Fire fighting vs Charter

[helops]

Hello everybody,

when you come to a point where you have to decide for upcoming job season what would you choose between firefighting and charter job. Same helicopter(B3), same money, same contract term (6 months). I am interested in experience, career grow, for the CV, taking into consideration that I have never done that before. What would you choose? and why?

Thank you!

[hueyracer]

Who is going to hire you as a fire fighting pilot when you have no experience?

[helops]

how did the other pilots start? you just can't born with fire fighting experience :ugh:

[apb]

I think the question here is, what do you wanna do in the future?. If you have sure what do you wanna be in the near future, you will know which job get.

My personal opinion, firefighting is a seasonal job, charter now for you is a seasonal job but in the future could be a permanent full year job.

[helops]

thank you apb...it's hard to say what I would like to do..definetely I'm looking for a full time long term contract job, like everybody.. probably charter will be the best solution

[newfieboy]

Hueyracer

You would be surprised mate, company I work for sends couple guys every season firefighting with min hr requirements for Forestry and a brand new AS350B2 or 206L rating, with no previous experience on fires. First thing they get though is a thorough briefing from Provincial fire centres at the beginning of hire. Some of them even manage a 205 rating with 1000hrs.They all do ok. Many companies in Canada do the same. Its called gaining experience. Most ops in Canada are single pilot, even on the mediums. Only way to learn is get out and do it. The older hands look after the young guys, no matter what company you work for. Also a very controlled environment re flight watch, comms, airspace, bird dog, tankers et al. So a certain amount of supervision if you like. No doubt when the flap happens this summer in Canada and crews are short, some of our low time guys will get a break. Good luck to them.

[EBCAU]

So, you have to choose between one or the other option?

I would go for the fire fighting. You obviously have enough experience to have the choices in front of you so taking the opportunity to get some utility/firefighting will do you no harm. That experience should not hinder your chance at charter later on but you may never get the opportunity for firefighting again.

Of course, firefighting is not everybody's cup of tea. Only you can decide if you are keen enough.

[paco]

Fire fighting! No passengers...... :)

Phil

[vaibronco]

Fire fighting! No passengers......

That's not granted in Italy.
Helops. Your first question should include the italian region you would go for firefighting and the operator you would go for charter flights.
In one region firefighting is usual finding yourself taking-off hot and heavy (and very windy), with bamby bucket, 4 "passengers" (engineer, Forestry Officer and 2 from Ente Foreste), all of them talking about your water drops, landing zones, and how better the previous pilot was and and bla bla bla
In another region you're alone with nobody even watching from the ground what you're doing. or arguing about how full is your bamby during the first launches, when your're still full of fuel.
At least, you can be pretty sure that your employer is an AOC holder.

About charter flights, the key is doing it in the most legal way. That's not aerial work. Your good homework with W&B, landing sites, flight planning, risk assesment, weather, managing flights from/to other countries etc will make the difference. If the employer operates in summer from a small airport in Tuscany you'll probably fly also over water... Am I wrong? :p
If you choose this option, you should aim for the twin.

[helops]

Unfortunately I'm not going on a twin :) and this in not in Tuscany... So what would be your choice? both of the jobs are in the southern Italy, between Calabria and Sicily :ok:,still thinking..it's difficult :) I don't know how important is the fire fighting experience for the future, of course I can't do fire fighting for a long time as this is only a seasonal job.. I'm looking for stability, just like everyone else.

[vaibronco]

You're looking for stability. Go for the best operator. If it operates both jobs, go for the job you can do at your best, weighing your skills and knowledge (a good operator would do that on you). Spend your spare time to study, not tanning under the sun. Know your machine, ops regulation (you make the difference when you're on the ground), obtain your ATPL theory. Forget the good car you dream of and invest in your IR. Unfortunately this is italy and not USA. Stability is on the twins. At the end of the season you pay a visit to the operator, submit the result of the season and the way you ruled and managed all your operations in accordance to what you studied. A good operator want safe and legal operations and invoices to get paid. The bad one will drop you no matter where and doing what, with a good insurance to recover the machine.
Keep on mind you're still betting, nothing is granted.
Ciao

[helops]

You're right Vaibronco! the future is twin, IFR, ATPL.. we'll work on it.. but it's very very expensive :ugh:thanks for answering!!! Ciao

[Flyting]

I'd go for the fire fighting as you will learn a lot more about flying - which will give you a better option in the future. Anyone can fly charter...you've been doing that sort of flying from when you had a PPL (flying your mates around from point a-b)

Fire fighting will open you up to lot more job prospects because of the difficulty of the flying, especially if you are slinging a bucket and landing in tight spaces.
Down side of it.... you might sit around for a long time waiting for fires.

[ka26]

I am looking to move to Canada for the next summer season.
Is the firefighting a huge activity in Canada?
Are they interested in hiring europeans? (with AS350 fire experience)
Who can tell me what is the procedure in getting a work permit and converting the JAA CPL to Canadian? Are they providing this service or I have to do it on my own?
And finally, is it a good opinion to move to Canada from Europe?

Thank you.

[spencer17]

I'd stick with Paco. :ok:
Passengers, no matter you did a great job or not, complain and some even :yuk:.
It's a good feeling to look into the happy faces of the forestry guys when the job is finished and the fire under control.
So, go for the fire and the best is, you don't have to hold the brolly or carry some :mad: luggage.

Happy landings
Spencer17

[Flugplatz]

Fire-fighting. Then you will feel like you've done a day's work