Things/names have changed a bit since I last untied and got airborne out of RSE, but a few of the same people are still 'floating' around.
Henry Gorman owns/operates the C185 out of PLB. Steve Krug used to operate his DHC-2 under Henry's AOC, but I hear that has now changed? Henry did my float alighting gear endo and a bit of flying with him until one certain person who will remain very nameless here wrote-off VH-SLC at the foot of Barranjoey, neccessitating a move from Sydney to the Kimberley for job number two. Not sure if Steve uses his a/c for training or type experience, but is one of the more fair dinkum persons to frequent the water and airways in those parts.
Sydney Harbour Seaplanes (not known as that now?) out of RSE. As far as I am still aware Gary Fenelon is still flying there and an instructor that can get you going. At one stage they were using that Cherokee that used to live up on Brisbane Waters to do endos. Not sure if they still do this, or even whether Gary is still there (last I heard he was).
38 is not too late, especially in floats. One of the Sydney TAFE teachers (B.V) used to fly on weekends for SHS when I there in the mid-late 90's, and you will find that many of the people who spend any great time on floats wont go back to wheels. Mostly they are happy with their specialised field, and are paid reasonably well for single engine G.A. One bloke I know of is in his mid-late 40's now and has been flying up and down the east coast for at least the last ten years that I know of. Anyone know if he still has that handlebar and tells the worst jokes known to man!!?!
Float work is only really seasonal in some parts of the tropics (i.e KU, where at least one of the C206's goes back onto wheels for the wet), but does also slow down a bit in the southern winter.
There is a mob that flies an amphib C208 all year round IFR between the Qld coast and a couple of the Reef Islands (Orpheus etc), and various tourism operators in areas such as the Whitsundays that will look for other qualities that you can bring with you such as another language such as Japanese.
The cost of a rating varies from about $3-6K, but I'd be looking for someone who will let you come back from time to time and fly the odd deadleg with them, and put you through the hoops to keep you up to speed on floats. Some of the hardest sequences on floats are conducted without the engine turning.
Regards,
OpsN
