Working the dock at Harbour Air

[sendymcsendyface]

Going to school in Kamloops, and looking for a gig for the summer. Trying to get on as a dispatcher for the airtanker base here, but intrigued by working the dock for Harbour, with the possibility of moving up to a Twotter FO spot in a few years. Plus, the GF lives in Vancouver. The wage there doesn't seem great (Especially for Vancouver) but are the connections worth it? Also curious about the 172 they have for rent for employees, are seasonals allowed to fly it, and is it a good enough rate to make the job worth it to build some cheap hours?
Cheers,
Sendy

[scdriver]

I'm not sure about the 172, but as far as the dock goes it's hard to say whether it's worth it or not. I believe there's at least a couple of dockhands with cpl's now, so I doubt you'd be the first in line for the right seat. And that's if it comes up at all - it might not.

You'd definitely make some good connections. It's a small world in the float industry, and with the number of pilots there, someone would be able to put a good word in for you in a lot of places if they enjoy working with you. But, I don't think it'd be the place for the quickest transition to a flying spot itself.

Do you have a cpl now - or are close? If you do, I'd definitely skip harbour and find somewhere in the boonies where you'd be flying quicker. If flying at harbour is the goal, float time in the book will be more valuable than screwing around on the dock for over a year.

If you aren't that close to the cpl and want to be in Vancouver, it's definitely a good option. Although I doubt pay is any more than $18/hr.

[7ECA]

Depending on where you're based, the answer is a big fat maybe. And an even bigger caveat of, all bets are off due to COVID.

If you work at YHC, you've got a chance of possibly getting on the Twotter as an FO; but you'll also be starting at the bottom of the barrel for seniority in the company and it very much counts towards a chance of even getting interviewed - nepotism and favouritism are also very important. Slim chance of getting promoted from YVR. Essentially no shot in hell of going anywhere from Nanaimo or YWH.

The wage is crap especially with how hard you'll work (especially downtown where they will ride you into the ground all summer), but they'll very much sell it as a part of being "blessed" enough to be working on the West Coast. Last I heard the 172 was renting for $100/hr dry (about five years ago), and it's based out of YVR so you'll definitely be paying quite a bit on top of the hourly rate for arrival/departure fees at YVR - in addition to being treated like a leaper as GA is loathed. But, it wouldn't surprise me if it's become unbelievably difficult to rent the 172 because rumour has it its been bent more than once over the years by dock rats.

But hey, a job is a job and in this hiring climate you've gotta take what you can get sometimes. Just don't fall for the carrot and stick routine, at any company, and be ready to move on if you haven't gotten your shot at a seat in a reasonable timeframe.

[scdriver]

Also, I forgot to mention, they were running two captains in the twin otter. Not sure if they still are, but I assume that would affect any potential dock to flying spots.

[7ECA]

Definitely would. But, that was probably a thing during the first batch of bringing pilots back onto the active roster. Wasn't it originally 50 were brought back, when things started to tentatively open back up? No offence to the FOs, but they would've been so low down on the seniority totem pole that they probably immediately started looking for work elsewhere; not much of a chance those layoffs wouldn't have been permanent.

Or, it may be a thing after a certain FO pranged the Twotter twice...

[sendymcsendyface]

Thanks for the detailed replies everyone. Couple of things. 1, I don't have my CPL yet, currently dealing with some medical stuff, as well as going to University. 2. I'm not particularly hot on a career at Harbour, Vancouver is nice, but too urban (and expensive) for me long term. I was only thinking of them as my gf is working in Van at the moment, and I just need a summer job to tide me over until the fall semester. I'm applying for as a position as a dispatcher with BC wildfire, hoping to build some connections in that industry, as flying waterbombers is my career goal. My only other options for summer employment are working in bike shops, so I figured working for Harbour would be a good way to spend the summer, would be nice to be around airplanes again, as well as hopefully building some connections. I'm not wanting to put all my eggs in one basket, with how fickle the industry is right now. I've got 5 years of university left anyways, which means flexible summer jobs, so I'm not champing at the bit to get back in the cockpit (for money anyways, fun is another matter).

[JazzYVR]

If you want to be overworked and underpaid, go work the dock at HA. I worked there for a few years with the goal of getting on the twotter. As someone earlier mentioned, nepotism and favouritism run rampant at this operation. Got passed up for guys with less seniority/experience more than once. The wage is terrible, you start at $16/hr on the dock (which is almost unlivable in Vancouver) and good luck getting a raise within your first year, or even two...

If you don't have your CPL yet, and just want a summer job being around planes, then yeah go for it. Most of the ground staff and pilots are great people and awesome to work with. Just don't have any expectations of getting on the twotter within the next decade.

PM me if you want any more info.

[sounder]

The dispatcher job in Kamloops at the fire centre is a great job.
Dockhand at Harbour Air in the summer is really hard job. A few years ago when HA didn't run a skeleton crew on the dock, dockhands were typically walking 20 km a day on the dock. I can't even imagine what they were doing just prior to the pandemic when every day was full throttle. Any other HA base would be a huge improvement over downtown Vancouver.

[co-joe]

Are you really into float flying as a career path? I'd say working the ramp at Pasco seasonally might be a better option in terms of getting a seat eventually.

[maru_beltran]

Thanks for the detailed replies everyone. Couple of things. 1, I don't have my CPL yet, currently dealing with some medical stuff, as well as going to University. 2. I'm not particularly hot on a career at Harbour, Vancouver is nice, but too urban (and expensive) for me long term. I was only thinking of them as my gf is working in Van at the moment, and I just need a summer job to tide me over until the fall semester. I'm applying for as a position as a dispatcher with BC wildfire, hoping to build some connections in that industry, as flying waterbombers is my career goal. My only other options for summer employment are working in bike shops, so I figured working for Harbour would be a good way to spend the summer, would be nice to be around airplanes again, as well as hopefully building some connections. I'm not wanting to put all my eggs in one basket, with how fickle the industry is right now. I've got 5 years of university left anyways, which means flexible summer jobs, so I'm not champing at the bit to get back in the cockpit (for money anyways, fun is another matter).

I worked as CSA there for a summer. If you can get in as a dockhand, that's a great summer gig! HA is a tight operation, everyone that works there is great. Make sure you prepare, hire an instructor first and be very familiar with the airspace before you try to rent out their C172. That one flies out of YVR. Good luck!