6 weeks On/Off and other random questions from Canada
 

Good day,

I've found myself wondering how things are outside of my little world so was hoping some could share their views. I'm currently a Griffon (Bell 412) Pilot for the Canadian Air Force. I love my job except for the fact that we don't choose when we move and where we live, a big deal in a country the size of ours. My contract is expiring in two years so it's time for me to look at my options.

Personal Info;
30 yrs old
Young Family
Canadian/Irish Citizen
Bilingual English/French
Physics/Math Degree
1000 Hrs total, 400 PIC (We don't fly much unfortunately)
Multi-Engine IFR ticket Held for last 4 years, Advanced NVG qualified, No offshore experience, Minimal longline experience, No hoist experience
Should be a Maintenance Test Pilot and an Instrument Check Pilot within contract expiry, fingers crossed.

So seeing as my priority is to increase my families quality of life by not having to move around all the time, I would hate to make a bad decision and decrease our quality of life for other reasons. Here are my questions;

For touring Pilots, do you find the 6 weeks On/Off is tough on family life? Seems like it would be

What do you think the options are for a guy like me?

I've been thinking CHC touring pilot, CHC SAR out of Ireland, Irish Air Corps and Transport Canada/Canadian Coast Guard (so I could transfer my pension), are any of these even options? I realize I'm low on hours and have lots to learn if/when I switch over but is the switch doable?

Thanks for any comments/opinions,
rnkelly

You need to do a little bit of work :) I looked at the CHC global vacancies, and for a touring pilot they want

Heavy types 3000 hours / 1500 PIC / 1200 multi / 300 offshore
Mediums. 2000 hours / 1000 PIC / 500 multi / 300 offshore

And at least 100 on the types global use i.e. S76, AS365, AS332, AW139, EC225, S92

So on the face of it you are well short here, I know you have 1000 hours, thing is in the civilian world, it's just not that much.

Co Pilot on SAR sounds more do able to me

I have to agree with Camp Freddie on this one. You're 30, my guess just finishing your first tour on 412's. You are better served staying in the military, getting your hours up, getting your time completed towards a pension, then leaving after your 25 years are complete. By then you'll have the requisite time under your belt, maybe a bunch of heavy time as PIC and experience, plus you will be much further ahead in the pocket book!! Look at wages for a commercial FO, not good, and that's where you'll start. Hell, there are plenty of civilian pilots out there with 2-3000 hrs looking for good jobs, mind you the may not have their ATPLs, but it doesn't take much to get it.

The possibilities, well again CF nailed it with CHC, if you are not endorsed on one of their types, you may not hear from them for a long time. Good luck with TC/CCG, they only hire high time and you will compete against a lot of pilots that have huge amounts of time, those are the guys that now want security and a pension! I cannot comment overseas in the UK, I have not been there, but they too will have high time requirements and offshore time that you do not have.

I hope that I am not sounding too negative, but as you say, you are 2 years away from any big decision anyway. You have a golden opportunity with the RCAF, get your time and pension, then move on. Oh, and one other thing, you also get told where to live in the civilian world as well, its just that you have to move on your own to the employment!

Good luck, perhaps a VFR job for CHL might be what you are looking for, the good paying ones are over in the sandbox!!

You may want to consider finding yourself a high flying bush job up North on lights for a year or two. Bit of a hit on lifestyle depending on what you enjoy, but it'll get those crucial PIC hours way up in the shortest possible time. With 1000 hours under your belt, it shouldn't be too difficult, and I know quite a few guys who have taken this step to further their careers.

Thanks for the comments, much appreciated.

You might be a little light on hours right now, but it has happened before where operator,s like ADA and Gulf have hired lower time pilot,s with all the right boxes filled. A company like Gulf would have you doing about 500 hours a year on the offshore 412, touring 6/6 and in time you could transition to married accompanied. The Chief Pilot is ex-Royal Navy, and a great guy, and I am sure a phone call could answer a lot of questions and possibly start the process.

Best of luck!

Old Man's opinion.....get your pension....raise your kids...be home with the Wife....get as much experience/ratings as you can....then....look at the market.

Get your JAA (or whatever it is called when you get it) License....and with your language abilities, a government pension in your wallet, your kids all grown...you wife close to having a pension....then a 6/6 roster would work nicely until she gets her pension...then you two are set to do as you please. (All things being considered).

Great advice
 

You want to listen to SASLESS as like many of us he has been there.

SAS, best advice anyone has given on this whole forum.

Banger

From another old fart who's been there, done that, I'm 100% with SASless.
The only thing I'd add is to go for Sea King/Cyclone job to round out your RCAF resume, get that offshore, ship borne and hoist time.

(I was were you are in CF, flew CH135, CH113A, CH124 and B206, got out, got back in, got out again, trust us, tough it out) Good luck young man.