been in operation for 32 years and have a great safety record. Their maintenance is done off site at Sky Wrench Aviation at Cochrane Airport (CYCN) which serves many other airlines. If needed the AMO is flown up to Moosonee or where ever the aircraft happens to be. They currently operate a Cessna 206, Cherokee Six 260, Cherokee Six 300. They have 3 pilots, one employed year round, 2 seasonal. It is usually busy from April to December and most flights are within 150nm in the James Bay area but they do flights as far north as Fort Severn or on occasion to Southern Ontario. Many years ago they had up to 9 aircraft, but the need for bush flying has dramatically reduced in the past 10 years. Most flying now is cargo and passengers from airport to airport. It is family owned and operated, however the pilots are not apart of the family.. in the past they were but not anymore. The owner, operations manager and others in the company which are all family.. have all flown for many years and have either retired from flying or moved on to other things. They are not a shady company, they just do not advertise (other than simple website) because they are able to stay busy year round with locals chartering everyday and they are not looking to expand.. they are happy the way they are. Transport Canada is in contact with them routinely year round, they are properly insured and operate under their own OC and fully own their aircraft. The owner is in his 60's and is helping out with operations year round and does not like pushing limits with loads, weather, etc.. if they weather is bad, they usually shut down until things get better.. there is another charter company with Navajo's and King Air's at the same location that can fly in IFR condition that usually take over when weather is bad for extended periods... but in the James Bay area the land is very flat and very near sea level, so they can still operate all day easily with 1000ft ceilings because there is no rising terrain at all in most of their operating area.

[trey kule]

donald asked;;

Exactly how many people do you need to run a PA32 or C206 in a day VFR op?

the short answer is, if you are busy 3...2 aircraft x 30 days is 60 duty days/3 is 20 duty days per pilot
the typical number is 2 because good old TC allows you to use weather days as days off, and all sorts of variance to the rules...and as a "day off" simply means no flying, on the Wx days you can be tasked to "other duties"
BTW. I know nothing of this company.

Now. bush League

This ain't the big city folks. They don't have a big office at the airport. It's a family run, out of the barn type of op. They do lots of flying, day *caugh* vfr. They may have 1 or 2 pilots for any season. Dispatcher? ahaha you mean some guy who answers the phone. You would live next to the owner outside of 'town'. Good gig for someone who's a glutton for punishment, balls of steel, a desire to explore 3rd world Ontario and a passion to aggressively test the design envelope of small single pistons

Are you sure there is not some sort of downside you are not telling us about
That kind of praise for any company will result in at least a 100 unsolicited resumes, although you did miss the 'pay is optional part'

I love the qualifier..."this aint the big city" To mean, I suspect, we do not give a rats butt about duty days, days off, other duties, and we subscribe to casual IFR. And because it is a mom and pop outfit, we want to keep all the money so we can drive a nice shiney new trucks and take a great winter vacation.

I do want to stress I have no idea about the company so any actual references are co-incidental and accidental.

lastly. You dont have to be overly friendly in Mooosenee to make friends. Just walk down the main street with a case of beer.!!!

[trey kule]

posted twice to emphasize my point

[into the blue]

Av8tor604, thanks for a detailed info!

[floatrfun]

One of our student pilots, who did her CPL with us at the end of last season, got a job with them this season flying the 206 on floats and loves it. She says they are a fantastic operation, great owners, and she even has her own little cabin.

[Siddley Hawker]

... although you did miss the 'pay is optional part'.

Phil Lariviere once offered me a job flying his Norseman, he owned FQI at the time. He told me he couldn't pay too much, but I could keep whatever I could steal.

[Jack Klumpus]

True story.

Sitting in Moose River with a few friends during our May 24 retreat. Moose River by the way is 1hr ride south of Moosonee on the Polar Bear Express. We went to venture and heard out of the woods some sort of singing. Following our investigative drive, we came across a cabin, in the middle of nowhere, with a family of 5, whities, 1 guitar, and lots of singing.

Turns out they were the bible thumping kind, so we figured out later on, after we started hitting on the oldest daughter (mid twenties).

She ends up coming with us from Moose River, to Moosonee, and take us to her uncle's place, he who owns bushland airways.

Resumes in hand, she drives us to his place (3 guys), and we drop off our resumes on his kitchen table, cos he was out flying.

This was about 10 years ago, so many things have changed. He called me back, saying it was just him and his nephew flying, and thats about it.

Moosonee is a shit hole, that's in my opinion.

Lots of characters in the moose, from the owner of the 'IFR' operator there, to his buddy who owns the hotel. All monkeys of the shaddiest degree. Cool thing is tho, we camped right outside the hotel, snuck in for showers, and snuck in for the free breakfast in the morning. What a stooge.

[DaveC]

True story.

Moosonee is a shit hole, that's in my opinion.

Lots of characters in the moose, from the owner of the 'IFR' operator there, to his buddy who owns the hotel. All monkeys of the shaddiest degree. Cool thing is tho, we camped right outside the hotel, snuck in for showers, and snuck in for the free breakfast in the morning. What a stooge.

That is hilarious!

[av8tor604]

Exactly how many people do you need to run a PA32 or C206 in a day VFR op?

You need 3 to run any small charter company. Owner/operations manager, maintenance manager and chief pilot.

[Lost Lake]

Exactly how many people do you need to run a PA32 or C206 in a day VFR op?

You need 3 to run any small charter company. Owner/operations manager, maintenance manager and chief pilot.

Not quite right. You need 3 positions, but 1 person can do all 3!

[sheephunter]

Yes, but that's one special person and hopefully yourself. I did it with 2. But you're 100% correct, it can be done with one.