View Full Version : where to from here?
asking here as it relates to the australasia area more than globally.
i just did my CPL and my goal from day one of flying has been bushpilot style GA flying, i have never had an interest in airlines at all. my ultimate goal for a long way down the line is anchorage alaska in a floatplane or somthing similar.
thats a long way away and i know that so now im focused on between now and then.
do i bother doing a single pilot ME-IFR rating or spend the money on advanced mountain flying, beach landing and tail dragger and 206/7 ratings.
solowflyer
1st Jun 2008, 05:34
An Ag rating may open up a few more options for you.
aileron_69
1st Jun 2008, 13:10
I'd look into floats and skiis if I were you mate. Obviously you'll have to do a bit of tourist stuff in the 'vans and 206s down south to get some hours but if you can get some float and/or ski time up it could open up canada for you
no company in their right mind will have a 250/300 hour piloy flying floats, skis and ag otherwise i would do them.
i dont want to bother spending 20k on IFR to become uncurrent and redo it all, yet it can help me get a job.
argh!
j3pipercub
3rd Jun 2008, 02:12
If your long term goal really is a floatplane then I really wouldn't bother with an instrument rating. I have never flown floats, but mates I know who flew floats for just over a decade didn't get an IR until they startd flying wheels again Have you thought about flying at a skydive dropzone for a bit? They occassionally have tendencies to put guys and girls on aircraft well ahead of when they would normally be on them. Either that or sightseeing mob like air safari?
j3
solowflyer
3rd Jun 2008, 03:55
You would be suprised what doors an ag rating will open up. ie Survey, Mustering, Survallance,any air ops that is done at low level and of course AG and many ag pilots have been put on over the years with bare mins with a bit of time on the ground as well of course.Set a plan of attack out with your ultimate goal at at the top of the list and get out and do it as it won't come to you.
may i inquire what you refer to as low level?
solowflyer
3rd Jun 2008, 05:06
Anything under 500ft agl. ie surveying, survallance, Dog baiting, bird scaring, Ag, mustering, etc. I suggest this to you as an alturnative option from the normal airline route most people take as you don't seem to want to head down the airline route. In my humble opinion its not just the total number of hours you do but the quality that really makes you stand out from the pack.
For example would someone with 500hrs flying out of short bush strips working in an enviroment that requires a very high deree of disipline and accuracy be more experienced than somone with 1000hr of flying circuits in a 152. I will leave that up to you to decide who a float plane opperator would hire.
VH-BCY
3rd Jun 2008, 06:22
There is no such thing as a bush pilot with out a tail wheel endorsement. Don't bother wasting your hard earned cash on an Instrument rating if you want to call yourself a bush pilot one day. Go and get yourself a tail wheel endorsement and go bush! Have some real fun and go and see if you can hire a tail wheel aircraft (once you have your endo) to check out some of the bush strips around.:ok:
done a lot of flying at 500 ft, pretty much the length of the south island over 3 flights all at 500ft, regulary fly at 200 without issue in the local low fly zone.
BCY taidragger is on the books in a supercub from up balclutha way.