Cessna Caravan time-building
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 841
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From: Perth
Last time i looked at Sky Dive Cairns's aeroplanes, one was green and the other was white, they looked suspiciously like Cresco's though ?.
http://www.aerospace.co.nz/ouraircra.../multirole.htm
http://www.aerospace.co.nz/ouraircra.../multirole.htm
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,382
Likes: 532
From: Somewhere
If you don't have 500 ME command don't even consider flying a C208 for hour building it is a waste of time. The C208 is an awesome aeroplane for the owner with airliner like comfort (but not the speed!!) , rarely breaking down and they are great to fly in IMC as they are stable and they all have good avionics. However IT WILL NEVER GET YOU A JOB ANYWHERE INCLUDING the RFDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Operators want to tick the boxes and the van will never do that no matter where or how you fly it. I have unfortunately learnt that the very hard way and have had many arguments with operators whose standard repsonse is "yet that's great but it's not twin" So if you want to fly something that cruises above 10 000 feet for a career then go find yourself a twin job, don't even bother with a Caravan. It is an absolutley ridiculous situation however it is reality in Australia!!
Operators want to tick the boxes and the van will never do that no matter where or how you fly it. I have unfortunately learnt that the very hard way and have had many arguments with operators whose standard repsonse is "yet that's great but it's not twin" So if you want to fly something that cruises above 10 000 feet for a career then go find yourself a twin job, don't even bother with a Caravan. It is an absolutley ridiculous situation however it is reality in Australia!!
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 294
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From: planet igloo
I have unfortunately learnt that the very hard way and have had many arguments with operators whose standard repsonse is "yet that's great but it's not twin" So if you want to fly something that cruises above 10 000 feet for a career then go find yourself a twin job, don't even bother with a Caravan. It is an absolutley ridiculous situation however it is reality in Australia!!
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 392
Likes: 7
From: Aus
aussie GA still stuck in the early 20th century
It's a sad situation for people like neville as, in the case of people I know, there are guys/gals that have done exactly the same job as me but on the van and will never get a look in so far as regional etc gigs go until they get some twin time up. It's only then that the turbine time will be seen as advantegous.
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 294
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From: planet igloo
Well in times gone by I flew the Caravan on 3 different continents, Aus, Africa, and Europe, in only one of those places would this experience be considered "inferior"...(Aus)
I even saw a laughable requirement by the RFDS not so long ago for Min 500hrs twin time for PC-12 pilots! so its not just regionals who are stuck in a time warp.
Oddly enough (but not odd really) for those considering flying the Caravan to build some hours, you will have no trouble what so ever converting onto a turbine twin, sure there are a couple of considerations to think about regading single engine handling...but other than using a rudder pedal (which you need plenty of when flying the Van) its really no big deal at all.
Finally..just for all your die-hard 500hrs minimum twin time knuckle heads...I transitioned from the Van to an A320 in 3 weeks, it was easier than letting the chief pilots tyres down
I even saw a laughable requirement by the RFDS not so long ago for Min 500hrs twin time for PC-12 pilots! so its not just regionals who are stuck in a time warp.
Oddly enough (but not odd really) for those considering flying the Caravan to build some hours, you will have no trouble what so ever converting onto a turbine twin, sure there are a couple of considerations to think about regading single engine handling...but other than using a rudder pedal (which you need plenty of when flying the Van) its really no big deal at all.
Finally..just for all your die-hard 500hrs minimum twin time knuckle heads...I transitioned from the Van to an A320 in 3 weeks, it was easier than letting the chief pilots tyres down
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 335
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From: The Zoo
Only two caravan skydive operators in Australia (although one looks after multiple drop zones).
The one on the west coast is currently using an ex-Airline pilot with a few thousand hours and looks to be set for the next few years.
You don't want anything to do with the one on the east coast if you want to be a professional pilot.
The one on the west coast is currently using an ex-Airline pilot with a few thousand hours and looks to be set for the next few years.
You don't want anything to do with the one on the east coast if you want to be a professional pilot.
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 36
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From: Directly under the sun....... now.
Fancy saying stay away from the east coast caravan operator, shame on you, a lovlier man you wont find.
hahahahahahaha
Did give a few blokes a start though, even if he is a miserable ba**ard.
hahahahahahaha
Did give a few blokes a start though, even if he is a miserable ba**ard.
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Secret base in Hoth...
Only two caravan skydive operators in Australia (although one looks after multiple drop zones).
The one on the west coast is currently using an ex-Airline pilot with a few thousand hours and looks to be set for the next few years.
You don't want anything to do with the one on the east coast if you want to be a professional pilot.
The one on the west coast is currently using an ex-Airline pilot with a few thousand hours and looks to be set for the next few years.
You don't want anything to do with the one on the east coast if you want to be a professional pilot.
- Nagambie
- Byron Bay
- Ramblers
- Skydive Cairns
- Caloundra
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: .
