What do you tanker and bird dog pilots do in the winter?

pistonpilot · Post by **pistonpilot** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 5:05 pm

So for the guys who work the fire season, what do you do in the winter? Do companies keep you flying in the winter or do you have to find somewhere else to work for the winter?

Out of Control · Post by **Out of Control** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 6:09 pm

Hookers and blow

sudzy · Post by **sudzy** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 6:28 pm

No.....tankers, not Navair.

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 6:52 pm

pistonpilot wrote:So for the guys who work the fire season, what do you do in the winter? Do companies keep you flying in the winter or do you have to find somewhere else to work for the winter?

It guess it depends on the individual and for whom and where they work.
Some where I work do have sideline businesses.
Speaking just for myself here..
Years ago I did do other flying in the winter until I realized that I was just resigning some poor guy to EI and I was working for next to nothing, handing over most of the money back to the gumitup in taxes. I know how hard it is to get started in this business and the last thing I want to do now is take some other pilots job.

Where I work, waterbomber pilots are considered full time employees and recieve a paycheck all year. I'm in the highest tax bracket and don't need to work in the off season. My wife pulls in a good salary too. Besides, I live out of a suitcase all fire season and value my time away from aviation. I still check in on this site almost daily, I think it (AV Canada) reflects the pulse of aviation in this country and really reinforces for me just how great a job I have.

After wine, women and song what else is there to spend your money on?

LH · Post by LH » Sun Feb 20, 2005 7:26 pm

Do the summer and work under my company name in the winter and that's at a tax rate of 26%. I can't afford to work all year in Canada undr my own name. The last raise I had put me into another income tax bracket and I ended up taking home $47 less dollars than I did before the increase. I figured then, that if that continued like that, I'd be working for nothing in 20 years......so I quit. Great country, but the "club fees" for living here are too high for me. have to admit though, that I'd be worse off in Belgium or Germany.

North Shore · Post by **North Shore** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:19 pm

Well, tomorrow morning I plan to go biking with my wife, and then, probably kayaking in the afternoon. This last weekend, I went riding both days. Last week, four days of paddling. I would be doing a little skiing here and there, but due to "climatic variation" (no snow) it looks like I'll have to be satisfied with one day this year. I have a part-time job flying one day a week that I do mainly to keep current - it certainly doesn't pay the bills! Then there's the garden that needs planting, and gotta mow the lawn tomorrow (first time this year.) Lots of stuff to keep busy......

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 8:24 pm

ah yes NS....the life of a tanker pilot.....so...you want to get me on board as well? this whole working-for-6-months-a-year is getting old. I think it is time for me to take the step to working 4 months a year.

... · Post by **...** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 9:43 pm

Driving Rain wrote: After wine, women and song what else is there to spend your money on?

I've heard you sing....most of my money goes to your singing lessons...

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:33 pm

I am Birddog wrote:
Driving Rain wrote: After wine, women and song what else is there to spend your money on?
I've heard you sing....most of my money goes to your singing lessons...

That's money well spent too.

CLguy · Post by **CLguy** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:48 am

Presently I am giving lessons to a friend who just recently retired on how to screw away a day!! I'm quite surprised at what a great student he is and how quickly he learns.

Snowmobiling and Ice Fishing, of course that comes after the hunting season ends!!!

Groundschool starts in 3 weeks, man where has the time gone.

DC6driver · Post by **DC6driver** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:51 am

winter 2003/04 I had a little jobby island hopping in the british virgin islands, scuba divin on days off and partying with Sir Richard in the eves.

2004/05, bought a house for my birthday, gigged it on a sailboat for 2 months and took it to venezuela, toured Central Am and became a Divemaster. Going home with a tropical skin infection and a bot fly larva!

Northern Skies · Post by **Northern Skies** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 10:18 am

DC6driver wrote:bot fly larva!

oh god.

Not too much will creep me out, but you hit the nail on the head there.

Right Seat Captain · Post by **Right Seat Captain** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 1:07 pm

DC6driver wrote:bot fly larva!

I don't even want to know what it is.

co-joe · Post by **co-joe** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 4:14 pm

Aw c'mon firebomber dudes. Whatcha really been up to?

DC6driver · Post by **DC6driver** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 6:50 pm

for real, thats what I have been doing

wondering about the bot fly larva? google it and see the pics. Remember the end scene in Alien when the chest bursting happens to the guy in the cafe? Well, that was me evicting this bug from my scalp.

You asked.

Northern Skies · Post by **Northern Skies** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 9:28 am

It was in your head?!!! That's terrible! I was thinking like an arm or something.

What do you tanker and bird dog pilots do in the winter?

What do you tanker and bird dog pilots do in the winter?

Re: What do you tanker and bird dog pilots do in the winter?

Re: What do you tanker and bird dog pilots do in the winter?

Re: What do you tanker and bird dog pilots do in the winter?