Over the summer, Aidan met up with Oddball Pilot member Geordy Wilkinson at a coffee shop in Bend Oregon. Geordy’s questions were mostly about flying in Alaska, so Aidan thought it would make sense to get a few other folks in on the conversation.

Back in Nome, Aidan grabbed a few Era Alaska pilots, and we all had a chat with Geordy via Skype. It went so well we’ve decided to make interactive members-only Q&A calls a regular thing. Stay tuned for details about how to participate in the next one yourself!

Here’s what we covered on this call:

• How do you get that first job in Alaska if you’re a low-time pilot?
• Are hours requirements at most companies driven by FAA regulations, or by insurance requirements?
• How do you find companies that hire low-time pilots?
• What non-aviation experience should you put on a flying resume?
• Why compatibility is so important, and why networking and showing up in person is so beneficial.
• How to write flight time, ratings, endorsements, and other experiences on a resume when you don’t have much total time.
• Is it worth it to get a seaplane rating or a tailwheel endorsement if you’re a low-time pilot?
• What’s it like living in the pilot houses at different bases?
• Do companies do much night flying in Alaska?
• When’s the best time to go visit Alaska to hunt for jobs?
• What jobs are there for low-time helicopter pilots (and what’s the best path to get them)?
• If your goal is to fly in Alaska, is it better to build time down south, or head up to Alaska ASAP?

Audio

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