Alaska - Time for a 'Sea Change'!
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Australia
Age: 56
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Alaska - Time for a 'Sea Change'!
Hey all.
I'm hoping someone can shed some light on arriving in Alaska and finding work. The wife and I are seriously in the throws of packing it up in Australia and setting off.
I have researched the licencing and immigration aspects, and I know a lot of the work is seasonal, but...
...can anyone give me an indication of how much flying work IS available? Any good, bad or indifferent experiences? My wife and I would love hear about it!
I don't care what I fly, just as long as I can put food on the table for the family. I know it's hard to say anything without a few experience numbers floating around, so here goes... though please don't tell me I don't have enough rotary time. Sadly, I am painfully aware of that already
...but the fixed wing 
...
Total Experience: 2800hrs
Rotary Experience: 362.0hrs on AS350BA (Navy), and EC135 P2+
Endorsed on:
Pc9
Caribou DHC-4
Macchi MB-326H
F/A-18
Pc7 (Malaysia)
CT4 (Pacific Aerospace)
AS350BA Squirrel (including International Embarked Ops)
EC135 P2+
Tigermoth
Pitts Special
C150/152
C172
C185 (float endorsed)
C310
C421
Piper Warrior
Duchess
Baron
Bottom line - is it a reckless notion to head to Alaska at the start of the season and 'hope' to find work
. Operators I have spoken with say they don't take an application seriously unless you are standing on the tarmac in front of them, which I can understand. But it is obviously a gamble to head out with paperwork in one hand, and blind faith in the other...
What do you think?
BTW, my wife and I always wanted to live either in Alaska or far north Canada - since we were kids. The whole notion of 'maybe you won't like it up there'?, absolutely NOT an issue.
Cheers
I'm hoping someone can shed some light on arriving in Alaska and finding work. The wife and I are seriously in the throws of packing it up in Australia and setting off.
I have researched the licencing and immigration aspects, and I know a lot of the work is seasonal, but...
...can anyone give me an indication of how much flying work IS available? Any good, bad or indifferent experiences? My wife and I would love hear about it!
I don't care what I fly, just as long as I can put food on the table for the family. I know it's hard to say anything without a few experience numbers floating around, so here goes... though please don't tell me I don't have enough rotary time. Sadly, I am painfully aware of that already
...but the fixed wing ...Total Experience: 2800hrs
Rotary Experience: 362.0hrs on AS350BA (Navy), and EC135 P2+
Endorsed on:
Pc9
Caribou DHC-4
Macchi MB-326H
F/A-18
Pc7 (Malaysia)
CT4 (Pacific Aerospace)
AS350BA Squirrel (including International Embarked Ops)
EC135 P2+
Tigermoth
Pitts Special
C150/152
C172
C185 (float endorsed)
C310
C421
Piper Warrior
Duchess
Baron
Bottom line - is it a reckless notion to head to Alaska at the start of the season and 'hope' to find work
. Operators I have spoken with say they don't take an application seriously unless you are standing on the tarmac in front of them, which I can understand. But it is obviously a gamble to head out with paperwork in one hand, and blind faith in the other...What do you think?
BTW, my wife and I always wanted to live either in Alaska or far north Canada - since we were kids. The whole notion of 'maybe you won't like it up there'?, absolutely NOT an issue.
Cheers
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: UK
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The C-185 with floats is probably the most useful rating in AK. Recommend you solicit Pro Pilot World.com website as it is US-based and similar to PPRUNE. They would probably have someone more in tune with AK ops.
Cheers,
1 Bingo
Cheers,
1 Bingo
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: France
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Alaska
RotorV8D:
Just go and enjoy the flying and the time there.
I have been through Alaska many times but have not flown there on a permanent basis. If you want to see General Aviation at its best go for a days watching at Lake Hood airport (Anchorage).
All the best
Tmb
Just go and enjoy the flying and the time there.
I have been through Alaska many times but have not flown there on a permanent basis. If you want to see General Aviation at its best go for a days watching at Lake Hood airport (Anchorage).
All the best
Tmb
Immigration issues not withstanding, you may find the "Alaska time" prerequisite a hurdle, seems like many operations want 500 hrs Alaska time, even for relatively high time pilots, or, the entry-level spots are likely to be scud-running in a well-used Cessna 206 or Cherokee Six while you get that time logged. May or may not be what you have in mind.