Gday,
The C208 is a beautiful aeroplane. I only wish I flew as many hours in it as I did in 20-30 year old piston twins
As for the "east coast operator", I know several professional pilots that started out there, myself included. All now flying heavy or medium jets with various operators in AUS and O/S.
Remember, aviation careers are what you make of them
Cheers,
Con
The C208 is a beautiful aeroplane. I only wish I flew as many hours in it as I did in 20-30 year old piston twins
As for the "east coast operator", I know several professional pilots that started out there, myself included. All now flying heavy or medium jets with various operators in AUS and O/S.
Remember, aviation careers are what you make of them
Cheers,
Con
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Indonesia
Originally Posted by maudlin
If for some strange reason, you specifically wanted to build time on the 'van, which company would you fly for? Slingair? Hinterland? Anyone else?
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,382
Likes: 532
From: Somewhere
If you really want to fly a van try and get into Aboriginal Air, Hinterland, Aero Tropics or JetCrft as they will be operating them as RPT/ Regular Charter. This type on flying will be alot better for your skill base than VFR dodgey bros parachute operations. Great fun flying a van in bad IFR too as you have good instruments plus radar and everything is duplicated or triplicated except for the engine!! 
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Australia
Flz, Belize is the big parachute centre of the world isn't it? Sounds great except...CO-pilot van time?? 
Neville, the CNS operators would be ideal, but I might need some actual F/W command time before I try the RPT operators! Right now, I've only got R/W command. My thought was to do the 40 odd hours it takes to convert to CPL(A), sit the exam then find the fastest route to flying vans.
It's not the turbine time I'm after (I've already got twin turbine time on R/W) and I'm not shooting for airlines per se, just wanted some van time for another very interesting job that I'd heard about...overseas...although now that you mention airlines it might be quite conducive to my dreams of retiring to the Whitsundays, sitting under a palm tree and drinking Pina Coladas...
Contract Con, do you really believe that aviation careers are what you make of them? Some of the best and most ambitious pilots I know who have ticked all the prerequisite boxes have been applying to Qantas and Virgin for years without so much as a sniff from Human Resources. I tend to think their failure to make good is not for lack of iniative but lack of opportunity. What would you make of that?
Neville, the CNS operators would be ideal, but I might need some actual F/W command time before I try the RPT operators! Right now, I've only got R/W command. My thought was to do the 40 odd hours it takes to convert to CPL(A), sit the exam then find the fastest route to flying vans.
It's not the turbine time I'm after (I've already got twin turbine time on R/W) and I'm not shooting for airlines per se, just wanted some van time for another very interesting job that I'd heard about...overseas...although now that you mention airlines it might be quite conducive to my dreams of retiring to the Whitsundays, sitting under a palm tree and drinking Pina Coladas...
Contract Con, do you really believe that aviation careers are what you make of them? Some of the best and most ambitious pilots I know who have ticked all the prerequisite boxes have been applying to Qantas and Virgin for years without so much as a sniff from Human Resources. I tend to think their failure to make good is not for lack of iniative but lack of opportunity. What would you make of that?
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 117
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From: .
Gday Maudlin,
Yes I agree that opportunity or lack there of certainly makes a difference.
My comment was in regard to another poster remarking that if one wanted to be a professional pilot then to stay away from "the east coast operator".
I too have mates in the situation you speak of, and have felt a similar fate myself at times. However, you yourself as an experienced R/W pilot would know that sometimes you must create the opportunities. R/W is an even harder field of play than F/W.
Too many guys sit around waiting for it all to be handed to them. This business is too hard and too competitive to WAIT for it all to happen. You have to be in COMMAND of your career and the choices you make. It wont just happen for you.
Maudlin, you are making it happen, changing paths etc. Good luck to you with the fixed wing endeavors. You will love the C208
Cheers,
Con
Yes I agree that opportunity or lack there of certainly makes a difference.
My comment was in regard to another poster remarking that if one wanted to be a professional pilot then to stay away from "the east coast operator".
I too have mates in the situation you speak of, and have felt a similar fate myself at times. However, you yourself as an experienced R/W pilot would know that sometimes you must create the opportunities. R/W is an even harder field of play than F/W.
Too many guys sit around waiting for it all to be handed to them. This business is too hard and too competitive to WAIT for it all to happen. You have to be in COMMAND of your career and the choices you make. It wont just happen for you.
Maudlin, you are making it happen, changing paths etc. Good luck to you with the fixed wing endeavors. You will love the C208
Cheers,
Con
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Australia
The Cairns operators are definitely the way to go for the real thing and value for money in training.
One operator provides a real life ditching and swim to a real tropical island for you and the other provides a real life overshoot and arrestor cable experience. No expense spared.
One operator provides a real life ditching and swim to a real tropical island for you and the other provides a real life overshoot and arrestor cable experience. No expense spared.