Low time pilot looking for bush pilot job.

[iflyabeech]

Have a listen to sled driver, he's been right on so far. A couple of others as well, of course, but he's got the gist of it. Get the 135 VFR mins (my personal path was via skydiving for a summer) go out there and have a good time. I was there for a couple of years and had a blast. There being Bethel... fun flying good people, even found a tree or two in Bethel!

Gotta point out the quality of life issue though, you're building time, you want to go fly in the bush, and that's great, but it's not for everyone. If you like your Wal-mart, Kmart, payless shoes, Macdonald's and a drive through liquor store (or even just buying liquor in the same town that you reside in), and a paved road to take you there, you may not like living in the bush. It's not hard to live out there, but coming from the 48, it can be an adjustment. There's always the stories of the new hire showing up on the morning jet, only to have skipped out on the evening jet, or mysteriously disappearing after 1 week at work.

I'll also point out that in the Western Alaska way of things, twin time can be a little difficult to come by, of course, depending on the operator you work for etc. etc.

Important questions to ask before accepting the job, or arriving at work (including the obvious); Pay (is it a daily rate? is it garaunteed whether you fly or not? or by the flight hour with a base? or just a straight salary), schedule(2 weeks on 2 off, 20 days on 10 off, 6 days on 1 off etc.), jump seat availability and which specific companies offer it, company housing; is it provided or is it a housing stipend or partially subsidised? commitment periods for equipment offered (and the quipment you could be upgraded to)... that's about all that I can think of for the moment.

Good luck, always happy to answer a random questions about AK, particularily the Bethel area. You guys who are still out there doing your thing, get out of company housing once in awhile, enjoy your time out there, because I'm sitting here now thinking how much fun it really was up there, bar none. Of course, I'll be thinking of you all flying in AK this winter as I'm floating on my back in Caribbean waters....

Fly safe...

...word...

 

[highalti2d]

...word...

 

[RAIMnotavailabl]

"you going to Tunt?"

Sled Driver and highalti2d speak the truth. I can't place Sled Driver but highalti2d better watch out for hurricanes this year. Be safe, be well.

You will return to the lower 48 with many stories. Some you may not want to tell anyone (even other pilots) that hasn't been up there.http://forums.flightinfo.com/images/icons/icon23.gif

I miss it at times. It was fun. http://forums.flightinfo.com/images/icons/icon32.gif

Oh yeah one more thing, get used to seeing my handle displayed on your Capstone box while you are flying over the tundra with a thousand pounds of soda pop and potato chips behind you! WooHoo! GD it was fun.http://forums.flightinfo.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

 

[iflyabeech]

You got jug? You got one for Bethel?


Its really bum!

 

[Frozen Ronin]

TNT.... Yute..... OUCH

Raim... Tunt? Not a great place for Yute lately, huh? All this talk about driving weather, there's the rub. It doesn't matter what the company is.

Flying in the bush allows you to be as professional as choose to be, or as cowboy as you choose to be. I've held pretty close to published mins, and that means turning around a time or two. Dispatch may snort as you walk in the door, but I've never been reprimanded for bringing one back home for weather. It's up to you. It's not about PFD, or how much pri-mail you have sitting, or that 6 that just landed with a full load of bypass. It's about you deciding to drop low for the base or turn tail and head home.

Of course, as you turn back, you hear the Sierra Specials calling in. You gonna turn circles in (ahem) 500-2 or land for the proverbial PKA party? Ha! Let the winter games begin!

Anyone know if there were injuries in Tunt?