Alaska flying jobs
05-13-2010, 11:05 PM
#61
Banned
Joined APC: Oct 2008
Position: Window Seat
Posts: 1,430
Originally Posted by travelnate
Juneau looks busier than St. Louis these days...
Speaking of Bethel, it's not nearly as "bad" as everyone makes it seem, it was up until about 2000-2002, but many things have come to rural Alaska that weren't there before, and as such it is a much nicer place. Plus, flying up and down the Kuskokwim and the Togiak/Platinum area is a real treat, especially if you like NOT relying on GPS.
Last edited by aviatorhi; 05-13-2010 at 11:20 PM.
pay freeze, schedule change
10-05-2010, 09:52 AM
#67
On Reserve
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 16
The FAA minimum pilot experience requirements to fly as PIC (pilot-in-command) under FARs Part135 is 500 hours. This is not an insurance requirement. It is the legal minimum experience required by federal law. 100 hours of the 500 hours has to be cross-country time, and of that 100 hours, 25 hours has to be night cross country. FAR Part § 135.243: Pilot in command qualifications -- FAA FARS, 14 CFR For some reason not known to me, flight schools seldom voluntarily provide this information to their students.
Most Alaska operators require a minimum of 1000 hours or more. There are a few who will hire at less than that, but none for PIC positions without at least the legal minimum of 500 hours. Most operators also like to see some Alaska time or equivalent and some time in type. This is probably an insurance requirement for some operators. There are occasional co-pilot jobs that come up which require only the commercial, instrument and multi-engine certifications. Penair is one of those companies, but only very occasionally do they have to settle for a new SIC (second-in-command) with less than 500 hours TT. They require a two year employment contract and barely pay a living wage for this position.
Alaska float plane operators want to see at least 200 hours on floats before hiring, at least a thousand hours TT, some Alaska time and some time in type. One way around the 200 hours on floats is to hire on with a company that flies both wheels and floats. With a fresh float rating, you wouldn't qualify for float flying, but fly wheels for such a company for several months. Prove yourself to be almost indispensable with your amazing work ethic, your excellent judgment, your scintillating personality, and your inordinate piloting skills and they might just phase you into float flying on an insurance waiver.
Probably the best way to get a job flying in Alaska if you don't have at least a thousand hours or more is to move there and give flight instruction until you acquire the hours necessary. One of the best way to improve your, knowledge, skills and judgment is by giving flight instruction. Anchorage would be a good starting point. Take Flight Alaska Take Flight Alaska at Merrill Field in Anchorage often hires flight instructors as there is a fairly steady turnover as pilot/flight instructors move on to air taxi jobs. AeroTech Aero Tech Flight Services, Inc. - Anchorage, Alaska also at Merrill field in Anchorage seems to be always on the lookout for flight instructors . The Aero Club Home - elmendorfaeroclub.com at Elmendorf Airforce base also provides civilian flight instruction. Artics Air Academy Artic's Air Academy in Palmer is another.
Anchorage would be a good starting point because it has the largest aviation community in Alaska. Living and working there for a year or more would provide you with the opportunity to meet many people in the aviation community who might be in a position to eventually help you in your quest. But in the mean time go after your CFI-I and start giving flight instruction to build time if you have less than 500 hours.
One other option is to find a job working for an outfit operating under FARs Part 91. In Alaska, they are few and far between, because they are limited to a maximum distance of 25 miles from the airport of origin. Many Alaskan fly-out lodges operate under FARs Part 91, and are exempt from the 25 mile rule (only in Alaska), but they almost always hire grizzled old bush pilots like me who have thousands of hours on floats in DeHavilland Beavers.
Hauling parachute jumpers is usually a Part 91 operation. Towing banners is another, but requires tail dragger experience. There may be some tour operations (but not in Alaska) that operate under Part 91.
So in my opinion, the best way to acquire flight time is to give flight instruction. You get paid to do it. You'll learn a whole lot more than you already know and you build flight time without tapping out your bank account.
One other option would be to take a summer job in Alaska as office help, expediter, a ramp rat for a wheels-only company or dock hand for a float plane outfit. This would give you a feel for the business and you might get a chance to ride along on a few flights where help was needed for unloading or loading, for repairing a remote company cabin etc.
Checkout Alaska flight operations and Alaska Flying for more info.
Most Alaska operators require a minimum of 1000 hours or more. There are a few who will hire at less than that, but none for PIC positions without at least the legal minimum of 500 hours. Most operators also like to see some Alaska time or equivalent and some time in type. This is probably an insurance requirement for some operators. There are occasional co-pilot jobs that come up which require only the commercial, instrument and multi-engine certifications. Penair is one of those companies, but only very occasionally do they have to settle for a new SIC (second-in-command) with less than 500 hours TT. They require a two year employment contract and barely pay a living wage for this position.
Alaska float plane operators want to see at least 200 hours on floats before hiring, at least a thousand hours TT, some Alaska time and some time in type. One way around the 200 hours on floats is to hire on with a company that flies both wheels and floats. With a fresh float rating, you wouldn't qualify for float flying, but fly wheels for such a company for several months. Prove yourself to be almost indispensable with your amazing work ethic, your excellent judgment, your scintillating personality, and your inordinate piloting skills and they might just phase you into float flying on an insurance waiver.
Probably the best way to get a job flying in Alaska if you don't have at least a thousand hours or more is to move there and give flight instruction until you acquire the hours necessary. One of the best way to improve your, knowledge, skills and judgment is by giving flight instruction. Anchorage would be a good starting point. Take Flight Alaska Take Flight Alaska at Merrill Field in Anchorage often hires flight instructors as there is a fairly steady turnover as pilot/flight instructors move on to air taxi jobs. AeroTech Aero Tech Flight Services, Inc. - Anchorage, Alaska also at Merrill field in Anchorage seems to be always on the lookout for flight instructors . The Aero Club Home - elmendorfaeroclub.com at Elmendorf Airforce base also provides civilian flight instruction. Artics Air Academy Artic's Air Academy in Palmer is another.
Anchorage would be a good starting point because it has the largest aviation community in Alaska. Living and working there for a year or more would provide you with the opportunity to meet many people in the aviation community who might be in a position to eventually help you in your quest. But in the mean time go after your CFI-I and start giving flight instruction to build time if you have less than 500 hours.
One other option is to find a job working for an outfit operating under FARs Part 91. In Alaska, they are few and far between, because they are limited to a maximum distance of 25 miles from the airport of origin. Many Alaskan fly-out lodges operate under FARs Part 91, and are exempt from the 25 mile rule (only in Alaska), but they almost always hire grizzled old bush pilots like me who have thousands of hours on floats in DeHavilland Beavers.
Hauling parachute jumpers is usually a Part 91 operation. Towing banners is another, but requires tail dragger experience. There may be some tour operations (but not in Alaska) that operate under Part 91.
So in my opinion, the best way to acquire flight time is to give flight instruction. You get paid to do it. You'll learn a whole lot more than you already know and you build flight time without tapping out your bank account.
One other option would be to take a summer job in Alaska as office help, expediter, a ramp rat for a wheels-only company or dock hand for a float plane outfit. This would give you a feel for the business and you might get a chance to ride along on a few flights where help was needed for unloading or loading, for repairing a remote company cabin etc.
Checkout Alaska flight operations and Alaska Flying for more info.
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