Harbour Air

[flyinhigh]

Looking at their website, company seems to be quite good and well rounded.

Does anyone have any info on their salary structure?

[SundayDriver]

Looking at their website, company seems to be quite good and well rounded.

Does anyone have any info on their salary structure?

DHC-2 - $22 hour
DHC-3 - $26.75 hour

Guaranteed 74 hours every 2 weeks (paid duty hours).
4 on 3 off sched
No benefits for seasonal pilots
4 sick days a year

I hope that helps

[flyinhigh]

Yeah, thanks.

[North Shore]

$26.75 an hour for the Otter - is that the entry-level pay rate? I have a hard time thinking that they'd get many people wanting to live long-term in Vancouver or suburbs for ~ $55k/yr...

[awitzke]

I think so NS. I know one Otter pilot at HA and from what I've heard from him he makes more than that.

[loopa]

Friend was at HA about 5 years ago. He was making close to 90k/yr as a captain.

[Mr. North]

I should hope so. I talked to them twice over the years and both times I turned them down over their initial quote. Always had other opportunities to follow up on and I did. But every so often I wonder how guys flying there make it work? A guy could easily make twice that in ON/MB/SK. Surely there must be something more than end-of-day beers at the Flying Beaver? It seems like a good company, never hear of any complaints... although they do post job ads on a regular basis (along with every other float operator).

[awitzke]

Sure, but for some people lifestyle and location in a big city means more than a few extra bucks. 90k in the GVRD is not really bad at all. If you're single you can live in Van/Richmond for under $1k/mo (rent). If you have a family you'd have to commute a bit but at the times you're flying you would never really hit traffic. I used to commute from Langley to North Van at 5am and it was a 20 minute drive.

[awitzke]

Secondly, if you happen to be based out of Victoria or Nanimo, 90k is fine. If that's the type of flying you're after.

[Rowdy]

Dicussions with many of their Otter and Beaver guys (I worked next door and am still around a lot) And the otter skippers were on average in the mid 70's. Beaver high 40's low 50's. Thats not a ton of coin if you have to live IN vancouver. Sure it can be made to work and it's a lot better than what many on the south side pay..

Also, 20 mins from langley to the north shore? I'm guessing it was you in the lambo that got caught with the NVG

I do remember one employer when asked why I wouldn't be considered for a job telling me this 'You're a west coaster, you'll always be thinking about how to get back there, and not about the job at hand'

[SundayDriver]

22 an hour to start on the beaver. 29 an hour is top scale. ($55,796 a year) 7 years from what I can remember. Top scale of the otter is $37.95 an hour....again after 7 years. ($73,015.80 a year). Not close to $90k. If I can find the pay scale (I have a photo of it somewhere) I will post the facts so you will know forsure.

[gongshowking]

What a sad state of affairs. Could someone post the pay rates for translink in vancouver? I'm willing to bet it's more to drive a bus than a beaver at HA. The one company that can raise the bar with pay just chooses not to. Every few years someone speaks up and a 1 dollar raise is begrudgingly doled out. Pilots are to blame, too busy packing their hair with gel instead of taking action. The only group with any bargaining power to make a stand over these crap wages. I think HA and their paying passengers would be embarrassed if this was more widely known.

[CharlieKilo]

Some interesting info, thanks. What are the chances of a pilot hired seasonally being offered full-time employment? Also, how far do the benefits go? Would this include passes on a number of airlines, or just HA and it's partners.
I'm quite keen on working for them. I have always wanted to fly floats on the coast and from what I've heard they are one of the best operators. I've spoken with the CP and a few pilots, seem like a very nice group of people.
I have been flying DeHavilland products throughout northern MB and ON for the last few years, and cannot seem to get the idea out of my head.
Any suggestions or further insight?

Thx

[turbo-beaver]

Translink pay rate is $30.76/hr - anything over 80 hours is double time. That is the day rate for an Station Attendant.
Afternoon/evening shift is an extra couple bucks an hour.
Defined benefit pension plan.
work 4 -10 hour shifts.......on a 4 on 3 off cycle......
lots of overtime last few years so most of the folks are making close to or over $100,000.00/annum.

Manually driving a train at night in a snowstorm is almost like flying.......but not quite.

Bus drivers have similar pay

[CpnCrunch]

68% of your TransLink fare is funded by taxes.

[AJH]

Anyone know if salaries have changed much since 2015?

I've heard captains cracking 6 figures.

