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View Full Version : Advice for an aussie coming to canada???


ausgirl
18th Sep 2004, 01:21
Hey,
I'm an Australian who has about 500 hours - yep another one - and I'm about to go travelling and am thinking of coming to Canada for about 6 months during your summer.
My question is if I was willing to go anywhere, is it likely that I would find work. I know on the Australian forums there's a lot of 'there's no work here' kind of attitude when there actually is, you just have to move out of the cities.
I don't have a float endorsement and am not going to have a lot of money left over after conversions etc so I'm hoping to get non-float work if possible - or is that the main type of job for low houred pilots?
OK that's all my questions. Thanks

bound_for_dubai
18th Sep 2004, 13:56
Hey Ausgirl,

The attitude here seems to be the same in most places. For Canadians wanting to fly in the UK they say forget it theres not enough jobs there for everyone, so they will first hire their own people before they hire expats. Its pretty much the same here. Too many pilots with lots of time and not enough jobs for everyone. I would strongly recommend you maybe call a few companies and find out what the situation is there.

With 500 hours, many people either leave Canada to fly in the carribean, instruct, fly skydivers or fly bush (mostly with a float endorsement) up north. It is still possible for a low-time pilot to do some kind of flying that doesn't require them to pay out of their own pocket.

Good Luck & Happy Landings,

BFD

JBI
18th Sep 2004, 20:50
Hi Ausgirl,

Unfortunately you'll find that attitude here as well, the industry just isn't doing so well.

The jobs for 500 hour pilots are either floats (If you've got 100 or 200 on floats), instructing or working the ramp and loading bags etc. before moving on to right seat of a Twin turbine. The wait time for a pilot spot from the ramp is anywhere between 8 months to two years, so if you were planning on just coming for 6 months I think you'd be very hard pressed to get a flying spot.

You may be able to find places to tow gliders or fly skydrivers, but these are generally low (or no) paying jobs and don't give a lot of hours.

Sorry for the bad news,

Good Luck!

zakpeegoodus
19th Sep 2004, 06:19
Hey Ausgirl,

Give it a go but the truth is I doubt you will get work...I went to Canada from Australia two years ago with 1500 total and 250 floats...I was VERY LUCK and was employed by the company where I gained my Canadian CPL because someone walked out the day after I passed the flight test...With less hours I would not have had a chance...
I sent e-mails to over 100 companies before I went over, I got 2 replies to say, 'no thanks'....
Still, go over and have fun! Canada is great! go north - like our outback in that it is remote and aircraft do their fair share of transport. Plus it is more interesting than being in just another city or town...I stayed in the Yukon...
I REALLY want to go back to Canada...
Anyone need a pilot with 2500 total, 1300 floats, 500 turbine amphib, 50 hours twin ? IFR and Ag rating....

ausgirl
19th Sep 2004, 10:40
Thanks so much for the replies - maybe not the best place to head if im looking to mix travel with work. damn, i was really hoping to not have to make the adult decision and stay here and continue working.

geldoff
21st Sep 2004, 22:31
I wouldn't get too discouraged, there are a few out there.

500 hours, I'd try parachuting school (pay sucks as mentioned earlier) and there was one in Hamilton recently (southern Ontario). There is a lot of seasonal work, and a lot of it happens in some pretty remote places, but the flyin is great. It slows in the winter and it's bitter cold in most of these places, not sure you want to do too much traveling in a town of 50, 300 miles by wagon cart from nowhere, when it's -50 out, flyin a clapped out 172 full of dead cariboo, and drunk hunters.

My advice, come over, get a job and save till spring, buy a crappy car and go for a drive. Plan to cover northern BC to Northern Ontario. Start in April. It will take 3 weeks, but everyone that I know that has done it got a job.

And on behalf of the rest of the country, we'd love to have you....

Unless you become a Leaf's fan, then you gotta go.

G

lokione
21st Sep 2004, 23:34
Hey Ausgirl,

If you like Elephants, safaris, beer and the bush have you thought of going to Botswana?? PM me if you are interested in details - lots of Aussies, Nz's over there.

Good luck!!

:ok:

ausgirl
22nd Sep 2004, 02:35
Thanks Geldoff - great advice. I wan't expecting any posts saying that there's is heaps of jobs but surely people with 500 hours must get work somewhere. Ive also got an instructors rating with 200 hours instructing experience so I might have a look at doing that if I can't find anything else. Is instructing work easier to get?
As for being a Leaf's fan - ummmm I promise I won't. (????)
Lokione - love elephants, think beer is pretty average but never say no to vodka but probably not looking at going to Africa this time around. Thanks anyway.

rotornut
23rd Sep 2004, 09:37
ausgirl,

You might want to consider glider towing. Check out this outfit:

http://www.yorksoaring.com/

They are located close to Toronto. Most of their activity is in the summer. I understand they don't pay well, if at all, but they do take on low time pilots.