Low time jobs Canada
Posted by No-Specific-3316@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 13 comments
Hi I am a Group 1 MIFR pilot with Frozen ATPL. I have 268 Hours, plan on doing my CFI program however I would like to get my resume (CV) out there if possible.
I currently have a one page resume, are there specifics I should include. I have my total hours, Pic hours, XC hours, and the actual instrument time. Then all the other normal resume information? Please let me know what you would like to see on a low time resume!
My other question is where do I look for Low time jobs? Is there a website or would it be purely connection based. Yes I'm aware it is UNLIKELY however I would like to try. Any advice is welcome!
WhenInDoubtGoAround@reddit
It’s my understanding that Canada doesn’t have a “frozen ATPL”, that’s an EASA term, and you must have at least 750 hours, plus other requirements, to write for SARON & SAMRA. Have you written those exams? If so, how did you do them?
BTW, I think you meant doing a Class 4 Flight Instructor program instead of CFI because CFI in Canada stands for Chief Flight Instructor, not Certified Flight Instructor, which is an American term.
No-Specific-3316@reddit (OP)
At Moncton Flight College ICPC ( Integrated commercial pilot course), I'm in a program that allows it I don't know the fine details apologies.
However yes I have written both SAMRA and SARON and it's frozen for 5 years until I reach 750 hours or I rewrote both exams.
Also that is my mistake haha yes would be my class 4.
WhenInDoubtGoAround@reddit
Unless you have deep connections in the industry, there’s almost zero chance you will land a job with those hours, not even up north. Your best bet is the instructor rating route and better hurry because airlines aren’t hiring as they did a few years ago and it’s creating a backlog of instructors. If not, then get a useful rating such as seaplane rating and then get fifty hours in floats.
Trust me when I tell you that you need to stand out. Every day at my flight school my CFI receives résumés from instructors from all over Canada and most of them are the same: 250-ish hours, G1 ME/IFR and a class 4 rating. They don’t even look at them. They want either experience (class 3), be bilingual, at least 500 hours or some experience in the twin, or real instrument flying experience as well, so the sooner you get your class 4, the better.
praetor450@reddit
Canada does have a frozen ATPL program, provided you did your training at a college like program, ones that have the integrated flight training.
Almost_A_Pear@reddit
Best chance you’ll have is hitting the road as others have said already. My company gets probably 15-20 people a week dropping off resumes right now, it’s very competitive.
My best advice is show up in person, bring beer and be personable! Most chiefs want a pilot who’s enjoyable to be with for 12 hours a day.
Temporary-Fix9578@reddit
Don’t be afraid of some ground to flight line work. Lots of companies are exploitative, but there are a few who are known to be pretty honest. Northstar in Thunder Bay, Air Tindi in Yellowknife, etc. In my opinion, a fresh CPL is not prepared for the type of work they will be doing and the time spent on the ground is actually valuable for teaching you how these airlines operate, where they go, getting to know how to load the aircraft properly (since you’ll be doing that all by hand and by yourself). What you don’t want is to get stuck in the endless “we’ll send you to sim soon™️”.
Cougarb@reddit
I commented this a couple days ago on another post but it should be taught by flight schools so I’ll say it again:
Networking. Make friends. Be out going in flight school. ASK. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Have a good pilot resume. “Wild blue aviation” has good free tips on how to build one
Get your resume in front of the chief pilot. Not the front desk.
Timing: most low time jobs hire in JAN-MAR and not much outside of it. Pad your resume and experience and when this time next year comes apply early and often
Bonus tip: TC AOC search can show you all companies that hold an AOC and you can sort by airplane to the ones you could realistically fly. There’s more than 400 beavers in Canada. Thousands of C172s. And hundreds of ops that have both of these.
No-Specific-3316@reddit (OP)
Ok I'll take that into consideration when giving my resume I really appreciate you're advice thank you I'll start making a plan for this time. Save money and go o that road trip. Cheers
TheForks@reddit
I’ve been out of the job hunt for quite a while but the go-to used to be the AvCanada forum. Pre-shortage, many aspiring pilots would do a road trip. I’m not sure what the job market is like right now but I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re back to the good ol’ days of ramp jobs and instructing.
Good luck!
No-Specific-3316@reddit (OP)
This is mostly what my instructor told me, he says I'll most likely start ramp to flight and need to be a good team player if I want to get the initial job and make it further appreciate the advice thank you !
CryOfTheWind@reddit
Anything you find online will have hundreds/thousands of applications already. Reality is most low time pilot jobs don't need to advertise since they have a steady stream of new pilots calling all the time and walking their resumes in.
Aviation at that level is often more old school. The walk in with a firm handshake and ask for the chief pilot/ops manager works better than the current standard wisdom for job hunting suggests. Many places don't even have an HR department to send a resume to in the first place.
Want to impress those northern operators, well call them, get to know the proper people for hiring and let them know you're planning to visit. Just walking in out of the cold won't be as effective but still better than an email that will just be deleted with the other hundred they got that day.
I spent 3 months preparing for my first road trip across the country. Made a huge spreadsheet with all the companies that would hire low time pilots. From researching the company websites, emailing and calling them I built of a list of which person was in charge of low timer hiring, what time of year they normally hired (most seasonal hiring will be done by now with PPC training being in progress or finished by the end of April).
So when I went on the road I had the names of the important people to talk to and in most cases they had spoken to me before I let them know I'd be passing through. Managed to get two jobs doing things this way. The rest of my jobs even up to today at my dream job are from network connections I've made over the years.
This worked back then and I've been in contact with new pilots much more recently who have done the same with good results as well. Just don't expect to be working in the GTA or lower mainland and things will be easier too. One of those low timers got into an ATR with on a few months of ground crew work very recently, catch is you have to be willing to move where the work is.
No-Specific-3316@reddit (OP)
Thank you I really appreciate this I'll put a plan together and set to the road! I wouldn't mind working anywhere I'm not picky I love to fly and will fly anything don't even care if I'm paid or not I'll manage the debt somehow🤙
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Hi I am a Group 1 MIFR pilot with Frozen ATPL. I have 268 Hours, plan on doing my CFI program however I would like to get my resume (CV) out there if possible.
I currently have a one page resume, are there specifics I should include. I have my total hours, Pic hours, XC hours, and the actual instrument time. Then all the other normal resume information? Please let me know what you would like to see on a low time resume!
My other question is where do I look for Low time jobs? Is there a website or would it be purely connection based. Yes I'm aware it is UNLIKELY however I would like to try. Any advice is welcome!
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