Aspiring pilot advice thread

[TwinOtterFan]

Haha I know it sounds crazy but she really does want to go there, and she hadn't had a drop. We both currently serve and have for years, My time in although tough has not yet gotten to me but I'm leaving before it does. My wife did not fair so well, shes had a real rough career so far and wants to be away from pretty much everything, I am more than willing to oblige, the trade off being I can release and she will support me while I get my license and certs. 

As for cost of living, it is a very big concern of mine, so we have been looking into northern isolated postings for her where I could still get a first time flying gig. Yellowknife is one for sure, we have also been looking into northern Ontario and northern Manitoba. Anywhere she can stay in means we will have her full CF salary. Plus my scrapings lol. I'm curious was your time up north tougher because it was rotary? there does seem to be a pretty steady trend of how horrible that is. I'm only asking because when I look at working at a company like Ornge (flying the PC12) or Keewatin air (anything they have) to me those places are exactly where I want to live and fly, maybe that will change one day but I am pretty solid on my choice to not want to fly big jets, a Dash or ATR is still the biggest I would be interested in. But I'm still partial to medivac because I also just spent ten years saving lives and would like to at least continue to help as the pilot or FO. 

 

 

[TwinOtterFan]

On 12/30/2019 at 5:24 PM, DGP said:

Some advice...book a flight up to those places before you get in too deep and actually see the life style my friend...I have worked out of all of them...last time was 2 years ago....not something most southerners will call wonderful....cost of living will put you in the poor house if being a low time pilot isn't going to be bad enough! I would stick to looking to work for an airline in the south. I have plenty of friends that went that way and they are going up the ladder very quick with descent scheds and time off.

Was actually going to see if she wanted to go up there somewhere for march break.

[DGP]

Trust me...you do not want to go and live in some town in northern Canada. Not sure were you live now but other than working and drinking there isn't much else to do. I spent years in these places...not my choice...usually a month at a time. Even with the wife with you ...things are not going to go well. Not sure if you have kids but if you do...things are not going to go well when they land in the middle of nowhere! I worked up north for more years than I would like to remember...I would never want to drag my family up to those places....I did like the flying but other than that getting back home was the best thing to look forward to....you can only go fishing so many times. If you go up north in March....temps will be very cold...and dark....summertime...bugs...lots of bugs....you will be looking forward to cold. I preferred cold to the bugs. And how cold...Thompson Manitoba....coldest place in Canada most of the time...-40C is the norm from mid November to late March. Don't do it...stay down south and go airlines my friend! Lots of Medivac companies down here. Oh...I had a buddy that just had to do ifr medivac helicopter...I recommended him to a few places...he went eventually...he died in a crash...young guy with a young family...be careful....

[just looking]

TwinOtterFan go and do what  your heart tells you to do. Not sure if some people on this forum just need to get out of aviation. I personally love the North. I know a pile of Fixed and Rotary pilots that have spent their whole career flying in the North and still love it. Thank god for these people as the North would be nothing without them. 

 

If everyone took DGP advise and left the north there would be No jobs in the South and the North would die.  

[TwinOtterFan]

I think the reality of how bad or good living up north is probably lies somewhere in the middle. I do not take much on here as gospel, just something more to look into. 

My condolences go out to DGP and his friends family, 

[jullian]

What DGP said.