From Wheels to Floats

[mukluk]

Looking for a good operator to switch from wheels to floats with. 1000 TT. 25 Floats

[boozy]

In a couple of weeks, the job adds will start flying up for floats soon enough on here. North Western Ontario is usually a good place to get started on floats. Expect a cessna 180/182/185/206 job. Expect to get 150-350 hours over the summer. And expect 2500-3500/month.

Good luck

[skydivepilot]

I would also like to make the switch to floats but it seems most companies want at least a couple hundred hours of float time for insurance reasons. I have 1232 total hours but only 5.5 on floats from when I did my endorsement years ago. I have over 900 hours in various 182s (230hp-300hp) and lots of take-offs and landings from flying skydivers but know my lack of float time definitely hurts my chances of getting hired. Any advice on how to break into the float industry? One company told me to go buy my own float plane and build hours but that just isn't possible for me financially.

[Patrick_Swayze]

Take a road trip and stop at some of the float bases to hand in a resume in person. Employers like it when someone shows a little ambition to get a flying job, even if you have low time on floats. And your chances of getting hired are way better than they guy with the same amount of time that faxes one in or sends an email.

[Just another canuck]

I've also been thinking about doing this myself. I have just over 1500 TT, 600 PIC. I only have 30 hours on floats too though. Think someone would let me drive their 185??

Two things though: do not want to spend time on the dock and I haven't touched a piston since flight school.

[Patrick_Swayze]

I've also been thinking about doing this myself. I have just over 1500 TT, 600 PIC. I only have 30 hours on floats too though. Think someone would let me drive their 185??

Two things though: do not want to spend time on the dock and I haven't touched a piston since flight school.

Good luck finding an entry level float position where you dont spend any time on the dock. I wouldn't recommend putting that into your cover letter either.

[Just another canuck]

Should have been more specific. I don't want to spend a summer on the dock. Could you recommend places that usually or might have movement in the summer. Perhaps I could get on the 185 half way through.

[Just another canuck]

I wouldn't recommend putting that into your cover letter either.

By the way, thanks for the advice...

[Cat Driver]

Good luck finding an entry level float position where you dont spend any time on the dock. I wouldn't recommend putting that into your cover letter either.

The last thing I would look for hiring a low time pilot for a float flying job is how much dock time they have.

In fact it is totally foreign to my way of thinking.

[cessnafloatflyer]

I second that.
I learned a lot on the dock when i started but learned a lot more in the air on dead legs and by investing in solid training with a pilot who had 8000 plus hours who loved to explain and talk about scenrios. Priceless.

[Cap'n P8]

Start looking at all the lodges that have privately registered aircraft for camp checks. Their insurance should be a lot cheaper, meaning they can usually insure lower time guys.

[PT6-114A]

look for a place that has a DHC-6 that goes on floats that has small stuff as well that is a good start (Tindi North Wright Arctic sunwest) start as an FO.

[Just another canuck]

(Tindi North Wright Arctic sunwest)

Those jobs go to the ramp guys at these places... Tindi and Sunwest for sure don't hire FO's from outside. Not sure about North Wright, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were the same.

[Pitter]

Hey guys, does anyone know how much float time a person should have to land a float job anywhere in the north? If you did your Commercial and had 200 hours total time, 100 on floats and 100 on wheels would that be enough to land an entry level float job or should you do it all on floats? (which is substantially more money.) I know that the insurance industry dictates this, but are the min. for insurance going up every year?
Give some feed back please.

Thank-you!!!

[Rowdy]

Over 1k in the logbook on similar types eh? I bet they'd cut you loose in a 180. Well depends on how recently you'd done the float rating. If it was like 10 years ago.. hmmm.. if it was within a year or two I'd just Expect a thorough checkout anywhere you go. Nobody wants a wet and upside down airplane right? There are lots of operators scattered all over manitoba and northern Onterrible, start hunting and calling/e-mailing all of them. If you're anywhere within a days drive, go have a visit in april to the ones that showed promise and be ready to work. Expect to help on the dock. NOBODY gets around helping out, but dont take a job thats only a dock spot. I mean hell.. I watch the beaver/otter and beech 18 guys doing a lot of their own dock work.. loadin' and unloadin, fuelin, cleanin windows. If you show effort and stand out as a good guy, you'll be flying all the time. You have to basically prove to them (on the dock where they can watch you effectively) that you're gonna treat the machine nicely and be responsible!

[mattedfred]

my first job offer came over the phone. i had 5 hours on floats from doing my rating the summer before. i did another 5 hours to hone my skills before i showed up for work. i worked the dock, trapped minnows, cleaned shore lunch spots, delivered light weight supplies (i.e. paddles, life jackets, fuel, 9 hp motors) to shore lunch spots and outpost cabins etc all in a champ. i did 150 in 4 months. i got checked out on the C185 near the end of the summer but didn't get the chance to do a revenue flight in it. that was in 1995.