West Coast

[Kzanol]

I currently have a job flying floats in NW Ontario, however I have always wanted to fly floats on the west coast. What do I need to make this happen? How much time should I have? What companies should I apply to/What companies should I try and stay away from? If anybody can help me out with these kinds of questions and any provide any other useful information I would appreciate it very much. Also, if you can share your opinons on this idea it would help me decide if this is a good plan or not.

[meflypretty]

I like these guys, they do some pretty typical westcoast work. You need a min. 500 hours floats.


http://www.pilotcareercenter.com/JobRes ... lineID=721

[twotter]

It all depends on who you want to work for and where you want to work.. There are companies out here that will hire you with 100 hours or less on floats. There are other companies that have more stringent requirements and want you to have 1500 tt with 1000 on floats.. West coast time is an asset but not necessarily required. It is a little different flying out here and you will run into things that you don't in a lot of the rest of Canada.

Good luck..

[Hornblower]

So why did you post in the bush flying forum, that's not bush flying, it's coast commuter, shirt and tie, single engine airline stuff. Real men fly bush in Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, and the Territories.

[Cat Driver]

Ha, ha , ha , ha ...now there is a guy with a sense of humor.

However when these real men get lots of experience in flying in the bush they can then come out here and try and convince an operator they now know enough about flying floats to be given a chance to see if they are good enough to learn to fly out here....

The change from a flatlander pilot to to a pilot who can fly in the mountains is a real achievement. There is a reason why they start flying the easy commuter stuff, it is to see if they are good enough to fly the on coast and in the mountains and they soon learn that there is a real difference between what they call " the bush " and real trees.

Thanks Hornblower that is the best laugh I have had all year.

[Hornblower]

You're entirely welcome.

By the way, I read in a magazine that there are more fags in Vancouver (worse even than Toronto) per capita then anywhere else in North America, is that true? Maybe another reason for the lad to stay here with the men.

[Cat Driver]

By the way, I read in a magazine that there are more fags in Vancouver (worse even than Toronto) per capita then anywhere else in North America, is that true? Maybe another reason for the lad to stay here with the men

.

I don't have any idea about where to find fags Hornblower because I'm not wired that way, but what little I do know about it any lad who wants to be with men has all the prerequisites to be one.

[Hornblower]

Maybe, ... maybe not, I guess it'd be his choice, here with bush and the blackflies, or there with the ... uh ... statistics.

[Cat Driver]

Maybe, ... maybe not, I guess it'd be his choice, here with bush and the blackflies, or there with the ... uh ... statistics.

I truly enjoy our differences Hornblower, we have now moved on from our different thinking about flying tail wheel airplanes last year to bush flying versus coastal mountain flying and on those subjects I could argue with you from the vantage point of experience in those areas......but I am unable to go any further on the subject of fags because I have no personal experience in that field.

But don't take this the wrong way Hornblower you have as much right to express your interests here on Avcanada as I do, and I'm sure there are some who would be glad to discuss this fag thing with you.

When you are ready to get back to talking about flying I'll still be here.

[angry inch]

Kzanol... You need to get on the phone & talk to a bunch of West Coast operators. I grew up & learned to fly on the west coast. When I was licensed commercially, things were slower than nowadays & I had to go east to be able to gain enough experience to get a job in my own back yard on Vanouver Island!! Funny eh? Anyways, things have changed a bit & operators out here are paying close attention to pilots with a very modest amount of experience these days. I don't really think there is anyone in particular you need to stay away from. They all have their ups & downs....

good luck

Hornblower.. I've never been swarmed by fags... but those dirty black flies.... happy flying...

[Rudder Bug]

So why did you post in the bush flying forum, that's not bush flying, it's coast commuter, shirt and tie, single engine airline stuff. Real men fly bush in Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, and the Territories

I would add Labrador, Nunavut, Yukon and most of South America and Africa, but flying the Wet Coast is, for one, quite a challenge for a newbe like I would be, even though I feel totally home in the outskirts of Arctic, I'm scared of scorpios, snakes and the Desert People, and even more scared in a big north american city

[buster79]

thank you hornblower, you got the ol' might cat driver to post three times and not once was there any mention of the "good folks" at t.c.

[Cat Driver]

thank you hornblower, you got the ol' might cat driver to post three times and not once was there any mention of the "good folks" at t.c.

Sorry, how many times did the TC land their amphibious Beaver on the water with the wheels down out here on the west coast and go end over end?

Was it two or three times I forget.

There you go does that put me back on track?

[Rudder Bug]

Sorry, how many times did the TC land their amphibious Beaver on the water with the wheels down out here on the west coast and go end over end?

They don't need to be on the Pacific to do it, they have the same records in Quebec. When a Beaver noses over, our first conclusion is its TC guys

[buster79]

ah yes, much better!

[Cat Driver]

Buster, it is a human trait to pick the easiest task we can when doing most things.

When searching for examples of hypocrisy what better target than relating the fiascoes that are continually displayed by the people who can climb out of something they just wrecked and then fail you on a ride because they can?

The best one of course was that King Air full of their finest that couldn't fly a simple IFR approach... and got violated.....that was classic

[Rowdy]

Didn't they also land on the paved runway with the wheels up?

[altiplano]

-

[Hornblower]

hehehe... Hornblower... and he's complaining about FAGS and suggesting the LAD come spend some time with him in the BUSH - maybe he'll BLOW your HORN...

Get a grip dipshit.

Hahahaha, ... finally got someone to bite on that. Better late than never I guess. Are you from the coast? It's ok, don't be too sensitive, it's just what I read in a magazine, maybe it's not even true. Macleans I think.

[Cat Driver]

Naw Hornblower, there is no need to fix on the fag part of your post this pretty well shows you are either ignorant of the subject or just trying to get a rise out of people.

Real men fly bush in Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, and the Territories.

So which is it, ignorance or trolling?

[Hornblower]

Ignorant of what? Real men, bush flying, float flying on the west coast, canadian geography, or fudge-packers?

[Cat Driver]

Like I said Hornblower I really can't relate to the fudge packer thing because it is not my thing.

I do however understand you love to make outrageous statements about flying, remember our little go around about tail wheel flying?

So I am just playing the game with you to see where you go with this.

Now as far as flying floats goes there is no comparison between the flat land bush flying and flying sea planes out here on the west coast......all one needs to do is apply for a job out here to see what they think of flat landers.

If you have not tried it here is an offer, I just got a phone call from a friend of mine wondering if I knew of any Beaver drivers who are capable of flying on the coast.

The pay and working conditions are not all that bad and his equipment is top notch.

If you actually are as you call it " A real man " this is a good job and on your days off you can go over to Vancouver for the fudge packing thing.

[Hornblower]

As much as I would like to fly a beaver again, I am well ensconced here where I am. If I was going to fly bush again, it would be probably be here in the east where I live. I have seen pictures of the glorious scenery out west where you're at, and for sure it is awe inspiring. But I also spent a morning once, watching the dandy boys (and girls) in their fine white shirts and ties, shiny shoes, and clean shaven appearance, climb down out of their turbo otters and twins, after backing the aircraft up using reverse asymmetric thrust to sidle up along side the dock in even the windiest conditions (that's just cheating as far as I'm concerned, ... much as I'd like to try that sometime), while three dock boys have the ropes on it and steps up for the passengers with brief cases, suits and skirts.

What about dropping off timber cruisers on the shore of some small narrow lake with trees right to the shoreline in gusty 20 knot winds, where there's no one to catch you before the wing swings into the trees, and you have to jump out, crawl across the spreader bar and get a rope on the right front cleat before something gets damaged.

Where's the 100 pounders of propane, moose quarters and drums of fuel, the drunk passengers that can't climb down the ladders by themselves, the smell of fish, beer and a weeks worth of baked beans.

Shit; now you got me all nostalgic.

Anyways, ... to answer your first question: maybe a little of both eh.

[Cat Driver]

What about dropping off timber cruisers on the shore of some small narrow lake with trees right to the shoreline in gusty 20 knot winds,

We consider that a calm day out here, and there are rip currents as the tide changes to give us something to keep us from getting bored.

where there's no one to catch you before the wing swings into the trees, and you have to jump out, crawl across the spreader bar and get a rope on the right front cleat before something gets damaged.

That is just basic stuff hoenblower.

[Hornblower]

Didn't see no white shirts crawling across no spreader bars from the bench I was sittin' on.

Shit, they didn't even soil their hands on the ropes.