Floatplane pilots.

[plucka]

Are there many float jobs out there?
What are the pay and conditions like?
Is it a job you could see yourself doing for your entire career?
Anything else you think someone should know who is considerering this for a change?

Thanks in advance,
PM me if you prefer.

[Peter Fanelli]

Out where?

[Lasiorhinus]

plucka,

if you are considering a job driving floats, ask yourself why.

That will answer all your other questions.

[plucka]

'if you are considering a job driving floats, ask yourself why.'

The reason I am thinking of flying floats is that I need a change. I want to continue to fly 'stick & rudder'. I am not interested in airline flying.
Unfortunately with hungry mouths to feed, if floatplane pilots only get 35k a year then it is something I cant afford to do right now, esspecially when I guees you are required to live in a tourist area (higher living expenses).
However if there is potential to make closer to 45-50k this would be a different story.
But I will fly floats one day

None of this answers any of my questions, but thanks for your help.:ugh:

[MCKES]

Contact dash 27 in regards to float operations in the maldives looks very good if you are willing to leave Aus.:)

[beeva]

"The reason I am thinking of flying floats is that I need a change. I want to continue to fly 'stick & rudder'. I am not interested in airline flying."
I think you just answered your own question! Flying floats is a great job that has a lot more going for it too...every time you take off your next landing is usually going to be at an exotic destination, the lifestyle is great and the location(s) where you may live are generally very nice and good for bringing up kids.
Occaisionally float jobs do pop up, usually by word of mouth. If you can get a start flying 185's or 206's take it, build your float experience and then down the track you can look at turbines where you are generally rewarded well above average for your experience. Generally speaking, with 500+hrs float experience you may find yourself sitting in the front of a nice, new airconditioned turboprop seaplane.
Yes you can earn a reasonable living out of it, however you won't be on the aviations richest list, but for me, living the relaxed lifestyle in a location that people save up all year to holiday at makes up for this. I have lost count of how many passengers say "gee, you must have the best job in the world!"
and you know,the more I hear them say this the more I think they are right, I would'nt be as happy doing anything else.
Just do it!

[werbil]

Beeva is spot on. :ok::ok::ok:

After returning from my last (cold) holiday, the first day back at work was magic - and I spend half the day wondering why I'd spent a fortune going away.

On the same token, it's not always brochure conditions. Judging suitable water, directional control limitations on the water in wind, no brakes on the water, handling a "big sail" on the beach by yourself in wind and/or swell, attempting to get onto the step in glass, getting cold and wet in inclement weather are some of the challenges we face on a regular basis.

It is very satisfying flying, and opportunities in overseas locations are appearing for those with open salt water experience (Maldives, Italy).

W

[pithblot]

What do you reckon is the Best Float Job in Australia?

[dash 27]

Hay there.

I completed a float career from start to finish as an Australian with no "right to abodes elsewhere". The 415 or the Mars woulda been nice, but I was born in the wrong country.

There are some really rewarding destinations to aspire to as your float career progresses overseas. Bali, Maldives, Thailand, Greece, Dubai and Scotland to name a few.

But to start out, just like any job, you need to earn your stripes. Things are a little different since I started, post 89. Careers on floats progress at a staggering rate these days. And the pilot shortage has been going a lot longer for floaters than we've seen in recent years with the rest of the industry. To answer the question of exotic destinations, try Tasmania by Caravan, the Gold Coast by Beaver, the Whitsundays in Beavers and Caravans, Cairns in Beavers, Darwin in Mallards, Perth with Caravans and Sydney in Caravans and 206's. That about it. Doesn't sound like much, and compared to Canada is nothin, but its a good place to start. The challenge is gettin the start. Ratings should not cost much more that 5ish grand. Finding a good float school is the challenge these days, but get onto Seaplane Pilots Association website for schools. Be careful for quasi cadet programs. You can progress onto better types by your own ability. Don't get ripped off. The usual float course is 7 hours with ground school. For all you airline wanna bee's out there, its pretty full on. Float theory, taxiing, step taxiing, takeoffs/landings, glassy water, fresh water/salt water, open water / protected water, beaching, docking, sailing, reefs, the art of special VFR seaplane style, serious weather negotiation, sea survival, ditching and general emergencies. So Maules, 185 and 206's are the starting platforms, and generally you need 50 to 100 yours for any insurance company to take you on. You may recall the bad luck stint had in the whitsundays a while back where experience lack wrote off most of the fleet.

Choose a float school that will place you either with them or another, and it is quite right that with 500 hours you will move onto a Beaver and with 1000 you could be on a Caravan. And if you are willing to go overseas, the maldives has never been better for career progression. PM me for some advice on that. The good thing is that you can choose your own destiny. Its a pilots industry here, and the shortage here gives for a good negotiation platform. Floats is financially rewarding, but be aware that companies are aware that pilots will be lured to bigger types and overseas, and initially won't pay much, unless you are willing to stay and be a trainer for em.

Please PM me also for money overseas, but be aware that the rising aussie dollar is making it less appealing than the good old days of $0.50c to the USD, but the opportunies to make money is governed only by you.

I thought that I knew a bit about floats with 4000 hours on them, but heading overseas and flying with Canadians who are by far the Masters of this field, definately outweighs anything. I was shocked at the learning curve especially in the Maldives coming from oz, but when you learn what they know but the rewards still stand alone in my career.

The Maldives is "Extreme Floats", but it has very well structured SOP's and a lot of experience.

I said that all i wanted to do is floats, and floats is all i did, but things change, Marriage's and kids and ties to the homeland, so never count out airline flying, cos some day you might find yourself changing your mind, especially when the jobs for people with experience come as thick and fast as they do these days.

Good luck out there. I have no regrets getting into floats. And once you get the bug, there is no cure.

[pithblot]

Hey Dash 27,

Thank you for that great post :ok:

Cheers - Pithblot

[pakeha-boy]

dash 27...

...enjoyed your post....flew for "Rusts" Lake Hood' (late 70,s early 80,s)for 4 yrs....and share your sentiments...for those that have never been there ,,it is very hard to explain...for me .its something to brag about....I fly the "bigger" stuff these days...but i kid you not......of ever had the chance to go back to Floats...I,m gone...minus the wife,kids,mortage,insuranse,condo,mistress,harley...etc etc......lifes a biiiiiitch!!!!

[bushy]

A few years ago I went for a joyride with a float plane operator in Hawaii. It was most interesting, in a C206. He demonstrated how to lift one float out of the water to reduce water drag on takeoff. He was a very experienced floatplane operator, with 27000 hours on floats, and was trying to get another 2000 to beat another bloke he knew.

[pakeha-boy]

Bushy mate...know a couple of blokes in that hour range on floats....they never leave it...its their forte....and they are bloody good at it as well.....treat blokes like me with a lot of contempt....dont mind it at all...as Selwyn Togood said .."Been their,Done that""..have a lot of respect for them........me.I was always looking for the "next thing" and never really knew what I had(well sorta)....sucks,when you find that out and it,s too late

[pw1340]

DASH 27,

Great post, please check your PMs.

pw

[plucka]

Thanks for all the great replies,
just been to vic roads to get my 'Recreational Boating safety handbook' apparently I need a boat license first, makes sense I guess.