Orca Airways

dickie · Post by **dickie** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:42 pm

I see them advertising for astronauts. How good can they possibly be to require such ridicilous flight time? Maybe one of the Orca managment types can tell us? They had pilots with less then half the requirement that have moved on i a very short time. So, what is the incentive for someone with these advertised requirements to stick around flying unpressurised ac around our wonderful province?

altiplano · Post by **altiplano** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:36 pm

Kelowna Pilot · Post by **Kelowna Pilot** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:16 pm

Job Description:
We require one full time PA-31 captain for our scheduled and cargo
flights based in Vancouver. Candidate must have valid PPC with min 2000
hrs PIC, 500 hrs multi PIC, and 100 hrs PIC on type

Salary:$ as per company pay scale

So what's the going rate for astronauts these days?

merlin · Post by **merlin** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:20 pm

In Sept it was $15 an hour.

Kelowna Pilot · Post by **Kelowna Pilot** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:41 pm

Wow!

Does that include ground time or just time in the plane with the engines running?

merlin · Post by **merlin** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:51 pm

It was based on your duty time. 10 hr duty day, you get paid for 10 hours. You actually started at $13 an hour and after 3 monthes you were up to $15. There was talk of salary, but not sure if it ever happened. Like I said these numbers are from Sept, could have changed.

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:28 am

Are they still looking for anyone? I'm assuming the pool of ppc'd folks from navair and sonicboom is starting to dry up now.. Any word on the best way to approach them in hopes of a job?

Clarence · Post by **Clarence** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 1:12 am

Rowdy wrote:Are they still looking for anyone? I'm assuming the pool of ppc'd folks from navair and sonicboom is starting to dry up now.. Any word on the best way to approach them in hopes of a job?

yeah yeah do share the goods would be nice to know if i can stay here in Van and be able to work

Clarence · Post by **Clarence** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 1:17 am

opps may have spoken to soon

"Experienced Flight Crews

Minimum of 2 pilots trained to PIC qualifications with a minimum of 3500 hours total time. Orca Airways Ltd. holds the exclusive right to crew the aircraft during the term of the contract. Initial training will be conducted on a Transport Canada Approved Simulator at the expense of the owner. All pilots will be based in Vancouver ."

Now is that tottal time each or added together???

Justwannafly · Post by **Justwannafly** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:39 am

wow...I didn't relize that the industry had dried up that much....Is this the same Orca that a few months ago were hiring people with 270hours & a PPC?

V1 · Post by V1 » Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:54 pm

You don't need a PPC anymore to work at Orca because there are no more people with PPC's left!

To sit right seat you just need to be green, and have some good references.

I see a lot of small operators have problems soon, because the medium ones are already.

altiplano · Post by **altiplano** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:11 pm

Where did you get 3500 hours from?

I'm not disputing it - I don't know - but that is crazy.

I don't know anyone that would be in the market to fly a ho with that kinda time unless the pay was sweeeet and I don't think Orca's pay would meet that definition. Fair as it is likely for a low time guy or someone in need of some mpic to move on.

There are tons of turboprop jobs, even jet jobs waiting out there - paying better on better equipment - for someone with 3500 hours...

If it's true maybe they got their insurance bill and premiums have gone up after what happened earlier in the year - maybe it's a shot at saving some cash?

V1 · Post by V1 » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:26 pm

Insurance because of the accident last year has a lot to do with it.

ramp_agent · Post by **ramp_agent** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:42 pm

have been told if you do have 3500 hours you can expect an upgrade within the first 6-8 months

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 5:33 pm

Upgrade to what?

They only run two chieftains as far as I know..

Justwannafly · Post by **Justwannafly** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 5:45 pm

ramp_agent wrote:have been told if you do have 3500 hours you can expect an upgrade within the first 6-8 months

Wouldn't a Ho be a DOWNgrade for most people with 3500 hours?

ramp_agent · Post by **ramp_agent** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 5:48 pm

Upgrade to left seat cheiftain.

2low · Post by **2low** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 6:52 pm

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:08 am

Ramp-agent.. I think you've got your facts mixed up..

altiplano · Post by **altiplano** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:09 pm

ramp_agent wrote:have been told if you do have 3500 hours you can expect an upgrade within the first 6-8 months

no way - this has to be for a left seat spot. nice try though...

SkyKing · Post by **SkyKing** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:35 pm

SHIT!...I don't even have the requirements for this job. Yet, I'm Captain on a turbo prop over 12.5. Who's out there with that kind of time that would take a Navajo job for shitty pay...go to JAZZ if you've got these quilifications, 2000 PIC!

Freeride · Post by **Freeride** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:55 am

How long has Doug Brown been the ops Manager there? Is Eagle Air still flying?

Flybabe · Post by **Flybabe** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:17 am

SkyKing wrote:Who's out there with that kind of time that would take a Navajo job for shitty pay...

There's probably a few, those that unfortunately don't have any luck elsewhere and those that can't bear to leave YVR. Keep in mind too that in order to fly for Jazz you have to get an interview and make it through the whole process

Jim N · Post by **Jim N** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 3:08 pm

V1 wrote:Insurance because of the accident last year has a lot to do with it.

Thats exactly what I thought when I started reading this thread. Seeing you post it makes me believe my theory is correct....

(BTW I hope life on the other side of the rocks is treating you well. Have you gone deaf yet?

)

jspitfire · Post by **jspitfire** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 7:41 pm

One of the guys I was working with about a month ago got on with Orca. I'm pretty sure it's his first flying job. I know he had to wait almost a month to get flying because Orca had to switch insurance companies so that he would be able to fly. I guess thats a good thing for us low time pilots.