Float ratings

[tweekey]

Hi Guys

Interested in doing a float rating, just looking for some advice on the best place to do one that will offer ICUS possibly at the end of the rating, and some advice on the aircraft that will best increase my job opportunitys at the end of the rating?

Also where is the best place to start looking for float jobs? (sydney, hamilton island?) do opportunitys exist for people with my hours and a float rating?

I have a CPL with about 200 hours

Thanks in advance

[LexAir]

Give these people a try: Bay City Seaplanes (http://www.baycityseaplanes.com.au/training.htm)

[Fondair]

Has anyone done a float rating with bay city? Are they any good? I'm about to finish my CPL and considering going down this route.

[WannaBeBiggles]

You cannot go wrong with Rod Gunther at Melbourne seaplanes, he's got lots of experience and is very safety conscious, plus Rod and Leonie are just salt of the earth kind of people.

I don't know anyone who has trained with BCS, I think they may be new (at doing endos) as I believe Rod did the endo of BCS's owners son.

Another option is Bill Lane in Port Macquarie, no one in the industry that has more experience than Bill.

Cloud 9 (http://www.cloud9seaplanes.com/training.htm) at the Gold Coast is also a good option, I believe they mostly hire from their ICUS program if they have the need for a driver.

Another option would be Strahan Seaplanes (http://www.strahanseaplanesandhelicopters.com.au/sea_plane_training.html), some awesome flying down there and Dale has been known to give newbies a go.

Aircraft type will not really matter much, unless your future operator has a minimum hours requirement for aircraft type. Flying a seaplane is a whole new kettle of fish and an operator will want to know that you know how to read the water and handle the aircraft safely more than how many hours you have on type.

Some words of advice:

Aviation is small and the float industry is even smaller, don't p!ss anyone off, because chances are that he (or she) will know just about everyone you'll be working with/for.

Seaplanes is a multi-skilled kind of job, you'll be a tour guide, you'll probably be driving a boat (you need a boat licence to fly a float plane anyway) and you may well have to transport your customers in a bus, not to mention refuelling the plane from jerry cans on the water, washing it constantly and pumping those floats out.
Be prepared for that and if you have the attitude of "I'm a pilot, so all I want to do is fly" then this is probably the wrong job for you.

There are two types of seaplane pilots, ones that have fallen in and the ones that will - accept that and you will be fine :E

Flying floats is one of the most fun and rewarding jobs you can do (In my humble opinion anyway), what other job has you spending time on the water AND flying with shoes usually left at your point of origin?

Good luck :ok: