2014 Float Season

[Duffman]

I haven't seen very many ads for float guys so far. By this time last year there were lots of job ads for experienced guys, not so much now.

What do you guys think is happening? Have the operators not started worrying about it yet or is the tourism just slowing down? I'm interested in moving from the beaver to the otter or caravan, I've targeted some companies with good reputations but haven't heard a peep.

What are your plans for this season?

edit: I work in NWO but interested in what the prairie and west coast guys have to say as well.

[currysonic]

Working for 1 more year to come up with the money to get to 250 hours! I think I will take a 50 hour float rating instead of Multi-IFR for next season.

[dahspeers]

Last spring I saw all the ads and couldn't wait for this spring. PPL then, CPL now. But this year, it's not so hot. Sure as hell isn't stopping me from doing my road trip though. I'm thinking this brutal winter has more to do with it than anything. It's just hanging on.

[Colonel Sanders]

Actually, +5C here today. Sunny and warm.

Washed the car

[Duffman]

Last spring I saw all the ads and couldn't wait for this spring. PPL then, CPL now. But this year, it's not so hot. Sure as hell isn't stopping me from doing my road trip though. I'm thinking this brutal winter has more to do with it than anything. It's just hanging on.

I don't know how much float time you have but there is always somebody looking for a dockhand/185 pilot. Just make sure you show up ready to work that day.

[Lost Lake]

Certainly doesn't look like anyone is looking for high time pilots. I flogged a bunch of resumes. Arctic, mountain, ocean, turbine and multi float time. No bites. Either high timers aren't moving or the industry is slowing down. Wages don't look that great either!

[Duffman]

I'm low time with 1200 on floats but I expected a little more action than this. I got a call from an company with a Caravan on wheels, they didn't realize all my time is on floats (I have about 40 hours on wheels) and didn't want me based on that. Thats the only bite i've got so far.

[I_Heart_Seaplanes]

On the contrary, I threw out some resumes in Jan and got three responses. I have seen quite a few job out there this year, but I think there is a experience/wage gap. I know the company I'm at still needs pilots, but can't get float drivers with enough experience for what they are paying. So there are experienced drivers looking for work, but wont take the bottom of the barrel wages( ). Then there are the 500-1000hr float drivers that might accept the wage but are below the hours that the company wants. The tide has changed, and I really think its looking better for us in the future.

[Lost Lake]

Ya, same old problem with operators. They want the experience, the interpersonal skills, and someone who can make smart decisions in a tough situation. Put 4 guys in a plane at $2k each, scare the shit out of them and see how much will it cost the operator over the year in lost repeat business. Have a pilot drop into a camp with twelve guys who have a problem. An experienced guy can fix or at least defuse the situation. Save the trip for the guests, save the operator from losing potential future business.

Float rating?....$500
Float plane?.......$350,000 to $1mm
Experienced, knowledgeable pilot?.....PRICELESS!

[I_Heart_Seaplanes]

$500 float rating? Either you did yours when Curtis FlyingBoats were coming off the assembly line or you know the cheapest floatplane in the country.

[Lost Lake]

Never paid for a float rating. You obviously missed the point in the last post.

[I_Heart_Seaplanes]

I guess so, and I still don't get it....

[Rowdy]

On the contrary, I threw out some resumes in Jan and got three responses. I have seen quite a few job out there this year, but I think there is a experience/wage gap. I know the company I'm at still needs pilots, but can't get float drivers with enough experience for what they are paying. So there are experienced drivers looking for work, but wont take the bottom of the barrel wages( ). Then there are the 500-1000hr float drivers that might accept the wage but are below the hours that the company wants. The tide has changed, and I really think its looking better for us in the future.

Thats the big problem. Nobody wants to pay appropriately it seems! Are these operators in the dark? Do they not see whats happening in the industry? Are the Owners and CP's just blindly going off what they knew from the 80's and early 90's?

Those with the experience are either going into year round turboprop gigs instead, or leaving aviation. Why would someone with 1500hrs want to make 16k in a summer flying 6 days a week in fort mcnowhere only to end up on EI or working a joe job through the winter? Makes much more career and financial sense to be making +30k/yr in a 704/705 aircraft working 15-20 days a month.

There are quite a few operators looking this season though. There is certainly not a shortage of work.

[epictetus]

I'm a 215-hour/50-hour float guy sending out some resumes and friendly emails and I'm getting zero response. I'm making it pretty clear that I'm intending on coming up to knock on doors but still, not even an acknowledgement of some kind that I'm not wasting my time. I did this a couple years ago and had a 20% response rate (0% job availability though!).

How is one supposed to plan a an extensive road-trip to meet employers who don't even acknowledge you exist? I'm hoping I don't end up spending weeks like this:
"You came all the way out here? I hope you enjoyed the scenery enough to see it twice - move on!"

