OK, I know you can only count 50 hours of ultralight time towards your ATPL.
Now, if you bought an ultralight with floats, and got 500 hours on it, would that be good enough for the insurance companies? What would a potential employer think when he looked at your log book?
Any thoughts on this?
-istp
Time building on ultralights?
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sky's the limit
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I would save your money and spend it on some proper float hours. Don't mean to sound crass, but flying ultra-lights really is an entirely different sport.
It's not to say you wouldn't learn from the experience, but your money could be much more effectively spent. It's a bit like the guys that used to show up in my offiice with 800TT and 450 on gliders, they're basically 350 pilots to a bush operator. Again, not bashing gliding, a TONNE to be learned there, but the skills are just not that applicable to flying floats or off-strip wheeled a/c in the bush.
With the market being as competative as it is for low-time jobs these days, I would continue exploring options until you find the most cost-effective way to build some good time. Sounds like you're doing that already with this post, good luck.
It's not to say you wouldn't learn from the experience, but your money could be much more effectively spent. It's a bit like the guys that used to show up in my offiice with 800TT and 450 on gliders, they're basically 350 pilots to a bush operator. Again, not bashing gliding, a TONNE to be learned there, but the skills are just not that applicable to flying floats or off-strip wheeled a/c in the bush.
With the market being as competative as it is for low-time jobs these days, I would continue exploring options until you find the most cost-effective way to build some good time. Sounds like you're doing that already with this post, good luck.
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mikegtzg
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It may be wise to do more research on this and get more responses. Many CDN. AULA now are very much like a J-3 or Champ on floats. The glassy water landings and docking are the same.
And transport doesn't distinquish between float time on ultralights/certified. Only on total pic time is there a limit on licences.
In Canada, if its registered as a homebuilt, there are no limitations on hours toward higher licences. Many 2 seater a/c that are commonly referred to as ultralights are registered as homebuilts.
Seems illogical to me (I'm not an employer or insurance person) that this time would be looked down upon as trivial. If the ultralight was a weight shift type like a trike, now that may be a different matter. But again a kitfox, wagaero cuby, murphy maverick, etc. 2 seater tractor isn't at all much different from some small certified models.
And transport doesn't distinquish between float time on ultralights/certified. Only on total pic time is there a limit on licences.
In Canada, if its registered as a homebuilt, there are no limitations on hours toward higher licences. Many 2 seater a/c that are commonly referred to as ultralights are registered as homebuilts.
Seems illogical to me (I'm not an employer or insurance person) that this time would be looked down upon as trivial. If the ultralight was a weight shift type like a trike, now that may be a different matter. But again a kitfox, wagaero cuby, murphy maverick, etc. 2 seater tractor isn't at all much different from some small certified models.
