How common are backcountry float jobs?

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retiredaaer@reddit

Trust me. The 121 Ops are a better deal.

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Not American but in my neck of the woods in northern Ontario most of the operators usually have a temporary foreign worker (usually kiwi or auz) that are here on temporary (working travel?) visas. They are two years max but I feel like Canadas market is fairly easy to compete in for floats. 50 hours float is very competitive here seeing as it’s completely doable to break into our float industry with 0-7 hours. Something to look into. Not 100% sure on the requirements

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aftcg@reddit

AK pilot here, professional but not a bush pilot. I don't know of any operators needing any pilots. If a guy wants to work the dock for a few seasons to start building a reputation, you'll have to wait until next year to start the gig. If a guy has about 300 AK hrs, that might help, a wee bit. If a guy has about 300 float time anywhere, that will help a bit more than wee. If a guy has a pedigree like father or mother or brother sister that worked at the ops previously, and have 100's of hours tw, float, and AK time, they'll start to become competitive.

Trust me when I say this, plenty of pilots with 500 hours buy a one way ticket to ANC with a fist full of resumes and ratings, can't get a job near the airport. Also, if they don't know anyone that knows anyone, yikes. And, if they have to Google extratuffs...

It's a small, small, small world up here. Most pro pilots here have kids that want to be like mom or dad. Best bet is to move up here now, get wheels, a place to live, a job that will pay you in money, and hang around all of the airports looking like an Alaskan while trying to find a flying job. Plenty of ways to buy time in TW, and get rated in floats up here. That will be a good start to getting a reputation in any way.

I know of a few that actually make it! But not this year.

I'll gladly be proven wrong.

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fukingstupidusername@reddit

Kenmore air comes to mind, but it’s not backcountry flying.

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aftcg@reddit

And they're not hiring any time soon

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SoDakSooner@reddit

My son is in anchorage right now doing survey work. Hoping to make some connections this summer! He is just shy of 1000. Good luck!

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phliar@reddit

I'd be shocked if there were any backcountry float jobs in the Lower 48. Hell, backcountry flying jobs of any kind are rare here.

Go to Alaska. You don't have to spend the winter there unless you want to!

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MarioUgazami@reddit (OP)

How difficult is it to break into? I’d have a fresh float cert, 0-15 hours of Alaska time, and only ~400 dual given.

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Anonymous5791@reddit

You’re just self loading baggage with those numbers :)

You’ll spend a season working the docks, loading gear, and helping out. If you’re nice and they like you, you can maybe fly deadhead legs and build some float time.

Most places are not desperate now so we’re back to normal. Expect to need 200-300 hours on floats to be competitive for a slot and enough TT and PIC to be able to fly part 135 so get some Alaska time and get up towards that 1200 TT as well. The good news is that these are VFR ops so that number is small, the bad news is insurance hates floats so that number is big.

It’s a rough life… but beautiful up there. You need to be present, dedicated, and hardworking and network and you might find something sooner. But the usual path starts on the dock and builds enough time to be insurable.

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Important_Repeat_806@reddit

Incredibly difficult. The easiest path is owning your own float plane. It’s extremely competitive to get in the right seat with any of the float operators you’d need 100+ hours of float time to be competitive. The pay usually sucks compared to other jobs with equivalent experience.

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lil_layne@reddit

I know Idaho actually has a decent amount of those jobs. How do you get them? Knowing people I suppose, they definitely aren’t advertised online.

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mcgeoy@reddit

I work as a CFI at a float plane operator in the lower 48. Not exactly bush flying but…

Worked on the dock for a year first, now instructing, then hopefully the 135 operation next summer. seems like that’s the fairly typical path at my employer

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Mobe-E-Duck@reddit

It’s a hard one to get into. You have to be an excellent pilot in that particular plane and in general. You also have to be able to prove it, and to have the numbers to even get in the door.

So first you have to get a float job. Any operator will want to see you have good experience before that, and that should probably mean having land plane experience in that model. Then “SIC” for insurance purposes in the amphib or float version of the same. Then maybe PIC. Those operators will be not back country.

Do that enough AND get bush experience and you can be a bush float guy. It’s a whole lifestyle and a serious challenge. You can supercharge the acceleration by flying in Alaska and getting some volunteer float time.

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

I’m a CFI with around 600 hours but not very attracted to the airlines. Flying floats in the backcountry has always been a dream.(Not yet Float rated)What’s the job market like? I assume I’d have to instruct in one for several hundred more hours, but when can you realistically break into more than just a CFI?

Alaska would be sweet, not sure I could handle the winters though. I know Canada has opportunity’s but I’m an American citizen with certs issued by the FAA. I’ve asked around in WV and VA, but haven’t found much. I assume there’s a market in Idaho/Montana?

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