Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

This forum has been developed to discuss aviation related topics.

Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, lilfssister, North Shore, I WAS Birddog

Post Reply
Canuckgame
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2019 5:53 pm

Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by Canuckgame »

Hello,

I'm currently taking my PPL, almost finished, and will be starting my CPL soon. I currently live on Vancouver Island, but was looking into potentially moving to the Kamloops area, this is where my wife and i are originally from. My wife and I are expecting our 1st baby and we're looking to find a place to sink our roots into and start our family.

I'm not sure where aviation will take me but I was hoping to get a Bush job potentially as my 1st flying job, build my hours and experience, and hopefully get on with a regional airline at some point.

The questions that brought me to this forum are

1- are there any professional pilots that fly up north or with a regional airline that commute to Kamloops or Vancouver Island? Is this do-able?

2- are there Bush pilot jobs where you can commute between work and home every couple of weeks or so? Are there rotations of say 3 weeks on one week off for example?


I honestly dont know a lot about the aviation industry for professional pilots, I'm definitely ok with paying my dues, I know at the beginning I will probably be sacrificing family time, but I would really appreciate some honesty as to what to expect breaking Into the industry.

I just want to know if my hope's are realistic, and I also want to know if it is do-able to live in Kamloops and commute once I made it to a regional airline?

Thank you for taking the time to read my post!
---------- ADS -----------
 
PostmasterGeneral
Rank 8
Rank 8
Posts: 835
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:50 pm

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by PostmasterGeneral »

More than a few guys at Jazz commute out of Kamloops. Bid the classic and you’ll even get lots of YKA overnights during your pairing. It’s not exactly a sought-after layover in the bid packs.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Harley2014
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 12:23 pm

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by Harley2014 »

Commuting out of kamloops is getting harder and harder. Most guys end up having to go to yvr or yyc the day before a pairing and in some cases staying an extra night after the pairing finishes depending on what time the pairing finishes. Take a look at the times of the last/first flights out. Weather issues aside its not the easiest commute since you will be commuting to yvr or yyc and then yul for the start. If you get on with jazz you will be in yul for a while before you get back to yyc or yvr and depending on which plane you get on close to a year on reserve, or at least a year in yyc but with the new collective at jazz that may change. I can only speak about jazz.
---------- ADS -----------
 
floatpiperdriver
Rank 1
Rank 1
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:43 pm

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by floatpiperdriver »

Hey, I know this is an oldish thread, but I am a working pilot living in Kamloops. I work out of town on rotation 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. My company has another pilot that lives here as well. For my particular family it is a pretty good deal and we make it work. I know Borek has a few pilots living here as well on rotations. There are a number of seasonal pilots that live here in the the winter between bush/fire seasons. There are a few 705/704 folks who drive to the lower mainland or Kelowna for work. For me I put roots down here because of my wife's attachment to the area, but, I was obviously pretty happy to do this.

Its a nice place to grow your family: the hospital is good, the schools are not bad, there is lots of access to nature, you will very likely live within walking distance to a really good park, there are many strong youth organisations, if you have more kids there are a lot of prenatal resources here, and there are lots of arts/culture/recreational activities all the time. There are negative sides: traffic is getting to suck as the city is growing waaay too fast, good luck getting a family doctor, and there are no local flying jobs unless you instruct for CFC (I'm sure there are worse fates, but not many).

Anyway, I like it here and its a good place to have a family as long as you and your family can handle commuting. Let me know if you have any more detailed questions.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Brady
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2019 9:46 am

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by Brady »

floatpiperdriver wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 9:47 am CFC (I'm sure there are worse fates, but not many).

hi @floatpiperdriver
i wanted to ask about CFC since i Wanted to study there, can u tell me the pros and cons of the school
---------- ADS -----------
 
Brady
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2019 9:46 am

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by Brady »

future pilot student in cfc

floatpiperdriver can u explain more please, since i'll be joining theme
floatpiperdriver wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 9:47 am and there are no local flying jobs unless you instruct for CFC (I'm sure there are worse fates, but not many).
---------- ADS -----------
 
shimmydampner
Rank (9)
Rank (9)
Posts: 1764
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2004 3:59 pm

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by shimmydampner »

Canuckgame wrote: Sat Feb 02, 2019 6:13 pm 2- are there Bush pilot jobs where you can commute between work and home every couple of weeks or so? Are there rotations of say 3 weeks on one week off for example?
Kenn Borek Air. All the bush flying adventure you could possibly want.
---------- ADS -----------
 
floatpiperdriver
Rank 1
Rank 1
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:43 pm

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by floatpiperdriver »

Hey Brady! Sorry, only just saw your reply. Hard to know where to start with CFC. Probably the most glaring thing is just being around Kamloops watching them try and operate an airplane. Being in the circuit with them is in my top ten most annoying things. However, I hear the instructor they have in Kamloops right now is actually pretty good. I know there's a lot of issues with money there, like, them asking for money up front in bulk and people not being able to get it back when they left. The owner is a real piece of work and has done a lot to alienate other people on the field. But, its the only show in town... theres a few freelancers around, but you'd need your own airplane.

