Floatplane Endorsement Question
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Floatplane Endorsement Question
I am considering doing a Floatplane Endorsement through Gold Coast Seaplanes. They offer either the Cessna 180 or the Beaver. Which would be the better plane to choose considering the Beaver cost an extra $2000?
My current situation is that I am nearing the completion of my CPL Licience and will be looking for work next year. Would love to do seaplane work, however as any low time fresh CPL, I would be happy with any work.
Cheers Flick
My current situation is that I am nearing the completion of my CPL Licience and will be looking for work next year. Would love to do seaplane work, however as any low time fresh CPL, I would be happy with any work.
Cheers Flick
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More cessnas on floats than beavers. Are you going to Canada? (beavers) If you have something specific with a beaver than do that, if not go with the cessna, more marketable.
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Know a little about that particular operator and people that used to work there. They used to give icus after the endorsement so that you would be insurable after which most guys would get a start. my suggestion would be to do the cessna initially as you will be able to be insured earlier. then if you get work with them you'll be able to do the beaver later. this will also help you to move onto bigger operators, like air whitsunday and hamilton island, both of which have beavers and caravans. if you'd like any other info pm me.
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From someone who has made the journey to completion on floats. Firstly shop around for the rating and weigh up a company that will put you on after the endorsement, or at least give you the 20 ICUS that you need to get a break. Type??? Well, it would depend on where you are living and what equipment you get on. To be honest, for a company with smaller machines, you won't touch a beaver till you get time on the others. My time started on 185's then with time I got 206's, then with over 2000 hours and 4000 water landings I got onto the Caravan, and then I went overseas with the experience. Remember with all this who ha of paying for endorsements, it rarely occurs after the initial float rating if the operation you are in has the different types. People leave, and necessity gets you the larger type. Oz floats still pays better than general aviation. Not a lot of drivers stay in the industry though. Many get the command time, have fun with the no shoes ops, and get into airlines. Regarding the Whitsundays, if you went there, you would do a rating on the Beaver, and the same in Sydney. But the future of floats in Australia appears to be the Caravan mainly because of the seat cost potential. Its turbine, and will help more with your total time getting into the airlines. Marrying the multi flying, with the turbine time is the next challenge, but if you decide to enter the world of floats then that challenge will come later. To my disgust there are no multi float jobs here other than Paspaley.
Rating wise, Airwaves, which has become GC Seaplanes was in the top 2, but old Nick has moved on. His business and endorsement know how were passed on by Seair. And now that Nick has gone and Seair are no longer involved, Bill Lane of Port Macquarry is the far most leader and the best value in the country, with Bill with many decades in the industry.
Career wise, expect to get a cockswain ticket as well, because although you don't need a licence for the floaty, you will for the boat you dump the folks in on reef tours if you are driving that. There are plenty of extra jobs outside the flying of the airplane, like tour guiding, plane and boat washing, swimming/snorkel coach. So be prepared that it is an industry on its own, and at times thankfully away from the poletics of the rest of the competitive aviation industry.
Most importantly, the industry in oz is small and everyone knows every one, so act appropriately, and you might find yourself flying some great types in some world wide exotic destinations, treated and paid much better than life in Australia.
Best of luck and feel free to PM me for any other info.
Cheers,
No Shoes, No smell, Nosar No details
Rating wise, Airwaves, which has become GC Seaplanes was in the top 2, but old Nick has moved on. His business and endorsement know how were passed on by Seair. And now that Nick has gone and Seair are no longer involved, Bill Lane of Port Macquarry is the far most leader and the best value in the country, with Bill with many decades in the industry.
Career wise, expect to get a cockswain ticket as well, because although you don't need a licence for the floaty, you will for the boat you dump the folks in on reef tours if you are driving that. There are plenty of extra jobs outside the flying of the airplane, like tour guiding, plane and boat washing, swimming/snorkel coach. So be prepared that it is an industry on its own, and at times thankfully away from the poletics of the rest of the competitive aviation industry.
Most importantly, the industry in oz is small and everyone knows every one, so act appropriately, and you might find yourself flying some great types in some world wide exotic destinations, treated and paid much better than life in Australia.
Best of luck and feel free to PM me for any other info.
Cheers,
No Shoes, No smell, Nosar No details
What luck! ..stumbling across a floatplane topic.
Anyhow, I have a yearning for a career sea-change so to speak, and hence a few questions:
1.. How much will a C-185 rating on floats cost?
2..I have about 600 hours of DHC-2 land plane time, do the operators consider that?
3..I plan on retiring to the Whitsundays region.Do the Whitsunday operators employ older dudes (51 yrs)?
Thanks in advance.
ps...been flying for 29 yrs now - so lots of hours but obviously none relevant to water ops - but I'm a keen yachtie.
