twin otter on float training

[Clintonb]

Does anyone know where one can do timebuilding on a twin otter on floats? preferable in florida i haven't found anything but hopefully one of you guys or gals might know... thanks

[zondaracer]

For insurance reasons (and cost reasons), you probably won't find a twin otter available for time building. Twin engine turboprop... goodluck. Maybe someone can prove me wrong.

Calculations for a twin otter operating costs run over $1000 per flight hour, and that is for a land twotter. Seaplanes cost even more to maintain and operate.

I know a place where you can get training on a Grumman Widgeon for $500 an hour.

[MartinCh]

Clintonb,
your training ideas and career plans seem to change more than your 'keep changing' location.
How much of training have you done since about year, year and half ago? Just curious.

EDIT: You may want to do some 'line training' instead. Why bother with trying to fly small twin turboprops (and not being paid for it) when you can pay your way to FO's seat of passenger jet like 737/320

[zondaracer]

I'm sure he saw that MAT is hiring, and decided he needs some Twin Otter float time to give him an edge. If it was only that easy...

[Clintonb]

ok got ya..

i finished my training december last year got my Commercial ME/SE/IR...
looked into that line training on 737 with eagle jet international but thing is you need to be type rated already so debated whether it be worth getting the type rating and then paying more to do the line training, or pay for line training in a twin otter land/sea (or even time build) or even on the B1900 and fly the smaller aircraft for few years and then head up to the 737 etc.. be nice to jump into the big boys straight away but im in no rush, be great experience flying the turboprops and preparing you more for later on when stepping up to the bigger aircraft. i could be wrong...

Anyone gone through eagle international?

[MartinCh]

OK. So now at least you finished your training.
Considering you did enough research, it's no surprise one may not get job straight away.

AFAIK, MAT and TMA are hiring 'FO's' for Twin Otter, but they ask for about 2k TT, probably partially to reduce the insurance, turnover and also likely to salvage situation MAT and TMA were in when the Maldivian CAA decided they want to support local pilots (very few and preferring big stuff to twin otters) but it obviously wasn't sustainable.

There's plenty stuff on Eagle jet etc in here, including other airlines that sell the front right seat as well. All I can say is that they're abusing low time pilots and those who go for it, dig their own and their colleagues' future grave in terms of T&C's.

Gotta love that 'even B1900'. :ugh:

[redsnail]

Float ops in a Twin Otter is not for newbies. Sorry folks.
Actually, commercial float ops is not for newbies.
The company I used to work for required several hundred hours on a C206 before they'd let you have a go at the float C206. You'd only get a look at the float Beaver after a 100 or so hours on the float C206.

[Clintonb]

Thanks guys for getting back to me. yea i know TMA require a lot of hours but not looking into them.
i met a guy 2 days ago here in cook islands that has a twin otter that he uses for private charters for the resorts in the cook islands.. i looked into the posts about eagle international nothing useful that i could find :( but will post there and see if anything comes up.
Thanks again for the replies got to get back to work the surf is firing.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone from a beautiful saturday morning here in the cook islands.
Safe flying