Just wrapping up my CPL and wondering if Harbour Air would be a good long term career path to pursue. Seems like an amazing place to work.

[skybaron]

You’re gonna need deep pockets to live in Vancouver on a floaters salary. Heck, even golden-era AC skippers based in YVR will tell you they’re just “getting by” - (although, maybe a divorce or two doesn’t help the situation).

Good luck.

[Hilroy]

Are they hiring off the street for FO?

[7ECA]

They only hire internally for the Twotter FO jobs. How many years are you willing to work the dock?

Having said that, based on all the ads they post for Beaver and Otter floggers their hurting for pilots - isn't bringing the minimums down much - and probably aren't moving the pay scales either.

[iflyforpie]

Both hiring minimums and pay scales have changed at HA. Not significantly, but changed nonetheless. They are losing too many pilots to the airline world and there aren’t enough pilots willing to swamp and drive for a few seasons out east to get the experience required to come to the big smoke.

But yeah, the Twotter FO position isn’t really for OTS.. though it is structured so you can start with no significant time on the dock and work your way up through the Beaver to the Otter or Caravan or Twin Otter capt if you’re the right individual.

The toughest thing is the seasonal nature of your first few years. As a new Beaver pilot, expect a longer season than back east, but several months off at the low tide of tourist season. Rates are around the $30 an hour mark based on duty day and 4 on 3 off schedule.

[8675309]

I've always wanted to go back to the west coast and fly for Seair or Harbour Air but I can't get over giving up 10-12K a month to do it. My employment usually comes with free accommodations minus food. I can't understand why these two companies haven't secured crew housing for their seasonal employees or provide some sort of assistance.

[shimmydampner]

They are losing too many pilots to the airline world and there aren’t enough pilots willing to swamp and drive for a few seasons out east to get the experience required to come to the big smoke.
.........
As a new Beaver pilot, expect a longer season than back east, but several months off at the low tide of tourist season. Rates are around the $30 an hour mark based on duty day and 4 on 3 off schedule.

Hmmmm, seems like cause and effect at work.

[AJH]

Both hiring minimums and pay scales have changed at HA. Not significantly, but changed nonetheless. They are losing too many pilots to the airline world and there aren’t enough pilots willing to swamp and drive for a few seasons out east to get the experience required to come to the big smoke.

But yeah, the Twotter FO position isn’t really for OTS.. though it is structured so you can start with no significant time on the dock and work your way up through the Beaver to the Otter or Caravan or Twin Otter capt if you’re the right individual.

The toughest thing is the seasonal nature of your first few years. As a new Beaver pilot, expect a longer season than back east, but several months off at the low tide of tourist season. Rates are around the $30 an hour mark based on duty day and 4 on 3 off schedule.

Awesome thank you! How long should/could someone expect to work the docks before being eligible for the twin otter FO position? Just not too sure if I can afford 1-3 years of not flying, with how the industry is transitioning these days -- writing my iatra this week!

[iflyforpie]

As I said in my previous post, it’s for the right person. As with most things in aviation, many choose, few are chosen. Not every dock hand is going to go right seat in the Twotter.

I’ve never been a fan of ramp or dock positions because they are sources of cheap labour that most normal people wouldn’t do for the wages (especially in Vancouver) and because of the open endedness of their arrangement. The offer of a flight line job is what is known as a “carrot” and typically the company will let just enough through to make it plausible for all who do it.

When it doesn’t happen, it can be rationalized by things like “business isn’t as good this year”, “we need more experienced pilots flying the line”, “we still need you on the dock since we have no one else with the experience”,
or “no pilots are leaving/upgrading to give you a spot”.

As you are there on the dock, you are learning about the operation and making connections, but your flying skills are deteriorating and you aren’t getting any closer to your eventual goal.

Take a dock position but understand it is a gamble, and set a limit as to how long you’re going to be there without getting a seat. It might be you have to go somewhere else to get flying time, but the connections you make will help you get back into the company if that is your goal.

[mmm..bacon]

Awesome thank you! How long should/could someone expect to work the docks before being eligible for the twin otter FO position? Just not too sure if I can afford 1-3 years of not flying, with how the industry is transitioning these days -- writing my iatra this week!

My opinion - worth what you paid for it - would be a year. If you’re hired for this summer, and work through the winter, and you’re not up for a seat next year, then bye- bye, HA. (Assuming, of course, that the economy rolls along reasonably well.)