The pros and cons of CFC is a large and unbalanced list... probably best discussed over a coffee or a beer.

Tylair was a really great school while it lasted. Too bad its basically gone now.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Brady
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2019 9:46 am

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by Brady »

hi floatpiperdriver
just seen ur reply, basically i'm an international student asking about cfc, and the full atpl program they're offering
---------- ADS -----------
 
ShamrockPilot
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2019 6:46 am

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by ShamrockPilot »

basically i'm an international student asking about cfc, and the full atpl program they're offering
CFC is awful. The owner is almost as shady as the CFO, who you will be giving all your money too. Pick literally any other school and fly in the lower mainland. With CFC you’ll have to do your multi down there anyways. Have had friends successfully sue this “school” and win but most times they’re successful in taking advantage of your lack of knowledge of this industry, and even worse so if you’re non-Canadian as 90% of their students are. PM me if you want more details.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Ethanroy1
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2020 7:33 am

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by Ethanroy1 »

You should contact to TylAir Aviation Ltd. they've professional pilots.
---------- ADS -----------
 
floatpiperdriver
Rank 1
Rank 1
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:43 pm

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by floatpiperdriver »

Shamrock basically nails it.
---------- ADS -----------
 
twichpong
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:43 pm

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by twichpong »

ShamrockPilot wrote: Tue Jan 07, 2020 11:16 am
basically i'm an international student asking about cfc, and the full atpl program they're offering
CFC is awful. The owner is almost as shady as the CFO, who you will be giving all your money too. Pick literally any other school and fly in the lower mainland. With CFC you’ll have to do your multi down there anyways. Have had friends successfully sue this “school” and win but most times they’re successful in taking advantage of your lack of knowledge of this industry, and even worse so if you’re non-Canadian as 90% of their students are. PM me if you want more details.
Hi Shamrock, Would you kindly give me some info about CFC, I am starting my course with them soon as an international student. I can't PM you as I am a very new member. Really need some info to weight my choices. Thank you
---------- ADS -----------
 
ShamrockPilot
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2019 6:46 am

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by ShamrockPilot »

Anna and Peter that run it are genuinely mean-spirited people. Nice at first until anything is signed or money is given. I’m Canadian and so there was no student visa to threaten to take from me constantly but all my friends from Brazil France Italy etc at the school were continually threatened unless they paid more/flew more. I’m also more aware of Canada’s laws and used the better business bureau against them. They broke into one guys locked room with a drill while he was in there because he wanted to leave schools and they were throwing him out on the street (he sued/won). They owned the property but he was up on rent so they had no right. I budgeted based on the quote they gave me and near the end they told me the quote should have, but didn’t, include about 15 hours of simulator for multi IFR. Thousands of dollars on top of the quote. Several times asked to do favours for them which are fully illegal (ferrying planes between flight schools in boundary bay / Kamloops) like flying at night prior to having night rating. While still paying for these flights of course. I could go on and on. Steer clear of CFC. That being said I finished all training from 0 - 200 in 11 months and was hired in the 12th which is all I wanted but I had to disregard all their programs and schedules and do it my own way. Hope this helps. It was a couple of years ago now so my memory is hazy but it was more stressful dealing with those two constantly trying to get more money from me than studying for my INRAT exam.
---------- ADS -----------
 
flyingcanuck
Rank 6
Rank 6
Posts: 494
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2017 8:55 am

Re: Any professional pilots living in Kamloops here?

Post by flyingcanuck »

I worked for Anna for a short bit and didn't like how they ran the school at all, and she seemed very stuck on keeping bookings even if a student wasn't prepped or could even do the lesson they were supposed to. The student was supposed to do a xc but had no planning (first dual xc) and was told to just do 2 hrs of diversions instead to not lose the booking.

My 2c
---------- ADS -----------
 
Post Reply

Return to “General Comments”