East Coast Float Flying?

[cptn2016]

One of my long-term goals is to fly floats somewhere for a living. It seem from reading the posts on here that generally one starts out in northern Manitoba or NW Ontario and you go up the ladder from there to seemingly the holy grail of float flying, the West Coast.

What is the float scene like on the east coast? Newfoundland, NB, Nova Scotia, PEI? Is there just less work out there in general? If so, why? I would imagine there is less tourism out there (although being from the prairies, I'll admit to an almost total ignorance of that part of the country).

Lastly, what would the wages be like out there? Comparable to the west coast? I would imagine the experience requirements would be similar considering the ocean and the weather...

Also any general thoughts about living/working on the east coast would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[C-GGGQ]

I'm not gonna lie I know of no float operators in New Brunswick, PEI or NS. Might be one in Nfld. As far as I know however East coast float operators just don't exist. Maybe someone on the forums knows of one that I don't but its nothing like the west coast.

[toelessjoe]

Irving has (had?) a very nice beaver on amphibs. In fact they were hiring a while ago if memory serves correctly. There isn't a lot of float flying back home since we have a bunch of whachamacallits - roads.

- toeless.

[Nahanni]

I'm from Shediac, NB and have been flying floats for a few years now but not on the east coast. I've had to venture to Northern Manitoba and NWT as you figured right.

There's nothing east except for the Irving Beaver on amphibs but she's sweet. Tartan air on PEI use to do scenics & float ratings with one aircraft but I am not sure if that is still existing. There are a few private owners flying around enjoying the beauty of the Maritimes. There are some outfits on Newfoundland and in Labrador so check them out on PCC.

Where ya from mate?

Dave

[cptn2016]

Thanks guys, like I said before, I don't know anything about the east - I was born and raised in Winnipeg and I've lived in Calgary (and briefly Vancouver) for the past 13 years. I was just curious as to why I'd never heard or read anything about float flying on the east coast - it's a part of the country I'd love to experience. I just figured there were plenty of remote communities there just like on the west coast that would need to be accessed by air.

And of course Calgary is most definitely not the mecca of float flying so I will have to relocate at some point. Still a long ways off, but I'm always looking for ideas. The east coast just seems peaceful and slower-paced. How about in the US? I assume down in the Southeast there are at least some companies offering tours, etc.? Year-round float flying would be nice but I know that unless it's the west coast, I have to look outside of the country for that. Something like Australia or New Zealand...

[C-GGGQ]

Yeah, the east coast is all accrssable by roads we don't have a network of smaller islands. The US would probably have some but for year round you would have to head south. There are a couple of land based charter companies navajos and such.

[boozy]

I wish I could do scenic tours right out of the harbour in Halifax with a beaver or otter. It would be a blast and you might even make some money. I wonder if anyone has ever bothered to try. You could probably make some copper doing float ratings here too but i wouldn't try to raise a family on it. There's this occasional fog that uhhh sort of slows down your ability to fly on water too... kind of a real party pooper.

[C-GGGQ]

Heard a rumor a few years back about a guy trying to start up a float charter with a beaver out of Saint John Harbour. Never got any traction though, just a pipe dream that never got past the initial planning stage.

[Pavese]

I wish I could do scenic tours right out of the harbour in Halifax with a beaver or otter. It would be a blast and you might even make some money. I wonder if anyone has ever bothered to try. You could probably make some copper doing float ratings here too but i wouldn't try to raise a family on it. There's this occasional fog that uhhh sort of slows down your ability to fly on water too... kind of a real party pooper.

There was a guy with a C-206 that tried to work out of Halifax harbour, took several years to get the paper in order and was eventually told he'd be the first and last to do it. Unfortunately he only lasted one summer.

That was back more than 10 years ago.

Fog? We don't have fog around here, jus a little Scotch mist.

D

[glideric]

Hey start to learn french, and come to "la belle province" ...there will be a lot of jobs with mining exploration in a near future...or try air labrador or provincials airways,..they both have twin otter on floats...