Does anyone know if the bird dog requirements 2000tt and 500mpic are hard number for discovery air or do they take with a little less?

avbird wrote:Does anyone know if the bird dog requirements 2000tt and 500mpic are hard number for discovery air or do they take with a little less?

Hi avbird,

The minimums are 2000tt and 300mpic. Those are hard requirements mandated by the Ontario Aviation Standards. In addition, DAFS likes birddoggers to have some two-crew IFR experience as although they are operated day VFR for the most part, there are occasional 2 crew IFR flights and all Birddog pilots receive 2 crew IFR PPCs.

It's a fantastic job and the lifestyle is second to none. The 690s are great machines with updated avionics. I can't recommend DAFS highly enough.

Good luck!

Jeremy

What is the pay and schedule like?

FOD_Vacuum wrote:What is the pay and schedule like?

Check your PM.

Jeremy

jeremyh1 wrote:

FOD_Vacuum wrote:What is the pay and schedule like?

Check your PM.

Jeremy

Do share, Please

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I would appreciate hearing about the fire base in Dryden. I realize it is now being run by MAG Aerospace. Thank you for any information.

It's great go do it, enjoy your summer. Life is short, you won't regret this one.

Saw the ad posted for 2019 Birddog positions. What's the salary and schedule like?

I would love some info on the c337 gig if anyone would be so kind to post or PM me.

One of the best jobs in aviation. You're treated with respect by the company and the work itself is enjoyable and rewarding.

Jeremy, sent you a PM

I know a couple young pilots who interviewed this year. This was their takeon it. $90 bucks a day (2700 a month!) They ad stat holidays, overtime etc into it to pretend its a 100 aday. 25 on , 7 off schedule, but they dont guarantee days off. Thats for the 337. Birddog pilots get almost $175 a day. It does explain the continuing ads.
No pay for training and you pay for some of the expenses during training.(meals,)
Thousandsof kms on your car for...are you ready....gas only. No food paid for while you travel. Oh, but a bonus at the end....or , a reverse bond it seems like. You work for free for the first month and then they pay you for it at the end. Apparently the annual attrition rate is about 50% who start but dont finish the contract. That tell you anything?
Andthe hours...apparently you should not expect more than a 100 or so, but, to be fair, they said it varied and in a busy season afew pilots will get around 300 or so. They apparently were pretty straight up in giving all the information, so no one can say they were surprised.

Honestly, I find this rather hard to believe, but both pilots said virtually the same thing. Maybe some people who have worked there previously can chime in to whether its accurate.

I also understand the requirements are being reduced every year. It should be no surprise how that will end someday.

10 years ago, companies could get away with treating pilots like this. I am surprisedthey can today. Both of the young guys I know turned down the offer.

trey kule wrote: ↑Tue Mar 12, 2019 5:14 pm Thousandsof kms on your car for...are you ready....gas only. No food paid for while you travel. Oh, but a bonus at the end....or , a reverse bond it seems like. You work for free for the first month and then they pay you for it at the end. Apparently the annual attrition rate is about 50% who start but dont finish the contract.

No this is not correct. You are paid whatever their going rate is these days IF they require you to travel to another base. Per diems are paid while away from base. Days off are guaranteed. There is an ops spec for 40 days on but you have to agree to it. Attrition rate information is not correct. People leave before the end of the contract in the sense that fire season is over but you are still on contract. You get offered a job for September 1st. You would be dumb to stick around an extra 13 days. Half of the people dont just up and leave in the middle of the contract...

Well, the two guysthat provided me with info did not take the offers. I assume you are speaking with some authority and accuracy.

Based on first hand experience. But I totally agree with you that they will have to come up with a better plan otherwise they are going to run out of applicants real quick.

Overall it's a fun job and a very good company though.

Also its more like $130 a day not $90. I wouldn't say the bonus at the end is like a reverse bond, you're paid fairly while you're there and the bonus is just that, a bonus if you stay until the end of the season.

The hours you get do vary from season to season but in my experience it was about 250 hours.