work in alaska

[Q200_FO]

Penair has a SIC "program" now? How much are they charging for it?? Are they that broke?? If that's true then I'm glad the never responded to my resumes.

 

[billybob]

I don’t know if it is PFT (I’m not going to open that can of worms) I was on another info board and someone said that Penair and Hagland both had sic programs or something like that.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

Skagway Air has a minimum time requirement of 1000 hours TT with 25 hours of Alaska time. That 25 hours can be obtained in training, IOE and supervised flying 'til you reach that mark.

These are the minimums dictated by the insurance company, not the company.

Last I knew L.A.B.'s mins were 750TT. Not sure about AirEx or Wings.

Best thing to do if you want a 135 job in Alaska is to go up there and meet with the companies directly. Don't waste your time sending professional resumes up there. They will go in the trash can without hesitation (at many companies, but not all). My point is this...they receive so many resumes that they can't really tell the difference between the applicants. Make yourself stand out by visiting with them personally.

SE is a beautiful place, but the weather can get ....well....sucky! 500 and 2 (wink, wink) is not uncommon. Howling winds and moderate to severe, yes...severe, turbulence is common during certain periods of the year and during certain wind conditions (ie: a north wind in the summer). I think AirEx and Skagway Air pay the best of the four carriers I've mentioned. However, if you want to make some good money, head out to Bethel.

Good luck.

GP

 

[YaMama]

What's the best month to head up there? Sometime in May perhaps?

 

[Q200_FO]

I can personally vouch for going to the companies and talking with them one on one. That's how I got my bush job. Coming from someone who was born and raised in ANC, it has a HIGH probablity of sucess. IF you do it right. I left Bethel a year ago to come into the dash but you can make some good money out there. Be aware that the cost of living is super high due to the cost of shipping everything out there. If you can put up with it, then more power to you. Personally, I don't want to end up flying a Navajo or a Caravan for the rest mf my life. That's why I left.

 

[Alaskaairlines]

Looks like I'll be headed out to BET soon. Isn't the bush a good place to get your required time and move on? J?
Thats what I have in mind, many say the flying is awesome and overwhelming!

 

[moving2vegas]

whoa there stud

Alaskaairlines...UAA Student...Av Training....Cargo...?whatever

If the 170 hours in your bio is correct then you got a ways to go before running off to the bush. Read the previous posts about flying in Alaska. "Isn't the bush a good place to get your required time and move on?, many say the flying is awesome and overwhelming". NO and yes. Alaska is not the place for a fresh commercial pilot to go for time building and yes it is overwhelming. Look. I'm not trying to #hit on anyone’s dream. I wanted to fly in Alaska since I was 8, and when I signed my commercial ticket I knew I had some experience to gain before I went. Alaska isn't about flying the plane, hell everyone has a pilots license up there and could probably fly you in circles. Alaska is about making good decisions and flying smart. To a certain extent it's something that can't be taught, you just got it. If an operator will even hire you, going to Alaska with a fresh commercial isn't smart. The fact that you don't see that says something. I left the lower 48 for Alaska with 1000 hours and questioned my skills then. I returned 2 years later a better man and pilot. Do yourself a favor, gain some experience and perspective. Better to read the NTSB reports about Alaska than be on one.

 

[Alaskaairlines]

Re: whoa there stud

Alaskaairlines...UAA Student...Av Training....Cargo...?whatever

If the 170 hours in your bio is correct then you got a ways to go before running off to the bush. Read the previous posts about flying in Alaska. "Isn't the bush a good place to get your required time and move on?, many say the flying is awesome and overwhelming". NO and yes. Alaska is not the place for a fresh commercial pilot to go for time building and yes it is overwhelming. Look. I'm not trying to #hit on anyone’s dream. I wanted to fly in Alaska since I was 8, and when I signed my commercial ticket I knew I had some experience to gain before I went. Alaska isn't about flying the plane, hell everyone has a pilots license up there and could probably fly you in circles. Alaska is about making good decisions and flying smart. To a certain extent it's something that can't be taught, you just got it. If an operator will even hire you, going to Alaska with a fresh commercial isn't smart. The fact that you don't see that says something. I left the lower 48 for Alaska with 1000 hours and questioned my skills then. I returned 2 years later a better man and pilot. Do yourself a favor, gain some experience and perspective. Better to read the NTSB reports about Alaska than be on one.

