Bush pilots in Alaska

[fre8ersic]

Thinking about moving up there, Any bush pilots there? Thank you.

 

[imacdog]

Unfortinately there aren't too many positions that require you to pay to work, so you might have a tough time finding flying gigs.

 

[BushwickBill]

I spoke with someone from Denali Air. 2500tt to fly the 206. 5k for the Navajo... I think I'd apply at UPS instead. I'd love to get up that way and check it out. It just seems that opportunities are few and far between. Also posted minimums are astronomical. I'm guessing you just have to go up there and hang out in person and hope you got along with a company or you have to know people.

 

[Photoflight]

How are you gonna be a real estate guru and a super pilot if you move all the way to Alaska?

 

[getonit]

You might try LAB flying service in Juneau AK. When I was there about 4 years ago they hired low time, but a couple of accidents changed the minimums. Do a search of this board and you will find some info about them. It is not a good job, but it is not bad either. Just go there with lower expectations and you will meet them.

 

[troy]

I'm sure that you can buy any job up there if you want. I hear that Alaska Air will rent out the right seat for a couple of bucks.

 

[fre8ersic]

How are you gonna be a real estate guru and a super pilot if you move all the way to Alaska?

You can do real estate anywhere in the world pretty much, maybe buy land and lease to hunt and fly hunters in etc..

 

[fre8ersic]

I'm sure that you can buy any job up there if you want. I hear that Alaska Air will rent out the right seat for a couple of bucks.

No thanks, if I go I'm not buying right seat upthere anymore. Good flying!!

 

[fre8ersic]

Thank you all, Take care now.

 

[rchcfi]

If you've got the time and money, take a trip up there in mid to late April. Hit as many places in person as you can. When I was up there, the company I worked for got an average of 10 resumes faxed to them each day. It seemed easier to them to hire the first guy that "walked" through the door. Every newbie that flew that summer by the competitors on the field were guys who just showed up.

And depending where you end up, plan on doing nothing but flying. I did close to 1200 hours in 12 months. It sure is an experience not to miss.

Good luck!

 

[rchcfi]

. It sure is an experience not to miss.

Good luck!

I guess I should have prefaced that by saying I wasn't stuck in Bethel!

 

[iflyabeech]

I guess I should have prefaced that by saying I wasn't stuck in Bethel!

AMEN!

 

[QXpeon]

AMEN!

second

 

[CSY Mon]

Well, hell..I was stuck in Bethel for a few years.

If ya want time and income, go up there with a one-way ticket.
My first Bethel gig was in 1981, not glamerous, no GPS and not easy, but what the hell, no rose-garden in this business. Never was.

 

[TundraT]

Bethel is not the end of the world but you can see it from there.

I flew in Alaska for over 15 years and had the pleasure of spending a summer in Kipnuk once many moons ago. Bethel was an oasis..:laugh: You can't beat the experience of flying in Alaska no matter where in the State it is.

 

[FreightGod]

You can't beat the experience of flying in Alaska no matter where in the State it is.

Yup, yup, it was a hell of a good experience.

Can't say I miss it, but it was an intense part of my career:

The most intense was propably flying fish of the beaches in a crapped out DC-3:

We did the Silver season in Tsiu River with a beach camp and a Bob-Cat and tents and guns, etc.
My F/O had never been in a -3 before..he was also the mechanic..:nuts:

That was back in October 1986..Wish I had the gonads to go back and do that gig again..All for $2,500.00 for 4 weeks plus food and tickets.

Not any more.

A young mans game it is.

 

[Twotter76]

Ahh the Tsiu - we used to fly some charters in there, was supposed to be some great fishing right off the strip too. Wish I had had a chance to find out. I have spent some time in BET and it was fun but I cant imagine being based in KIP *shudder*. Alaska flying is unlike any anywhere else in the world.

 

[FreightGod]

we used to fly some charters in there,

Yup, I remember the occasional Twotter landing there and staying on the ground for a short while, then departing with gawking tourists.

Heh, I can still see their eyes when I made my first DC-3 landing there, headed straight for the Otter at a pretty good clip, braking as hard as I could without nosing over, sand flying everywhere from main wheels that dug in with the brake applications..Not the Discovery channel or Disney World anymore, those guys was just about to be run over by a WW-2 vintage airplane on some remote beach in Alaska..

Did ya fly for ERA or SEA-AIR?

 

[pgcfii2002]

No thanks, if I go I'm not buying right seat upthere anymore. Good flying!!

You have integrity and wisdom.

 

[Huck]

Gemini has a guy, grew up in Norway, came to the states and was flying a Navajo in New Orleans.

He lost his job and started faxing resumes all over the country to Navajo operators. This guy called him and basically hired him over the phone. He said he'd be there in two weeks. His (american) wife came home and he said, "Honey guess what! I got a job in Bethel Arkansas!"

Long story short, he took the job anyway, spent 5 years up there....


I met another guy worked at Bethel, he flew a Caravan to Anchorage, it was repossessed on the spot. The bank had already lined up a buyer (another Bethel operator), and the buyer offered this pilot a job right there on the ramp. He just flew the plane back home for the new owner, got back home earlier than scheduled....

 

[ReverseSensing]

The Y-K Delta: Gotta love flying where the planes have mud flaps and they're still muddier than the trucks. Only place where the weather never gets worse than 500-2.

 

[FreightGod]

Gemini has a guy, grew up in Norway, came to the states and was flying a Navajo in New Orleans.

Would that be Tor H.H...?

Not to many Norskies over at Gemini?

 

[Huck]

Nah It wasn't Tory (a great guy also). This guy was named Tony somebody.