How can I became in a tankerpilot?

[Nicolas DG]

Hello,
I´m Nicolas, a live in Argentina, and I´m a private pilot with VFR and HVN license. Someone in this forum can tell my how can I became in a tankerpilot, yes yes, thous fire pilots. I would like to recive more information about how I can fly for some organization or company working in that, in the future. Please, if someone have that information, plase let my know, I will be very intresting in that, thanks, bye bye, have good flights!!!:)

[scroggs]

I believe there are no such aircraft in UK. Fire-suppression aircraft are flown in the USA, Canada and a few other countries, but they are not common in Europe. You would do best to direct your query to te North America forum.

Please note that you will need the right to live and work in the country you aim to fly in. That is a simple affair in some countries, but not in others - such as the USA and EU. Look carefully at the regulations before you set your hopes on a particular country.

Scroggs

[Groundloop]

Firefighting aircraft are flown in at least Spain, France and Greece. But you probably need a lot of experience before you can fly them in the conditions they are used in i.e. close to the ground among mountainous terrain and VERY turbulent air.

[Nicolas DG]

Thanks a lot scroggs and Gorundloop, I post the same in North American forum, because I know that there in this country is very usuall this job, so bye bye, thanks

[jolly__jumper]

Firefighting aircraft are flown in at least Spain, France and Greece. But you probably need a lot of experience before you can fly them in the conditions they are used in i.e. close to the ground among mountainous terrain and VERY turbulent air.

Unfortunately in Portugal too. Lots of experience required... I heard at least 1000 hrs .

Cheers

[Nicolas DG]

Ok, thanks, but how can I work like a tankerpilot in Portugal, is there some kind of flight school for tankerpilots, how much experience I should have to have to enter in some organization like this. Is it a voluntire job or they paid a salary?, please, if you know some information please let me know, if you know, I would like to have some webpage about this organization that you tell me, ok , thanks, bye bye

[Tex37]

Portugal has no Firefighting Aircraft.

Ask me how I know? Well I was here 3 years ago when we had huge forest fires, usual fire services battled for days/weeks to contain them. Only when it got completely out of had were aircraft used to extinguish the fires - all from Spain!

[jolly__jumper]

Portugal has no Firefighting Aircraft.

Ask me how I know? Well I was here 3 years ago when we had huge forest fires, usual fire services battled for days/weeks to contain them. Only when it got completely out of had were aircraft used to extinguish the fires - all from Spain!

Not completely true... In fact the Portuguese governement doesn't have Firifighting Aircraft (yet...). But some portuguese civil operators do have them. Many of those aircraft/helicopters are registered in Spain but they are owned and operated by portuguese companies.
How do I know that?? I'm portuguese :p (that doesn't mean I'm the only one that is right...)

Cheers

[SpringbokDreamer]

Hi Nicolas,

Try CONAIR in Canada My Great Uncle used to fly with them.. He Loved it. A lot of Ex Military guys I believe and at very least, a huge amount of flying experience.

Just do a search on them and I'm sure you'll find them, Seem to remmber there being a contact us page on there. They have become quite a big company..

All the best with the flying:ok:

[B200Drvr]

Courses are done in the USA, to work there on firefighting jobs you need a ticket, apart from all the visa/greencard stuff. Higher the ticket, better the job. Lots of jobs available but lots of pilots competing with lots of hours of AG time. Need at least a 1000 hrs AT802 time to be taken seriously.
Quite a difficult market to break into if you are not an AG pilot as they seem to favour the skills.

[Ambulance 'Charlie Alpha']

Definitely some firefighting aircraft in Portugal. Watched them last summer trying to cope with those massive fires that claimed so many lives.

ACA

[Nicolas DG]

Thanks peolpe for the information. I will still loocking for some other company, but I know that I´m too young and that I don`t have much experiences, but I think that I can find some company for my, but I don`t know, I will still locking for, thanks bye bye, have good flights!!!!