Wannabe Floatie Driver/Bush Pilot

[Flying is the Pitts]

Hi There,

I'm an Irish Lad with a JAA PPL with 140 hours TT, with Taildragger/Piper Cub Float plane rating. I'm going travelling around Aus next year and I'd like to pursue a CPL with a floatplane rating. I'd expect some of the floatplane operators will require a lot more hours in order for me to obtain employment.
So my qestions are:
Where should I go to study the Aussie CPL exams.
Where should I go for the CPL and Floatplane training.
What kind of hours do the operators require and how tough is it for a foreign quy to get that first job??
Do you need the IREX and ATPL exams for this kind of work?

Thanks in advance!

[scrambler]

The best person for you would be Bill Lane, I think he is at Port Maquarie NSW? Great Instructor, lots of float time. Would be worth talking to him.
ATPL and CIR would not be needed.
You will need 200 hrs before doing the CPL. 150hrs is possible but only having done an integrated course from the start. Not many people would consider a 150hr CPL anyhow.

[Flying is the Pitts]

Thanks for your advice Scrambler, Can you tell me who Bill Lane is connected with?
I'm also considering doing the Float rating with Airwaves, they have a brilliant and very informative website or Sydney harbour seaplanes.

Also anyone have any info. on flight time required to fly with these operators?

Cheers

[scrambler]

From Casa AOC Search

W N LANE PTY. LTD.
trading as W N LANE PTY. LTD.

PO BOX 2224
PORT MACQUARIE NSW 2444

Sorry not sure beyond that