Well I agree with what you say, but I'm a little different than the standard guy who gets his time CFIing, I work for a carrier who will put me in the right seat of there aircraft when I finish up my ratings - and no its not a single engine Cessna, etc.....
I will be flying right seat and gaining lots of knowledge from the CA - and then move on - get the idea? In-fact there are lots of guys who get hired in AK with bare Mins - so don't go and preach at me saying I'm not worthy flying out there - in my case its a bit different.
But, in the normal case scenario - I see exactly what you are saying, and I wouldn't want to be out there with 300 hrs flying 500/1 (for the book) single pilot bush VFR.

 

[scubabri]

Um.. I'm not even gonna go there. Sheesh.. I hope I wasn't like that when I had 300 hours.

I really didn't know how much I didn't know until I started studying for my CFI and working on my 135 stuff along with my ATP.

I also didn''t know how much I didn't know until I started flying around in California, at night, low vis, with a student in the left seat.

So flying around right seat is not building the type of experience you need, you need to be in the left seat, making decisions, life or death, crash into a mountain or not, decisions.

Don't' be so hasty, build the experience, don't go up to Alaska and become another statistic.

b

 

[moving2vegas]

Alaskaairlines

Don't bash me jr. I'm not preaching but rather offering the real world, practical advise you asked for. I believed in mentoring young or aspiring pilots, mostly because I'm not a CFI and feel it's my way of paying it back. I now see that you're a PFT puke and therefore don't need anything but daddy's money.

 

[Alaskaairlines]

Re: Alaskaairlines

Don't bash me jr. I'm not preaching but rather offering the real world, practical advise you asked for. I believed in mentoring young or aspiring pilots, mostly because I'm not a CFI and feel it's my way of paying it back. I now see that you're a PFT puke and therefore don't need anything but daddy's money.

Hey, actually I thank-you for your advise and mentoring. And no I am not a PFT guy - I am working the hard way, my parents haven't given my a dime for my flying. Paying for my training as I get pai. The company I work for hires pilots "with-in" the company when the need comes - so thats my story. If some very helpful pilots didn't mention this great opportunity - then I would have to work all the way to CFI and take that route.

Hasty, I don't have to come-up to Alaska. Thats where I live and learned to fly here. So I don't have much choice.

I know what you mean by "bush", a pilot I know just bent up a Navajo not long ago - lucky to be alive imo.


Now lets get back to the topic - I don't mean to bash anybody or start an argument.

 

[YaMama]

Yes, speaking of the topic ... could somebody please tell me what is the best time of year to be looking for work up there? And when do the summer operators usually start laying off?

Thanks,
ym

 

[moving2vegas]

get busy now

Most operators are looking at resumes and making initial phone calls now. Hiring/ ground school usually begins in late May to early April and runs through September. Exact times really depend on location and the type of operation. The season is shorter (later start earlier layoff) the further north you go. And by type of operation I mean tourism or scheduled work. Alaska is heavily dependent on tourism and so are the 135 ops. The operators know exactly when the cruise ships and lodges are scheduled to start. They hire right before the rush. Scheduled operators tend to hire through the year as pilots move on. They generally have a more even cash flow from mail or passenger work and tend to hire pilots for year around work. If you're looking for seasonal work and want to get up there early, offer yourself for any work they may have. I always was able to go up at least a month in advance in do busy work. I cleaned planes, changed oil in company cars, vacuumed the office, did run-ups and flight checks, whatever I could do for a little extra work. It always paid off in the end because I was asked to stick around and help close things down for the winter. Hope this helps.

 

[crj579]

What is the pay like in AK? Would it be enough to support a family on ?

 

[rchcfi]

You could support a family in Alaska. Question is: Do you want to see and spend time with your family? Of course I can only speak from experience and examples from friends in the biz up here.

If you find a job with a "tourist" based outfit, most of your flying would only be during the day allowing quality "home" time at a fairly nice location (SE, Southcentral, Matanuska Valley). Another good perk of flying tourists or flightseers is the tips. It's not uncommon to get $100 in tips/day on top of the $150-$300/day wages.

If you find a job with a "working" based outfit, you will probably find yourself in Bethel, the North Slope, Nome, Kotzebue, etc. They pay just as well if not more. I have a friend who has a family here (southcentral) but works for Grant in Bethel flying the Caravan. He likes his job and gets paid very well. The downside/upside is he works a 2 week on/2 week off rotation. And while he is at work for those two weeks, all his room and board is paid for.

So I guess the answer to your question is, YES. But if you currently live in a big city, I want to be there when you tell your wife "Honey, we're moving to Alaska"

Cheers