Is this typical?

[hotdog1]

low time float here, sent out resumes early in the new year and again feb, and again in march, accepted a job for the summer early in march. Had most replies within a week of each other in late February and then nothing after that. seems to me that some companies want to plan ahead, even for low timers. Im guessing there will be a few that always wait til the last minute knowing low timers are a dime a dozen.

[duCapo]

I haven't seen very many ads for float guys so far. By this time last year there were lots of job ads for experienced guys, not so much now.

What do you guys think is happening? Have the operators not started worrying about it yet or is the tourism just slowing down? I'm interested in moving from the beaver to the otter or caravan, I've targeted some companies with good reputations but haven't heard a peep.

What are your plans for this season?

edit: I work in NWO but interested in what the prairie and west coast guys have to say as well.

PMed you

[LilyoftheValley]

Ya I worked last summer as a dockhand in NWO. Thought I had made enough good contacts to help me secure a job for this season but I haven't even had any bites yet. This winter has been pretty hard though, maybe some operators are slow getting going because it looks like the ice will be out late. Although I didn't start to get any replies from companies until early April last year, I'm still hopeful.

[C-FDPB]

Ya I worked last summer as a dockhand in NWO. Thought I had made enough good contacts to help me secure a job for this season but I haven't even had any bites yet. This winter has been pretty hard though, maybe some operators are slow getting going because it looks like the ice will be out late. Although I didn't start to get any replies from companies until early April last year, I'm still hopeful.

+1 on that. I spent last summer as a dockhand in NWO as well and got called for that job in early May. I've got maybe 5 replies after 50+ resumes handed out this year. One was an offer for another season solely on the dock again. It's pretty quiet out there, let's hope it picks up in the next few weeks.

[Duffman]

Another Harbour Air ad just posted for the beaver. I wonder how long it will take them to realize that they need to up the pay (50% more would be a good start) if they expect to get anyone good. Why go to Vancouver and pay $1000 to rent a decent place when you can stay out east and make way more money with accommodation included?

[89rs]

Harbour will have no problem filling that position.

[I_Heart_Seaplanes]

Harbour will have no problem filling that position.

From 2009-2013 you are bang on. In 2014 the ad has been posted 4 times since January...so I'd say that they are having a problem filling the position. The problem is a disconnect between the wages offered for a seasonal job vs. the experience required...and obviously the cost of living in Vancouver.

[letsfly]

One more thing to consider. I see many operators have filing cabinets full of 2-6000 hour resumes, many of semi retired pilots. They will go through those before they look at anything less. Float flying is becoming less common than 15-20 years ago. Then it was the first step, no longer. I believe the Harbour Air's and such over the next 10 years will have a harder time filling PIC seats because their standards are quite high. They still believe 10K hours is better than 2K. In some cases they are correct, but, it all depend where you get those hours.

[imac0960]

It's been a cold winter in NWO. That probably has some effect on job postings. Operators may want to see when the ice will be out before they hire on a bunch of guys costing thousands a month in pay and living accommodation.

Just my two cents.

[imac0960]

I'm a 215-hour/50-hour float guy sending out some resumes and friendly emails and I'm getting zero response. I'm making it pretty clear that I'm intending on coming up to knock on doors but still, not even an acknowledgement of some kind that I'm not wasting my time. I did this a couple years ago and had a 20% response rate (0% job availability though!).

How is one supposed to plan a an extensive road-trip to meet employers who don't even acknowledge you exist? I'm hoping I don't end up spending weeks like this:
"You came all the way out here? I hope you enjoyed the scenery enough to see it twice - move on!"

Is this typical?

I would just show up assuming they are open. By forcing the door open it may stay open instead of never opening.

Operators get hundreds of emails from wannabe pilots and clients, some even from people looking to pass of their money all they have to do is give away their banking details (I'm still waiting for the wire transfer)

Maybe they took the stance of, "This guy is going to take a road trip, I'll talk to him when he gets here."

In Fort Mac if you show up with work boots and work clothes they will usually hire you on the spot versus some guy in Toronto who wants to move to Fort Mac should he get a job. Living in remote areas isn't for everyone and a few operators get burned by employees showing up and being like, "Wow, this is far, where is Starbucks?" Some even leave in the middle of the night without saying anything to anyone. So the road trip is the best way for an employer to decide who will actually stay the longest.

Who would you hire, the guy who shows up and says "I'm here to work" or the guy who fires off resumes from the city. As a new pilot you need to make yourself standout from everyone else.

[Duffman]

imac is correct, you guys will have to eat the cost of a road trip to give yourself the best chance. As for me, I committed to staying where I am this year. Another season on the hard working Beaver isn't such a bad thing