Sled driver
Member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2006
- Posts
- 14
Veedubpilot,
It has already been mentioned on this board but to fly Part 135 (VFR) you need at least 500 hours plus some other requirements that can be found in the FAR's. Alaska is a huge State (as everybody knows) so I am not an expert on all of the flying that goes on up there but in the area I fly out of... most operators won't touch you until you have 1000 hours. This is usually insurance driven from what I hear. A 100 hours +/- of Alaska time also helps out but is not really required. That being said, you can get picked up with less hours depending on the needs of the company and your skills. Like a lot of aviation jobs it helps to know somebody as well. I got hired into a C 172 just shy of 800 hours and then moved into a 207 a couple months later. The experience I have gained has been great. Flying in the lower 48 has been good experience for me as well. You can get slammed on this board but here are my two bits. Build up some hours any way you can. If you want to try Instructing go do that. It helps out a lot. If you want to build hours moving airplanes or towing banners...go do that. When you get over 500 hours if you still have a desire to fly up North start sending the resumes out. If that doesn't work try again when you get closer to 1000 hours. If that doesn't work, you are just around the corner from 1200 hours and more possibilities will open up. If you do get hired between 500 and 1000 hours be grateful and not macho. Start out slow...take it easy. The reason insurance companies like 1000 hours is due to the fact that there have been several 500 hour wonder pilots who bit off more then they could chew. Usually in the form of landing accidents/incidents. (I am speaking about the area I fly in) Some companies break you in slowly but others have a "can do" attitude. Short narrow ice covered runways with full loads, strong crosswinds, and ice leave no room for error or a "can do" attitude. Ironically a lot of landing accidents/incidents also occur with high time pilots who have flown up North for years. If you stay up North for a couple of years remember to keep your skill/limitations in mind and don't push them to hard. Good luck and excuse the typos.
It has already been mentioned on this board but to fly Part 135 (VFR) you need at least 500 hours plus some other requirements that can be found in the FAR's. Alaska is a huge State (as everybody knows) so I am not an expert on all of the flying that goes on up there but in the area I fly out of... most operators won't touch you until you have 1000 hours. This is usually insurance driven from what I hear. A 100 hours +/- of Alaska time also helps out but is not really required. That being said, you can get picked up with less hours depending on the needs of the company and your skills. Like a lot of aviation jobs it helps to know somebody as well. I got hired into a C 172 just shy of 800 hours and then moved into a 207 a couple months later. The experience I have gained has been great. Flying in the lower 48 has been good experience for me as well. You can get slammed on this board but here are my two bits. Build up some hours any way you can. If you want to try Instructing go do that. It helps out a lot. If you want to build hours moving airplanes or towing banners...go do that. When you get over 500 hours if you still have a desire to fly up North start sending the resumes out. If that doesn't work try again when you get closer to 1000 hours. If that doesn't work, you are just around the corner from 1200 hours and more possibilities will open up. If you do get hired between 500 and 1000 hours be grateful and not macho. Start out slow...take it easy. The reason insurance companies like 1000 hours is due to the fact that there have been several 500 hour wonder pilots who bit off more then they could chew. Usually in the form of landing accidents/incidents. (I am speaking about the area I fly in) Some companies break you in slowly but others have a "can do" attitude. Short narrow ice covered runways with full loads, strong crosswinds, and ice leave no room for error or a "can do" attitude. Ironically a lot of landing accidents/incidents also occur with high time pilots who have flown up North for years. If you stay up North for a couple of years remember to keep your skill/limitations in mind and don't push them to hard. Good luck and excuse the typos.
