Temsco is a very good company to use as a stepping stone. Theyll take 15-25 1000 hour guys (no turbine time) every spring and put you in the Astar. They even hire Pome's on J1's. Most guys in JNU or SGY average 350-400 hours a summer. A couple hour whores' may get 425. At the end of the summer operators start calling the base manager in JNu or SGY looking for pilots. Most guys have jobs before they leave.
The pay sucks (for a first year tour pilot), a small food allowance, a small bonus, half your air ticket if you complete the season.
The good points:
Training , they give every guy 10+ hours in the As350, plus snow and flatlight training before his 135 ride. This is double what just about every other operator gives you. You will do autos till your blue in the face, hyd off training you get no where else (hovering, approaches to hover, pu set downs, quick stops, autos hyd off).
The Terrain: you get to fly very monuntains , windy , bad weather, busy (jnu) enviroment. If you want to get into the utility world, alaska is a heck of better place to build turbine time than flying laps over the ditch.
The Astar seems to be the weapon of choice these days with fire contracts, ems and eng. The more time you can get in the French Mistress , the better off you will be IMO.(Marketability) A 206 is easy to fly after flying an Astar.
Free housing, car to share and health insurance. If you have a good personality you can make a couple of extra K in tips.
If you come back a second year the pay goes up, youll get checked out on the long line, possibly the H500, and if they really like you or are desperate you could get sent out on a field contract.
Flying in SE alaska is one of the most challenging, rewarding, fun places youll ever get to work. Tours get old but you will be a stronger pilot after a summer in AK. Guys with AK time get gobbled up by operators in the L48. Espically if you can get some field time.
Pappilon on the south rim will take 1000 hour guys for the 206l, as will Era in AK and Costal in AK. You will proably have the most fun at Temsco...IMO
Later
RB