Anyhow, I have a yearning for a career sea-change so to speak, and hence a few questions:
1.. How much will a C-185 rating on floats cost?
2..I have about 600 hours of DHC-2 land plane time, do the operators consider that?
3..I plan on retiring to the Whitsundays region.Do the Whitsunday operators employ older dudes (51 yrs)?
Thanks in advance.
ps...been flying for 29 yrs now - so lots of hours but obviously none relevant to water ops - but I'm a keen yachtie.
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I am to interested in getting a floatplane endorsement, working towards a CPL currently. Just wondering where the floatplane operators are in Australia/NZ and whether they employ new CPL's. Thanks.
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`Float endorsment
G C seaplanes may do endorsments but dont get your hopes up about icus time.
The company has recenetly had some new partners come into the buisness who are pilots themselves, and are trying to build their own float time and because of this, they have no time to do icus for other pilots, even though they may tell you otherwise to get your money.
without icus time time the endorsment is pretty much useless, so choose very carefully when choosing where to train, and whatever arangment you make, GET IT IN WRITTING, there are some sharks out there.
The company has recenetly had some new partners come into the buisness who are pilots themselves, and are trying to build their own float time and because of this, they have no time to do icus for other pilots, even though they may tell you otherwise to get your money.
without icus time time the endorsment is pretty much useless, so choose very carefully when choosing where to train, and whatever arangment you make, GET IT IN WRITTING, there are some sharks out there.
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Hi Flick,
I wondered the same when I did my floatplane rating, Cessna or Beaver…
I paid the extra and went for the Beaver, thinking that it would increase my chances of employment. In reality you won’t get a job in a beaver until you spent some time in a 180/185 on floats anyhow, so it is not worth spending the extra money.
You would be better off doing your rating in the 180 and using the $2000 that you save on ICUS, if you can find anyone offering that.
- Also the Cessna will be more like the aircraft you have flow before, so you can concentrate on water handling rather than learning a new type.
With low time and a fresh CPL you will really be struggling to get a seaplane job.
In Australia it is a very limited market and less than a handful of company’s will put on a new pilot with no seaplane time – the ones that do so are generally the companies that struggle to keep pilots because the are pricks to work for.
As No Shoes says, the industry in oz is small and everyone knows every one,
It is a difficult to break into that circle. If you do so, the good news is that you will quickly be in demand; the bad news is that your salary will not reflect that…Oz floats does pay better than general aviation, but still not enought to prevent most people from moving on.
If you want a career in floats, you really have to look to overseas in the longer term, where there are more opportunities in terms of money, fun and aircraft.
If in the end you want a career in the airlines, pursue that and forget about floats. I think you need to be dedicated to one or the other, otherwise it is near impossible to get anywhere with either...
- Before doing your rating be clear on what you hope it is a stepping stone to, other wise it may just be too big a side step…
Hey No Shoes,
...any jobs going in the Maldives?
Hey No Shoes,
...any jobs going in the Maldives?
I wondered the same when I did my floatplane rating, Cessna or Beaver…
I paid the extra and went for the Beaver, thinking that it would increase my chances of employment. In reality you won’t get a job in a beaver until you spent some time in a 180/185 on floats anyhow, so it is not worth spending the extra money.
You would be better off doing your rating in the 180 and using the $2000 that you save on ICUS, if you can find anyone offering that.
- Also the Cessna will be more like the aircraft you have flow before, so you can concentrate on water handling rather than learning a new type.
With low time and a fresh CPL you will really be struggling to get a seaplane job.
In Australia it is a very limited market and less than a handful of company’s will put on a new pilot with no seaplane time – the ones that do so are generally the companies that struggle to keep pilots because the are pricks to work for.
As No Shoes says, the industry in oz is small and everyone knows every one,
It is a difficult to break into that circle. If you do so, the good news is that you will quickly be in demand; the bad news is that your salary will not reflect that…Oz floats does pay better than general aviation, but still not enought to prevent most people from moving on.
If you want a career in floats, you really have to look to overseas in the longer term, where there are more opportunities in terms of money, fun and aircraft.
If in the end you want a career in the airlines, pursue that and forget about floats. I think you need to be dedicated to one or the other, otherwise it is near impossible to get anywhere with either...
- Before doing your rating be clear on what you hope it is a stepping stone to, other wise it may just be too big a side step…
Hey No Shoes,
...any jobs going in the Maldives?
Hey No Shoes,
...any jobs going in the Maldives?
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AeroLane
Bill Lane has sold his Pt. Stephens business as well. However he still remains C.P for a little while....
Bill Lane - 0412 961 947
You'll most likely be using the C206 floatplane.
Also try Seawing Airways
...Disco
Bill Lane - 0412 961 947
You'll most likely be using the C206 floatplane.
Also try Seawing Airways
...Disco
