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Looking for my float rating

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:27 am
by LeumasR007
im looking to get my float rating please let me know the details the sooner the better!!

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:36 am
by Rudder Bug
Hello there,

I which part of the country are you?

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:59 am
by LeumasR007
Im in Nova scotia but im willing to fly somewhere to get this done.

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 2:44 pm
by Rudder Bug
There is Ocean Air in BC, and probably other ones out there. The float season is over in the rest of the country

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 2:45 pm
by CGZMT
Well hate to break it to ya your gonna have to hit the west coast cause i am sure the praries are frozen and i can certainly say NWO is solid, except superior. So whats the hurry?

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:03 pm
by Rudder Bug
Maybe there's a job waiting for him down south or eslewhere

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:14 pm
by LeumasR007
Yeah i might have a job down south i was going to get it eariler but for some reason i could get it lined up with the guy.. ill try the west coast..

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 6:23 pm
by Rudder Bug
Yeah, you gotta go west. Good luck and let us know!

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 7:03 pm
by KenoraPilot
If you want to do it now then yes WestCoast is best. If you want to wait until Sept. you could fly to Winnipeg and fly with Winnipeg Aviations C-172XP on floats. They do an excellent program and you learn alot, most everything you need to get your first float job. Everything I learnt there I used when I started flying in Kenora. Good Luck!

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:47 pm
by Highflyinpilot
Gotta love it when people say whats the rush, Obviously if the guy is trying to get it done asap, theres a reason for it.

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:13 pm
by CGZMT
Bbut you never know, lately some posters havent been exactly on the ball!

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:32 pm
by seniorpumpkin
Ocean air is great, David runs the show and does a superb job. It cost me just under $2000, that was a couple years ago though. Flying in that environment is perfect, it'll teach you lots of different stuff. In case you were wondering I wouldn't recommend the 50 hour course anywhere, too much money, and really 7 hours is usually all that is required to get the job. Best of luck!

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 8:50 am
by pilotcdn
Try Air-HarT Aviation in Kelowna. They are great and best prices and Kelowna is a great place.

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:51 am
by Bobby868
I did mine at Airhart this summer and loved it. I'm thinking of going back and doing the 50hr bush course with them. I hear the Okanogan lake stays open year round so you should be able to get some training in.

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:10 pm
by pilotdog
Yes. I did my CPL on floats at Airhart. Best prices on type. Best weather. Kelowna is also fun.

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:56 pm
by the deadly booner
if you are already on the east coast then you are lucky. talk to tradewinds flight center/tartan air. they are on p.e.i.

http://www.tartanair.com/float.php

the west coast is great, but a coast is a coast, and the north atlantic takes dumps that would make the hecate strait go home and hide in its mothers bosom. you'd not be out in neither when it was wild so stalemate. quit shittin' on the newfie's, everyone. ha ha.

fair price, experienced instructor... what more could you ask for?

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:04 pm
by skydivepilot
I did mine in Porter's Lake, NS (near Waverly, not far from Halifax). It was a number of years ago so not sure if they're still doing it. The instructor's name was Dave Wilson but I can't remember the name of the company. It started with an S though :oops: I'm sure a flight school shoudl be able to tell you.

Tartan Air is supposed to be good. I'm told Mark Coffin offers a great course and good prices. He's based out of Murray River with the 172 floatplane and takes it all over the maritimes. I'd love to take it for a trip to Cape Breton.

Let me know if you need more info and I'll try to help.

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:38 pm
by gongshowking
just wanted to put my two cents in for an operator on the westcoast. In squamish and its called "SeatoSky Air" its a 172 and the price is really good. The instructor is really good and tries to give you bang for your buck and make each flight more of a challenge for you. Coming in going in Howe Sound is great also cause you have diff winds everywhere. Just beware of places that just want to crank out the rating or rope you into 50 course. I would suggest instead of a 50 course just keep flying. Do some solo, then every few hours take the instructor along. Mix up the weather, the worse weather you fly in the better shape you will be in for your first job. If you end up somewhere and they want you to land with power everytime and youre only flying in light wind and perfect weather then youre wasting your time and money. Mountain flying, low vis, high winds, and flying heavy is what you want to get comfortable with.

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:11 pm
by Cat Driver
Mountain flying, low vis, high winds, and flying heavy is what you want to get comfortable with.
Then I need more experience because mountain flying in low vis with high winds in a heavy airplane would sure make me uncomfortable.

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:38 pm
by Rudder Bug
Quote:
Mountain flying, low vis, high winds, and flying heavy is what you want to get comfortable with.


Then I need more experience because mountain flying in low vis with high winds in a heavy airplane would sure make me uncomfortable.
That's right Cat, just do another 50 years of that stuff and it will get totally comfortable! :D

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:54 pm
by gongshowking
obviously not all at the same time or in extreme conditions...but read into things as negative as you can. Cause thats your avcanada roll. I was trying to respond to the topic of the forum, mabye my advice isnt worded in a way for your supreme approval. There are many conditions that are cause for discomfort in coastal flying, and getting a feel for them and finding an ftu that introduces them a little is a good idea in my opinion. The experience and personal limits you get on the job is what will keep you out of moments of discomfort.

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:12 pm
by Cat Driver
gongshowking, maybe you could go and check what you wrote when you first started posting here?

This by you:::
As top poster on avcanada i guess you must think your opinions are pretty well valued. I love avcanada and the crusty nature of the exchanges. Everyone has been everywhere, seen everything and just done it all....it gets pretty tiresome. My point was that there isnt a big diff btw 75 hours and 100 hours. I know lots of high time operators and they know whats going on....i know so many people who lied to get a job...and that was the only way they could as for some reason flying floats seems to right up there with landing the space shuttle, all the insurance BS and stuff low timers are told. Thank god the demand is such that people can finally get into this kinda flying. Seem some still are asking for 5000 hours on floats. And is your ego that big that you think you really have that much to teach a waterbomber pilot? Give me a break, maybe you have as many hours in the air as on the internet...but who knows for sure? "im going to go here and order me husky.....that way i can give people advanced hardcore instruction" Do you have any idea what a douche that makes you sound like?

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:27 pm
by gongshowking
Well there after i tried to be civil.

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:46 am
by floatman
Right, take a young guy and advise him to jump into the mountains and push his limits with wind and wx, nevermind the instructor for a while, go teach yourself mountain, low vis, high wind flying..
Gongshow-gonna-kill-someone-King wrote:the worse weather you fly in the better shape you will be in for your first job.If you end up somewhere and they want you to land with power everytime and youre only flying in light wind and perfect weather then youre wasting your time and money .
And training with a company who allows an East Coaster to go off in the mountains into questionable wx is a good plan?

Hmmm, WHO is the Douche here???

Re: Looking for my float rating

Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 5:02 pm
by Rudder Bug
the worse weather you fly in the better shape you will be in for your first job.If you end up somewhere and they want you to land with power everytime and youre only flying in light wind and perfect weather then youre wasting your time and money .
Is this poster still alive? Haven't read anything from him for a while :rolleyes: