looking for VFR 135 operations

[iflyabeech]

Well, with 500 hours I suppose Craig Air would hire you.... maybe even Inland. But not this time of year... How badly do you want to send a gussak into the snow with no prior tundra time, and try to send him to Marshall or Russian Mission in "day/vfr"???? Are you on CRACK? LOL!

Get some good winter flying in the Grand Canyon, flying day vfr over some great scenery. With the right company, you'll upgrade into a twin in 3 or 4 months, and you can build your twin time, PIC mind you, then after a thousand hours of that you can give the bush a try. Cutting your teeth in Alaska during winter could be considered less than intelligent.

Amen...I saw a pilot who should not have been up there take off from Marshall at sunset from the new runway and go direct Bethel....do the math on that if you have been there. Whoever said go to Alaska had a stupid idea.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

Amen...I saw a pilot who should not have been up there take off from Marshall at sunset from the new runway and go direct Bethel....do the math on that if you have been there. Whoever said go to Alaska had a stupid idea.

Simple economics...supply and demand.

Anchorage = high demand, but also high supply
Bethel = relatively high demand, low supply

There are carriers out there in the state that will hire you with 500tt. Most of them aren't near the bigger cities, however.

Try L.A.B. in Haines, just north of Juneau.

That being said, you really should get your CFI. You will learn more about flying and acquire some essential skills than if you didn't teach.

Good luck in your pursuits.

GP

 

[mcjohn]

I was wondering when the LAB tip was coming. That's the only one I've ever heard of that has a website. There is also a pipeline flyer in the west somewhere that has mins of 5 or 600 published on the website.

Anyone know much about LAB? Interesting to see all the other VFR operators listed here. Let me see if I can dig up the link to the pipeline website.

 

[flyalot]

Most of the operators are VFR. You want a job, show up! Knock on doors. Early spring(May), or late spring(September) best odds.

 

[mcjohn]

Most of what operators are VFR?! You take all the 135 operators out there and see if they have VFR only pilots. You must be thinking strictly of Alaska outfits that operate the 5 month season.

 

[flyalot]

Most of the operators are not flying known ice airplanes. Any need for a IFR pilot, and a current IFR plane? NO. Cost to much money. If the weather is not VFR, then just wait till tomorrow. I am speaking about the 135 Alaska operators. They could fly the summer, our year round. Same game. Now for the disclaimer. Some operators do fly IFR. And yes, you will need the 135 IFR mins. These jobs normaly are filled form within the company. Aviation in Alaska is diffrent than what you think of in the states.

 

[iflyabeech]

What you guys don't realize is that insurance is what drives the hiring minimums in alaska, not FAA minimums. Alaska VFR is 500ft and 2 miles vis. . .many times you have no prominent reference points on the ground. .. Not a good place for the inexperienced. In other words, most Alaska VFR jobs for reputable companies require quite a bit more than the IFR minimums from even the VFR flying.

PS: What do known ice airplanes have to do with this?

 

[mcjohn]

Man I would love to fly a season or two up there. My roommate (travel trailer mate) from the banner season in NJ was an Alaskan pilot. He flys there each summer in a Beaver float plane as a fishing guide for a lodge. He took the past summer off to build tailwheel time by towing banners (specifically PA-18) to make himself more competitive and to step up the caliber lodge he wants to fly for. I think he said that in a good month he could rake in over 10 grand. That's what I'm talkin'bout!! With that kind of cash flow I could buy my wife all the therapy she needs to deal with being "trapped in Alaska."

 

[flyalot]

The Known Ice is for flying IFR. Most, not all the time, when in IMC in Alaska you will be getting ice. So you aren't going IFR in the sled, in general. Great for gettin in on a ILS. But not for going place to place in general. So a company doesn't want to spend the money to keep the plane or the pilots IFR current. That was all I was saying. I agree in full with the time requirements. I was the highest time guy in my ground school. Still was an eye opening experience. The lower time guys were held back with a tight rien. Best flying yet! Might be going back!

 

[Singlecoil]

Amen...I saw a pilot who should not have been up there take off from Marshall at sunset from the new runway and go direct Bethel....do the math on that if you have been there. Whoever said go to Alaska had a stupid idea.

New runway? You mean they finally got rid of that one carved out of the side of a hill where the windsocks would be blowing in opposite directions at either end of the field? I guess that means no more ice strip plowed out on the Yukon in the winter. That thing was like landing on a piece of slate is was so solid.

 

[Frozen Ronin]

LOLOLOL.... solid? Must not have been 'mud month'!!!

Yeah, there's a 'new' runway in Marshal. Even comes with a fancy new GPS approach. And then there's the 'departure route'!!!! Go figure! Has you taking off east and climbing till your out of breath, then a right turn to Bethel or wherever.

And to add a note, Yute just last week (?) bounced one hard in Tunt, in 'marginal VFR'. I say marginal with ample amounts of sarcasm. The tundra can lull you into a completely false sense of security! You can be as pro as you want, or as cowboy as you want up there. It's interesting to watch peoples decisions on which style they choose. Any delta dogs out there, correct me if I'm off base, but that was my experience.

McJohn, the money's there, but only while the tourists bring it in. A few months in the summer, and you can save up enough to live on for the winter.... I've been spending my summer money up to now... and having a great time playing in the states! Anyway, the point is that the money can be made, but it's seasonal. I wouldn't mind going back in a year or two and doing it again!

 

[iflyabeech]

New runway? You mean they finally got rid of that one carved out of the side of a hill where the windsocks would be blowing in opposite directions at either end of the field? I guess that means no more ice strip plowed out on the Yukon in the winter. That thing was like landing on a piece of slate is was so solid.

Yeah, the old one was more fun..If you talk to the old guys, the one before that was even better. . .

 

[iflyabeech]

The Known Ice is for flying IFR. Most, not all the time, when in IMC in Alaska you will be getting ice. So you aren't going IFR in the sled, in general. Great for gettin in on a ILS. But not for going place to place in general. So a company doesn't want to spend the money to keep the plane or the pilots IFR current. That was all I was saying. I agree in full with the time requirements. I was the highest time guy in my ground school. Still was an eye opening experience. The lower time guys were held back with a tight rien. Best flying yet! Might be going back!

I would say most of the time I have flown IFR in Alaska I have not gotten any ice. That really has nothing to do with IFR. I have gotten ice up there in clear air VFR as well.

Again, do not expect to go get a job in Alaska with less than IFR mins, even though most jobs are VFR.

 

[1flier]

AVIATION SERVICES / DBA FREEDOM AIR (Cherokee Six Pilots - Saipan & Tinian, CNMI (500TT, 100X-C, 25 Night X-C))
Tel: (671) 472-8009 or (671) 472-8010
__________________

Dont do it, the owner is a jerk, one of the station managers has a rep of trying to rough up pilots when they dont go in low weather, and most of the locals have serious superiority complex. I live there for a year and work for a similar operation, 1600 a month and you go almost 2 months no pay, pay doenst start till end of IOE which can be up to 3 weeks or so. Yes the weather is great there, 81 degrees all year, moonsoon season in August, nice breeze and snorkeling and scuba is good. Downside, isolated as ever, alot of greencard hunters and no that is not a good thing (one of the pilots I hired as a replacement when I left is regretting his), pay is self explanatory, cost of products are high. If I was back in the situation of under 1000 TT but meeting VFR mins for 135, King Airelines in Las Vegas would be my choice. decent climate, multi time, pay sucks but as with any of them it would be for a year or less. Kitty Hawk Tours is a fun operation, the owner Jay is a down to earth guy, he usually starts looking around february and march to interview to get ready for the busy season. Great Lakes in Michigan has been advertising but I dont know anything about them. Northern Aviation with Nick Steo is an interesting job, travel the country doing aerial photography, great way to get paid to travel for the next year but its all single engine time. On other websites I have seen nwa airlink advertising 500TT w CMEL and 1st class med, no multi requirements if that floats your boat. I keep my ears to the ground for ops, the best time to look is when you are employed, PM me if you need any more info.

 

[iflyabeech]

AVIATION SERVICES / DBA FREEDOM AIR (Cherokee Six Pilots - Saipan & Tinian, CNMI (500TT, 100X-C, 25 Night X-C))
Tel: (671) 472-8009 or (671) 472-8010
__________________

Dont do it, the owner is a jerk, one of the station managers has a rep of trying to rough up pilots when they dont go in low weather, and most of the locals have serious superiority complex. I live there for a year and work for a similar operation, 1600 a month and you go almost 2 months no pay, pay doenst start till end of IOE which can be up to 3 weeks or so. Yes the weather is great there, 81 degrees all year, moonsoon season in August, nice breeze and snorkeling and scuba is good. Downside, isolated as ever, alot of greencard hunters and no that is not a good thing (one of the pilots I hired as a replacement when I left is regretting his), pay is self explanatory, cost of products are high. If I was back in the situation of under 1000 TT but meeting VFR mins for 135, King Airelines in Las Vegas would be my choice. decent climate, multi time, pay sucks but as with any of them it would be for a year or less. Kitty Hawk Tours is a fun operation, the owner Jay is a down to earth guy, he usually starts looking around february and march to interview to get ready for the busy season. Great Lakes in Michigan has been advertising but I dont know anything about them. Northern Aviation with Nick Steo is an interesting job, travel the country doing aerial photography, great way to get paid to travel for the next year but its all single engine time. On other websites I have seen nwa airlink advertising 500TT w CMEL and 1st class med, no multi requirements if that floats your boat. I keep my ears to the ground for ops, the best time to look is when you are employed, PM me if you need any more info.

Dude, did you pick up a coke habit in Saipan? slow down a little hombre!