Aussie Inbound

[Adz_5691]

Hi guys and girls.

I'm Adam, a 21 year old Australian pilot chasing some information and thought this looked like a good place to start.
I've been flying privately for a few years now, and within the next month should have my Australian CPL under my belt.
I'm currently working in the coal mines of central Queensland trying to bank as much money as i can, so that in about 12 months time I can come and spend it all in Canada.

Since coming over a couple of times to Oshkosh and falling in love with the float planes (of which there aren't very many in Australia) and being a country boy I
have decided that I would really love to come to Canada and do some bush/float flying work. I got into this game as a young kid with a dream of airlines, but now my dream is to do some 'proper' flying and as far as i can tell you guys seem to have the best there is to offer.

So, here is where i stand. Hopefully by next Christmas i will have around 300 hours of single engine, VFR time under my belt (172 RG, 182, Grumman tiger etc). I will also have somewhere between 50-60 thousand dollars in my back pocket (all going to plan) and pretty much a suitcase full of clothes... I will also have a time frame of two years maximum due to Visa restrictions, as far as i can tell.

So now I am chasing some local advice, maybe some words of wisdom and a little direction as to where to look. I am not in this to make massive amounts of money. If i could live off what I make that would be nice, but i can also pour beers and sweep floors and I am not above doing some night time work to prop myself up if need be.
I love the outdoors, and the idea of living in a log cabin in the mountains with the bears excites me (do I watch too many movies?) and so location doesnt phase me, espescially being a bit remote. Back here in Aus we do hunt, fish and camp but i would kill to have a Canadian show me how it is done.
I guess what I seriously need to know now would be where to go to get a good, solid and reputable float rating and when, and where of course to look for a start with a (hopefully decent) operator.

If you've got to the end of all of this, thanks so much for your time. I am open to any and every suggestion no matter how crazy. As to why I am not coming over sooner, well have a look here. www.teenworldflight.com
My little brother is going to conduct an amazing feat for a young guy next year and I cant be gone when he does. Hopefully Canada will be keen to watch his journey also, and with some luck Ill be over soon after he gets back.

Cheers!

the Aussie

[wang dang doodle]

hey ,come on over..I can give you a float rating,teach you how to catch a Rainbow Trout on a fly rod,better still, a Steelhead on a fly rod.You can stay in my log cabin and shoot bear off the porch...while looking at snow capped mountains.You'll leave with great float experiance,cause,I'll teach you..cause " I Am Canadian" I'll even teach you how to drink real beer and how to say EH!!!! You'll look like Neil Young in no time.....All for about $50,000-$60,000 CDN
Then when my kid wants to fly floats in Canada,he'll have to fight off the Aussies....

I do like your cheerfull attitude though...and wish you luck,but there are many float operators in Australia...

[GUMPS]

hey ,come on over..I can give you a float rating,teach you how to catch a Rainbow Trout on a fly rod,better still, a Steelhead on a fly rod.You can stay in my log cabin and shoot bear off the porch...while looking at snow capped mountains.You'll leave with great float experiance,cause,I'll teach you..cause " I Am Canadian" I'll even teach you how to drink real beer and how to say EH!!!! You'll look like Neil Young in no time.....All for about $50,000-$60,000 CDN
Then when my kid wants to fly floats in Canada,he'll have to fight off the Aussies....

I do like your cheerfull attitude though...and wish you luck,but there are many float operators in Australia...

This is great.

[shimmydampner]

Northern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan are the three places I recommend looking to first for no timers looking to gain float experience. If you can manage to find an outfit that also runs wheels and skis in winter, even better; flying half the year only to end up unemployed for 6 months sucks.
If you haven't already discovered it, this website is worth its weight in gold when it comes to strategic job hunting: http://pilotcareercentre.com/Search-Air ... e/1/Canada
Best of luck.

[Double Wasp]

Hello Adam,

Have a look at the holiday working visa program some information can be found here: http://www.international.gc.ca/experien ... spx?view=d


This is basically a program designed for backpackers but could work for anyone who is under 31 years old, the idea is that you are allowed to work for half the time you are in Canada. So work the summers flying floats and go skiing all winter. You will have to do a license conversion but if you are doing a standard commercial license with no instrument rating or anything this should be fairly straight forward.

A reciprical holiday working Visa is available to Canadians who want to go to Australia.

Editted to add: After rereading you post a bit of direction might be ... go north, have a look around Yellowknife, Fort Simpson and Norman Wells.

Cheers
DW

[North Shore]

Adam, check PM's.

[Bede]

Hey Adam,

You'll probably do all right in Canada. You need to make sure you have a right to work here (work permit or visa) before you start a job search. Most low time float pilots start on the dock. When I started flying, I looked at the Transport Canada Civil Aviation Register and looked up companies with C185's, DH2, etc. Anything on floats. Then I gave them a call to get some information (some are helpful, some aren't). Then I did a road trip to pay a visit. Pay attention to towns with lot's of float flying and few locals. Also, the farther you go out of the way, the better chance you have. I worked in Inuvik NT and I think we hired anyone who drove up to drop off a resume in person. It shows dedication, but it is a risk.

Also, good on your kid brother, but advertising stuff like that to Canadian pilot's is not something most people here would do. Our culture is pretty egalitarian. No one talks about how great they are, stuff they did, etc. All anyone wants to know is how much time you have, what types, where you went to school, etc. Also there's a bit of a standing joke in this country about pilot's wearing airline outfits and flying single engine airplanes (such as instructors, etc). Show up for potential jobs in the clothes pilots wear. No one wants to go down in a Cessna wearing 3 bars on the shoulders.

[zeppelin]

3 Bars??? the lowest point in my flying career was when I worked for a company that wanted me to wear 4 bars,,,to fly a beaver.Then they told me I had to wear a Thai...I replied,that the only Thai that goes around my neck was my wife....they said I had a bad attitude.They didn't get it..they didn't get much bussiness either..they sold out, ........but I didn't.
Good luck to the Aussie...there's a few of our type working down there too....

[Adz_5691]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the help and the info. I'm glad there isn't a tendency toward bars and ties over there, it's a pet hate of mine and seems to divide our industry fairly well in half over here. If i wanted them then I'd be a mass produced airline cadet.

Bede, thanks for the advice, both on the flying and the culture. Usually the only time ill ever talk (bullshit) about how good I am in an aeroplane is with a pretty lady in a bar, and surely you cant blame me for that But I do understand where you are coming from, its not that different where we come from and grew up. I just get a bit over proud of the kid at times. Ill cool it though I promise.

Ill have a real good look at the visa and career sites over the next couple of days fellas, thanks heaps for taking the time to help me out.

Cheers

[pelmet]

A few tips to help you fit in...

No more of this "mate" stuff and How ya going. Eh is quite understandable. Save the dude terminology for Americans. Don't be hurt if people think you are from England.

Most of the poisonous living stuff doesn't exist and nothing really hops round here. But watch out for bears and cougars out west.

Definitely do not(I repeat DO NOT) open a container of vegemite while in Canada. It is considered to be extremely offensive and can lead to immediate arrest and deportation. Shrimp on the Barbi is not so popular in these parts. Ask for some prairie oysters instead if you want seafood.

If you head up to Resolute or Cambridge Bay in the cool season, remember to bring at least a windbreaker to go with your Khaki shorts.

If you end up in Quebec, they may have a little trouble understanding your accent but if you repeatedly say 'Speak English' loudly, they will understand you better, especially followed by "Grenouille" which means hello.

Albertans love to talk about the Trudeau dynasty and strong emphasis on greenpeace issues can be helpful in landing a job.

[jpilot77]

haha

[Beefitarian]

More importantly is your younger brother hiring a navigator? I have my own supplies and am willing to buy two maps as a start.

[Aussiecat]

Hey Adam,
Wish you best of luck on your endeavors, As for the working holiday Visa, unless things have changed a bit in the past 12 years (Since I was on one), you can work the full 12 months, it was different for Canadians in Australia, they had to change employers every 4 months (12+ yrs ago). I worked for 1 company for the length of the visa, not in aviation( 12mths) then had to leave (non-renewable Visa).
Bank on a bit of time to get licenses sorted etc. As for Float flying jobs, a lot of companies would be needing 50 hrs min on floats, for insurance (others with far more experience can give better idea) basic float rating is about 7 hrs. I know some training units out west, do offer 50hr float/bush courses.
You may also find the entry level pilot <1000hr TT market competitive, with all the "green" CPL pilots(200+ hr) that are looking for that first break, me included.

