skyhigh
I don't believe that about IAT
I have known Tim for twenty years and what you described is not his style
he is one of the best operators in the state.
did you come up here so you could go back and tell all the scary stories about us to make you look good or what

Well there is a coming law suit filed by possibly 20 ex IAT pilots that says otherwise. I heard that the mechanics already won something. Tim is a prince to customers and outsiders. He was even nice to me until much later. Try working for him and you will see a different side.

I came to Alaska to start a career. Alaskan Air Taxi is dangerous. It is a fact. I lost many friends and acquaintances during my time there. I worked for a few flight schools in ANC and almost every plane that I flew in while working those jobs have crashed since. I am sure that flying a turbine twin out of King Salmon is pretty safe but the guy in the green 207 who is fighting his way across the tundra at dusk still has a real job to do. A lodge beaver pilot still faces the same risks and challenges as 50 years ago. I am not trying to scare anyone but it is a dangerous place. However, It does sound a bit better than when I was there.

SkyHigh

does that include takeflight, because i heard it was a good place, and was considering applying there, i heard they do 135 sightseeing as well as instruction. i have a good job here in the states instructing, but i really want to fly in alaska at least for a short time. do you really think its a bad idea to fly in alaska if i want to go on to the airlines later on, even if i just do it for a season?
thanks

You will not see much. Flying around ANC can be pretty pedestrian compaired to what lies beyond the Alaska Range. One season wouldn't be harmful but I would wait till I had enough time to fly for a senic flight company or as forest service contract pilot. I had the most fun doing that. I got to fly all over the state and was alone much of the time. The best option of all is to own a plane, even a simple 150 would do, and head up there on a two month flying safari.

SkyHigh

That would be awesome to fly around the state at your own liesure. Do it in the summer or early fall; the fishing and the hunting would be great. I would love to do that someday

I had a simple Cessna 150 and flew it everywhere for the price of fuel. I slept under the wing and camped all over AK. At the time all I owned was the plane and a truck which also served as my home. I also used it to instruct in and would earn a good wage for the time since it was all cash and all mine. I would bounce from Wasilla to Birchwood to Merrill, always being hunted by the airport manager since they were not fond of independent CFI's. I would assign a student to fly to another airport after a solo where I would meet them in the truck. Eventually I flew it to the lower 48 and back a few times. I miss that little plane.

SkyHigh

SkyHigh

Alaska isn't scary... Your attitude is. Your the PIC making the decision to scare yourself or not. If you scared yourself, I bet it was your own fault. And there is 121 time in AK for thoes guys that want it.

Mordi,

If you flew there as a rural Alaska single pilot part 135 piston driver and failed to see the danger in it then perhaps you should juggle knives. Those who pass it off as a cake walk probably haven't really flown the bush. Besides that it is a statistical fact that the job is extremely dangerous and if you don't recognise it then it is you who has the bad, unsafe attitude. I was able to live through it after all. Alaska 121 is a warm and fuzzy place. If that is where you work then perhaps you should take a winter 207 position out of St. Mary's and grow a little religion.

SkyHigh

SkyHigh,

A review of your postings will show anyone you are out of the loop on what being an air taxi pilot in Alaska is like today. Contrary to your dated anecdotes, things have gotten safer. There were exactly zero part 135 fatalities in 2005. Before you compose a tome on how that number is an aberration, why don't you do a little meaningful research? (A hint - reading online postings by other armchair bush pilots doesn't count.)

I am happy that it seems to be safer. I don't know how but we will say its true. I mean the WX is still there the mountains haven't shrunk. Even if everyone took to flying IFR it still isn't a good idea to cross the Alaska Range in a 207 at 12,000 MEA. So dated or not I am certain that the crash free streak of 2005 will not continue for another year.

Skyhigh