Chasing seasons (NZ/Can) - training/working Qs
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Chasing seasons (NZ/Can) - training/working Qs
Hello fellow rotorheads!
I tried to find up to date information about things that are related to my current situation. Found a few threads (Canada: Training & Employment http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=116507 and New Zealand Training and Job prospects http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=72154). Unfortunately the canadian thread was locked so wasn't able to post there. Kiwi thread didn't help me about questions about canada and I already know a fair bit about things in NZ.
Okay, now to the point. I'm a 26 yr old finnish guy and almost finished my PPL(H) flight training in wanaka, NZ. I have completed PPL and CPL (+IR) theory. Before I came here my plan was to do the whole CPL stuff in NZ. However, I started to think more about what happens after getting the CPL licence. Most likely I end up chasing summer seasons which I don't mind. Winter in NZ can be friggin cold... Yea, I'm from finland... but I'm not used to that it's cold inside the house.
Anyway, when it's summer in NZ it's winter in Canada and other way around. Both countries have big mountains which is one of the top requirements from my flight training surroundings. There is nothing wrong with the training I'm getting now, but if I'm going to go to canada for their summer and hopefully get a flying job after a (few) season(s) ground work. Would it be good to have flight experience from both countries? In Canada I'm mostly referring to BC area. So completing the PPL in NZ and completing CPL in Canada (+ converting NZ PPL to canadian). Both have similar kind of mountaineous terrain which is good. Not sure about the weather though.. This spring has been really windy here in NZ which made me to do some extra work with the controls, but it hasn't made me to do any extra hours. And it gives a first hand feel how the wind flows around mountains.
If I continue to do my CPL here in NZ I'll miss the summer season, but then I would be ready to go to Canada before their season starts. Without any flying xp in there though... If I decide to go to canada to finish my cpl, then I should end up having the licence before summer season starts in NZ.
The pros of splitting the flight training in both countries:
- I get contacts from both countries (and they know my flying skills)
- I learn to fly in both countries
- I can chase the summer season (summer = MTBing and hiking etc, more work)
The cons of splitting...
- have to have canadian and kiwi licence + medical (although at first when doing the ground work I won't need either)
- travelling expenses between the countries
- does it really help or does it make things worse
- NHL season is not on while in Canada
(except playoffs) 
There is a lot of kiwi pilots around in canada and probably canadians in here with the baa-baas. So if some of these guys reads finds their way here, please comment. And of course all the helpful souls share you knowledge and thoughts!
Cheers,
Antti
I tried to find up to date information about things that are related to my current situation. Found a few threads (Canada: Training & Employment http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=116507 and New Zealand Training and Job prospects http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=72154). Unfortunately the canadian thread was locked so wasn't able to post there. Kiwi thread didn't help me about questions about canada and I already know a fair bit about things in NZ.
Okay, now to the point. I'm a 26 yr old finnish guy and almost finished my PPL(H) flight training in wanaka, NZ. I have completed PPL and CPL (+IR) theory. Before I came here my plan was to do the whole CPL stuff in NZ. However, I started to think more about what happens after getting the CPL licence. Most likely I end up chasing summer seasons which I don't mind. Winter in NZ can be friggin cold... Yea, I'm from finland... but I'm not used to that it's cold inside the house.
Anyway, when it's summer in NZ it's winter in Canada and other way around. Both countries have big mountains which is one of the top requirements from my flight training surroundings. There is nothing wrong with the training I'm getting now, but if I'm going to go to canada for their summer and hopefully get a flying job after a (few) season(s) ground work. Would it be good to have flight experience from both countries? In Canada I'm mostly referring to BC area. So completing the PPL in NZ and completing CPL in Canada (+ converting NZ PPL to canadian). Both have similar kind of mountaineous terrain which is good. Not sure about the weather though.. This spring has been really windy here in NZ which made me to do some extra work with the controls, but it hasn't made me to do any extra hours.
And it gives a first hand feel how the wind flows around mountains.If I continue to do my CPL here in NZ I'll miss the summer season, but then I would be ready to go to Canada before their season starts. Without any flying xp in there though... If I decide to go to canada to finish my cpl, then I should end up having the licence before summer season starts in NZ.
The pros of splitting the flight training in both countries:
- I get contacts from both countries (and they know my flying skills)
- I learn to fly in both countries
- I can chase the summer season (summer = MTBing and hiking etc, more work)
The cons of splitting...
- have to have canadian and kiwi licence + medical (although at first when doing the ground work I won't need either)
- travelling expenses between the countries
- does it really help or does it make things worse
- NHL season is not on while in Canada
(except playoffs) There is a lot of kiwi pilots around in canada and probably canadians in here with the baa-baas.
So if some of these guys reads finds their way here, please comment. And of course all the helpful souls share you knowledge and thoughts!Cheers,
Antti
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Alright, I guess everyone is flying... or my story to long to read.
I got a few answers from elsewhere so I got things pretty much sorted. Just need to find out a complete breakdown of the flight training in canadian licence. Canadian CPL(H) is only 105hrs where NZ one is 150hrs... what kind of stuff we do here in NZ that Canooks don't is a big question now. The price is about the same on both licences... That 45hrs is a lot for a newbie pilot.
However, I would like to get a few comments anyway.
Cheers!
I got a few answers from elsewhere so I got things pretty much sorted. Just need to find out a complete breakdown of the flight training in canadian licence. Canadian CPL(H) is only 105hrs where NZ one is 150hrs... what kind of stuff we do here in NZ that Canooks don't is a big question now. The price is about the same on both licences... That 45hrs is a lot for a newbie pilot.
However, I would like to get a few comments anyway.
Cheers!
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Not particularly familiar with either the NZ or Canadian system, but mixing and matching between the 2 aviation regulations could be a problem. It certainly would be if you were trying to do the same thing involving the UK. The CAA would make you jump through all the UK/JAR hoops almost as though you had no previous flying experience or licences from elsewhere.
However, there are cases where training in one location is specifically set up form the start to conform to the requirements of two national requirements. I believe that there may be some places in the USA where you can do both a FAA and UK/JAR licence, for example.
The idea about working both summers seems to be sensible, in princple, but wherever you work you will certainly need to have the national licence (obviously). The final answer will presumably lie with the national aviation authorities concerned. I would suggest that whatever you plan to do, you get a clear statement (preferanbly in writing) from them about how you might go about satisfying both sets of regulations.
However, there are cases where training in one location is specifically set up form the start to conform to the requirements of two national requirements. I believe that there may be some places in the USA where you can do both a FAA and UK/JAR licence, for example.
The idea about working both summers seems to be sensible, in princple, but wherever you work you will certainly need to have the national licence (obviously). The final answer will presumably lie with the national aviation authorities concerned. I would suggest that whatever you plan to do, you get a clear statement (preferanbly in writing) from them about how you might go about satisfying both sets of regulations.
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First concentrate on getting the license where you are now. You chose a track stick to that. In Canada you will be the 10.000th 100 hour wonder looking for a job. That might be the same in NZ but at least that's your country and your not a foreigner as opposed to Canada.
Operators don't really care how you fly with a 100 hours, you won't impress anybody.
Stick to the original plan.
Operators don't really care how you fly with a 100 hours, you won't impress anybody.
Stick to the original plan.
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Antti,
I gotta ask - you're Finnish, right? Are you in NZ just to train? Or are you living there for other reasons?
If there just to train, why are you not planning to get a JAR CPL(H)??!
Okay, I know they are not necessarily the mutts-nuts, but if you're planning to come back to Europe at some point, as Helinut pointed out, the CAA will make you jump through hoops - and this much I know! I'm British, but currently living in Helsinki - seen the rough-end of both the UK and Finnish CAAs I'm sorry to say..!
I'm not here training, I came here to work (different industry!), although I am doing some hours building here (ironically it's cheaper than the UK). I'm actually planning to get my JAR CPL(H) at HAI in Florida next Feb/Mar. Also going to finish my hours building there too. You'll find it a lot easier to convert your NZ PPL(H) to a US or JAR equivilent, rather than the CPL and all flying logged under NZ licence can count towards your JAR CPL(H).