Anyway all best

Aussiecat

P.S The Americans don't allow Vegemite in the country, bit like kinder surprise You can buy it here (specialty) but it's not the same as the stuff from back home.

[flyinthebug]

Hey Adam,
Wish you best of luck on your endeavors, As for the working holiday Visa, unless things have changed a bit in the past 12 years (Since I was on one), you can work the full 12 months, it was different for Canadians in Australia, they had to change employers every 4 months (12+ yrs ago). I worked for 1 company for the length of the visa, not in aviation( 12mths) then had to leave (non-renewable Visa).

Hey Adam...Along with the humour, you are getting some good advice. N. Ontario, Manitoba & Saskatchewan would be where you would have the best chance.

As for what aussiecat stated about the 12 month visa being different for Canadians in Australia?...I worked for one employer (Sydney Harbour Seaplanes) and was granted a 1 year work visa. I wasnt required to change companies every 4 months, nor did I even hear anything about it? My trip to Oz was over 13 years ago now and I LOVED it. Have things changed that way? I recall the employer has to write a letter of nomination to the Australian High Commission and they approved it for one year. I was assured it was equally an easy process from you to us. In an ideal world, you would find an employer while still there (thats how I got the shot in Sydney was just emailing and building a rapport with the owner) who would be willing to sponser/nominate you for employment with them. Once you have that, the rest is just paperwork to be rubber stamped.

I dunno if Sydney Harbour Seaplanes still exists, but if it does drop in and see Rob Britten. Great guy and enjoyed working for him. As was stated above, there are plenty of float ops in Oz and NZ as well. A bit closer to home for you. If you want to come to Canada for an "adventure" then come ahead mate and welcome! Im sure you`d find a gig on the dock leading to a flying position at very least. Good luck in your endeavours.

Fly safe "EH".
FTB

[Aussiecat]

[quote="flyinthebug"]

As for what aussiecat stated about the 12 month visa being different for Canadians in Australia?...I worked for one employer (Sydney Harbour Seaplanes) and was granted a 1 year work visa. I wasnt required to change companies every 4 months, nor did I even hear anything about it? My trip to Oz was over 13 years ago now and I LOVED it. Have things changed that way? I recall the employer has to write a letter of nomination to the Australian High Commission and they approved it for one year.


This was just what I heard from Canadians I had met that were on working holiday visa's. I had no issues in Canada, and didn't need anything approved , just started working for a company and left the country when the visa was up. Getting back in took a bunch more time, money and paperwork!! But after being here more than 10 years, I proudly hold both Australian and Canadian citizenships

All the best with your planned trip, there are many commonalities between our two nations , sense of humour being one ( some jokes however need explaining)

As for things like food, you can get Milo here, but it comes from Jamaica and is different in taste, no wheatbix( which I miss at times in winter)
Tipping on bill's still seems odd( I do do it) variances in the taxes between provinces ( GST, PST and HST) are annoying.

Aussiecat

[Beefitarian]

You can get wheatabix in Calgary. Might be different stuff. Very course oval puck shaped cereal?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weetabix

[bernoulliboy]

Hi Adam,
The Dryden Flying Club has a PA 12 they rent out for $110.00 per hr. I think that was the rate, if not , it's right around that price. They'll do a float endorsement as well. Then you can fly around northwest Ontario looking for work...........................a good way to arrive at a prospective employer if you ask me.

Just my 2 cents.

Good Luck and remember to have fun.

[Meatservo]

The reason the Americans don't allow Vegemite in their country (nor Marmite) is because of its vitamin "B" content. They consider it high enough to qualify the popular and delicious yeast-based spread as "medecine" rather than "food", and since the manufacturers haven't sought F.D.A. approval, it is actually not only considered to be a drug, but it's an illegal drug!

I'd call them idiots, except in England firefighters aren't allowed to climb a four-foot stepladder to change the battery in a home fire extinguisher for an old Lady without fall restraint training and fall-arrest gear, and in Canada you can't buy beer at the grocer's!!!

The world has gone mad!!!!

[jpilot77]

Umm here in Quebec you can buy beer at the grocery store and last I checked we're still in Canada!

[Meatservo]

"Ummm"? Is that actually a word now?

[Expat]

Umm here in Quebec you can buy beer at the grocery store and last I checked we're still in Canada!

And drink it on the porch of the store...