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Alaskan Charter Pilot Career?

Old 01-15-2017, 09:13 PM
  #1  
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Default Alaskan Charter Pilot Career?

Hey everyone, where do I even begin... I currently live in Southern California but have been wanting to move up to Alaska for gosh...8 years now? I wanted to major in something that would keep me in Alaska so having an interest in language I decided to go into Native Alaskan Studies to help with maybe preserving native Alaskan languages that are starting to die out but I decided to join the workforce and take a break from school and now currently work at car dealership which has been awful and makes me hate life Lol... I thought to myself I need to learn a skill that will benefit me that I can take with me my whole life so I started thinking...

To be honest I don't even know how aviation came up as an option but it did! I starting thinking about it more and more, did some googling, watched some youtube videos and I became more drawn into it. The more I think about it the more curious I am and the more exciting it seems, needless to say the flame keeps growing. I want to know if this is something I can see myself doing so I booked a "discovery flight" at a local small airport and I go on Tuesday up in the air so we'll see how that goes.

I didn't want to come up in here all naive and be like "I want to be an Alaskan bush pilot" (never seen the shows) but if I enjoy the flying on Tuesday I will want to pursue this as my career and trade but I want to start in Alaska, I saw the University of Alaska Anchorage has a top aviation school which is great especially when having absolutely NO previous flight experience other than hopping on coach flights to my destination. I say bush pilot because I like the idea of helping deliver supplies to rural areas and villages and would still like to possibly pick up Yu'pik or other native languages to speak when flying to these people.

Charter lines is probably where I would start if I finished UAA's program, I just hope it's something that I can do because so many are flying before they learn to drive and it's been a dream and passion their whole lives but I just discovered it and have never really had interest in flying until now. So with all that said I'm excited for my flight on Tuesday and hoping I really enjoy it and see myself taking this path because as I said before the more I think about it and research the more I really want to do it.

Also, from what I've read starting out as a new pilot doesn't make much and honestly I'm okay with that, if I'm doing something that I can be proud of unlike all previous jobs and especially my current one I will be okay. The thoughts of the risks of flying in Alaska intimidate me but I've come to realize that I can't let fear hinder me as there is risk everywhere, this is why I want to go where I will be trained properly especially for the Alaskan skies. I guess I'm posting on here for some feedback maybe it's a little early to do so since I haven't gone up in the air yet but I couldn't help myself..
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Old 01-16-2017, 02:48 AM
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Alaska will get in your blood.
Good place to fly as well.
Might as well learn up there, but probably more expensive and less flying days due to weather and lack of day light.
I started my flying career flying bush Alaska. Small town on the tundra called Bethel. Lost of flying to support the surrounding villages, all dirt and gravel strips.
Also fish haul off beaches and sand bars.
Lost friends and colleagues in accidents.
Be careful up there, not a forgiving environment.
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Old 01-16-2017, 08:49 AM
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Most professional pilots probably share your sentiments about AK. But most of us probably stick to the airlines and lower-states 135 for reasons of lifestyle...and survival.

Frankly it would be a challenge to survive a career flying the bush up there. If it's just you, that's one thing but if you have or plan to have spouse/kids you'll probably want to have another plan long term.

No reason not to start out up there, if you can accept the risk, many of us will envy you that.
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Old 01-18-2017, 12:20 PM
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Default Thank you both for the replies

Thanks for the replies guys Alaska has definitely gotten into my blood especially when I visited Fairbanks back in 2014 I knew it was a place that I wanted to be. Csy Mon, what you did out of Bethel is exactly what I see myself doing that would be my primary goal and thank you rickair for your input as well, it's just me currently, me and my Husky so I should be okay in that regard.

I did my "discovery flight" yesterday and man oh man haha wow. It was quite the experience, we flew a Cessna 172n on a perfect day, the sun was out with not a cloud in the sky and hills covered in green grass it was just beautiful. I felt I really got a feel for it, had some nerves but I liked it a lot, I felt great after doing it and now I crave more...

My question now is where do I start? Do I get private lessons while I wait to finish my AA degree and move to Alaska? Or do I just wait until I move to Alaska and attend the University's aviation program? Do I get a pilots license here in California and then go to Alaska's aviation program or is that overkill.. I just don't know where my starting point would be...
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