If you're thinking of working in Europe at some point in the future, it might be wise to consider getting the JAR CPL(H) now. The CAA's hoops only seem to fade when you have 1000s of hours, plus 500-odd hours multi-crew, turbine, IR.. etc etc ..
Food for thought..
I gotta ask - you're Finnish, right? Are you in NZ just to train? Or are you living there for other reasons?
If there just to train, why are you not planning to get a JAR CPL(H)??!
Okay, I know they are not necessarily the mutts-nuts, but if you're planning to come back to Europe at some point, as Helinut pointed out, the CAA will make you jump through hoops - and this much I know! I'm British, but currently living in Helsinki - seen the rough-end of both the UK and Finnish CAAs I'm sorry to say..!
I'm not here training, I came here to work (different industry!), although I am doing some hours building here (ironically it's cheaper than the UK). I'm actually planning to get my JAR CPL(H) at HAI in Florida next Feb/Mar. Also going to finish my hours building there too. You'll find it a lot easier to convert your NZ PPL(H) to a US or JAR equivilent, rather than the CPL and all flying logged under NZ licence can count towards your JAR CPL(H).
If you're thinking of working in Europe at some point in the future, it might be wise to consider getting the JAR CPL(H) now. The CAA's hoops only seem to fade when you have 1000s of hours, plus 500-odd hours multi-crew, turbine, IR.. etc etc ..
Food for thought..
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Thanks for the comments guys! 
Helinut - Yea, mixing isn't a good idea because there is some things that i have to do again... So I have to ditch that idea. What comes to CAA licence conversions... they like to make it comlicated and hard. Well, there is one place in Oz where you can do JAR licence, but what you know about flying in europe when you have done all your flying in Oz? It's just cheaper... But might work anyhow.
Hillerbee - I'll be the xth 150hr wonder here in NZ. However, it's not my home country so I'll be foreigner here too. But I'll do my best to get something from here first as I planned in the first place.
SmokinHole - I'm finnish yes and came here to do the training. Mostly because the mountain flying experience which is (hopefully) going to be a big plus some day. As far as my research showed about training in europe it's about half the price on here (also thanks to € -> NZD exchange rate). I'm going to pay around 75k-85k NZD (~39k-44k €) for 150hrs and theory. R22 is 420-450NZD/hr. So money or limited amount of it had a big effect too. But not really looking towards europe to find any flying jobs at the moment. Might end up in being a contract pilot in somewhere in the world for half a year and then going to Finland for the other half to do some other stuff or flying other half the year somewhere else in the world. Only time will tell..
But yeah, I keep checking my options all the time. Now that I have been doing research about Canadian helicopter industry I can help others who are thinking about similar things as I. And doing the research has been fun and interesting thing to do.
Antti
Helinut - Yea, mixing isn't a good idea because there is some things that i have to do again... So I have to ditch that idea. What comes to CAA licence conversions... they like to make it comlicated and hard. Well, there is one place in Oz where you can do JAR licence, but what you know about flying in europe when you have done all your flying in Oz? It's just cheaper... But might work anyhow.
Hillerbee - I'll be the xth 150hr wonder here in NZ. However, it's not my home country so I'll be foreigner here too. But I'll do my best to get something from here first as I planned in the first place.
SmokinHole - I'm finnish yes and came here to do the training. Mostly because the mountain flying experience which is (hopefully) going to be a big plus some day. As far as my research showed about training in europe it's about half the price on here (also thanks to € -> NZD exchange rate). I'm going to pay around 75k-85k NZD (~39k-44k €) for 150hrs and theory. R22 is 420-450NZD/hr. So money or limited amount of it had a big effect too. But not really looking towards europe to find any flying jobs at the moment. Might end up in being a contract pilot in somewhere in the world for half a year and then going to Finland for the other half to do some other stuff or flying other half the year somewhere else in the world. Only time will tell..
But yeah, I keep checking my options all the time. Now that I have been doing research about Canadian helicopter industry I can help others who are thinking about similar things as I. And doing the research has been fun and interesting thing to do.
Antti
