Alaskan bush pilots as a career stepping stone???

[wessidemike]

Hey i was wondering how many people built up hours as alaskan bush pilots. Similar to a lot of people on this forum, i'm career oriented, just finishing up my multi engine and have my commercial and instrument ratings. I'm looking for the best feasible way to build up hours without paying for them my self. I'm currently also doing my CFI concurrently with the multi. But i'm curious if there's another way. How would employers look at bush pilots compared to instructors. I've heard around the airport of quite a few now airline pilots who put in their time puddle jumping and rock hopping in alaska. Since the weather up there can be quite voratious, if you can fly there you probably can fly anywhere. What do you guys think.

 

[CSY Mon]

I did....

Flew about 2000 hours in Alaska doing air taxi in C-207 and C-185s, and dead fish from beaches and sand bars in C-188s and DC-3s.

Good flying up there, highly recommended.

 

[Singlecoil]

I did...

1100 hours in the 402.

1800 hours in the 207...some of that was even VFR!

 

[wessidemike]

Would you recommend that over flight instructing. What type of time and requirements are they looking for up there. I'm at about 250 right now 10 multi. From a hireing standpoint, who would be more qualified someone with from the bush with actual experience or someone teaching with more indepth knowledge?

I did....

Flew about 2000 hours in Alaska doing air taxi in C-207 and C-185s, and dead fish from beaches and sand bars in C-188s and DC-3s.

Good flying up there, highly recommended.

 

[Dan CFI/CFII]

"Hey i was wondering how many people built up hours as alaskan bush pilots."

42. Everybody knows that.


I'm certaintly no expert, but...

250 hours just isn't going to cut it. For VFR 135 they are required to require (you don't know how much work I went through to use that) 500 hours. Seems like most operators really want about a thousand hours or so. But it can definately be done with 500, but probably not for the "best" operators.

Me, I flight instructed for a while, and then came to Alaska. I've got both types of experience. They've both got thier plusses and minuses. One isn't better than the other, they are simply different. Unless you are looking to get a job that specifically flies into and out of unimproved strips, then the bush experience will probably be deemed "better."

"1800 hours in the 207...some of that was even VFR!" Hilarious, and true

Oh, and I don't know that many people up here who call themselves "bush pilots." I happen to fly airplanes into and out of the bush, but I'm no "bush pilot." Heck, I'm barely even a pilot--if you've ever had to suffer through one of mylandings--I'm sure you'd agree!

Dan

 

[zuka]

Most companies want 500-1000 hrs alaska time because it's so different.

I've heard of people getting flight instructor jobs up there with no alaska time.

One alaska pilot told me that 1/3 of the people in alaska have pilot certificates (ok maybe 1/3 of adults)

 

[wessidemike]

Most companies want 500-1000 hrs alaska time because it's so different.

I've heard of people getting flight instructor jobs up there with no alaska time.

One alaska pilot told me that 1/3 of the people in alaska have pilot certificates (ok maybe 1/3 of adults)

ok so my next question is, how do i transition from San diego weather. VFR 364 days of the year, to Alaska with out paying for more flight time once i go up there. So i take it yoiu guys are reccomending me to flight instruct and then put in my hours up there.

 

[Goose Egg]

My question is how do I transition to being a San Diego bush pilot? Right now, I'm a New England bush pilot, preparing for another 6 mo. freeze. Good fun.

-Goose

 

[moving2vegas]

alaska flying

LAB flying service will hire anybody with 500 TT. http://www.labflying.com/ I never worked for them, but I flew for another outfit out of Juneau. Pays a little low for alaska and they've had a few accidents in the last couple years, but if you don't do anything stupid and learn to say NO, you'll be alright with 500TT. People seem to fly with them for awhile, then move on to bigger and better fast. BTW- I flew throughout alaska (207,208,402,pa-31) for numerous operators. Since returning, I've never had someone question my experience.

 

[A Squared]

One alaska pilot told me that 1/3 of the people in alaska have pilot certificates (ok maybe 1/3 of adults)

THat's a little exaggerated. It's actually about 1 in 71, which is still higher than the US in general where 1 in 484 persons is a pilot.

 

[Singlecoil]

Penair hires pilots with your time and puts them in the right seat of the Caravan. I know, right seat single-engine time; but it is loggable because their ops specs require two pilots. Or so I'm told. Then they will upgrade you to the right seat of the Metro or Saab if they like you. Not a bad way to go I would think.