Posted: 3/30/2008 8:19:43 PM EDT
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Currently have my SEL/S and working on my instrument. Plan on wrapping up my Comm and probably multi in the next few months. Will be moving to Alaska in a month or so as well. Any thoughts on what a low time guy (I'll have my Comm mins) could do up there? I talked to the Chief Pilot at PenAir and he said they could put me in the right seat of a Caravan. Should I jump on that you think? Aviator |
| I think if the plane holds over 10 (or is it 12?) that it needs to be two pilots. Some Caravans, like the Grand Caravan, meet that requirement. It would SE time, but I would be SE turbine which is good. Maybe then you could move on to Twin Otters or something twin. |
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contact the southeast alaska faa and you should be led in the right direction, aviation safety, southeast alaska has a hard time keeping float plane pilots as they keep cracking up! that and a lot of pilots are going for commercial and are required to fly alaska so there are a few who are inexperiance with our crazy southeast weather. and ive lived in alaska 52yrs and have been around this stuff for many years and i still prefer a boat as you never know the experance of a float plane pilot,if hes to young wont fly, to old and cocky wont fly,weather is questionable to ME,wont fly no second chances in ALASKA waters its friggin COLD!!! 
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One of my friends is currently in ground school with Pen-air. She doesnt have a lot of good things to say about them. But they do have a right seat program for low time pilots. So they will get you some flight time. Their progression is: Right seat Caravan in the bush PIC cherokee 6 in the bush PIC in Caravan or PA31-350 Navaho in the bush If your are a bush lifer in the company someday they might let you fly the T1040 or the Goose. All of these are Part 135 scheduled out of King Salmon, Dillingham, Dutch Harbor They also have a 121 operation with Saabs and Metros . You can jump from the 135 side to the 121 side when you have enough time. Pen Air, and my company, and every one else i know in Alaska runs their Caravans under part 135. Which means max 9 pax. Pen Air and a few others have a SIC program in their Op-Spec. So it is log-able. An SIC in a caravan is about as useful as tits on a Boar. Mostly you will be a mobile baggage handler. |
This is true, but no operator is going to give a job to a wet ink commercial pilot. If you want to fly floats get some experience in state on wheels first. Being an A&P will help a lot. |
| All I'm gonna say is, don't do the Caravan right seat thing. You're gonna be laugh at when you go for your next interview and you're gonna be laugh at by all the pilots that you'll meet. SIC in a Caravan is a joke. I know this because I flew Caravans for a Fedex Feeder in the early 90s, back then FD was talking about putting a guy in the right seat to get CatII certify. That never been approve by the FAA. Thank god. |
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OK Back. I have been down in West Palm Beach for a day. Anyway... The deal with the Caravan Right Seat is that it is a way to build some time and get paid with 250 hours. They will move you to a Cherokee as PIC then after a while. It does not pay much and is 2 weeks on 2 off in a remote location. It pays like $80 a day. But I figured I would be able to do some Guard Bumming the other 2 weeks and eek out a living. I am not sure anyone else would hire me with 250 hours. As far as the float thing, I only have about 6 hours total in floats. Just enough to get the rating one time when I was on break from Afghanistan. I needed a Bi-Annual and decided to do that instead. It was a lot of fun though. I really like flying floats. I do not have my A&P, but I have authorization to to take the exams. It would not be real difficult or expensive for me to get it, but I really do not want to do Maint anymore. I should be getting up there some time in Early May. Aviator |