Any bush pilots?...

[CybrSlydr]

So, in my ever expanding search for a career after I get out of the Army, I recently talked with a buddy who's from Maine. Maine sounds like a really nice place to live. Which tickled the back of my mind where I think it was Willy that said the Vocational Rehab would pay for a pilots license (dunno if I'm getting it yet or not). I then thought about why I originally went to ROTC (to fly F-16s) and why I'm wanting to move to a more rural place (scenery, mountains, outdoors) and it hit me - what about being a bush pilot?

Taking hunters out on trips, assisting in SAR, etc. It sounds right up my alley.

So... Any of you have experience with this sort of thing or know those who do? I don't even know if there's much of a market for that kind of stuff in Maine (haven't settled on Maine, but it looks intriguing).

Assistance is appreciated. :)

[aircav1970]

http://www.bowmanfieldflyingclub.com/Home_Page.php

Hi,take a look at this link,they may be able to give you the info you're looking for!

[CybrSlydr]

http://www.bowmanfieldflyingclub.com/Home_Page.php

Hi,take a look at this link,they may be able to give you the info you're looking for!

Thanks - I'll shoot 'em an e-mail. :)

[macduck]

Try this one. I flew in his DHC-2 Beaver last summer.
http://www.curriersflyingservice.com/
He also has a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Curriers-Flying-Service-Inc/352990430990

[Willy]

Yep, it was me about the Voc Rehab program. I didn't know about pilot training from it until my son in law who recently was medically retired from the Navy told me that he looked into it before deciding to stay in the medical field. It's a good program for disabled Veterans who are no longer physically capable of doing the work they were trained for. It put me through 4 years of college at Texas A&M.

[CybrSlydr]

Yep, it was me about the Voc Rehab program. I didn't know about pilot training from it until my son in law who recently was medically retired from the Navy told me that he looked into it before deciding to stay in the medical field. It's a good program for disabled Veterans who are no longer physically capable of doing the work they were trained for. It put me through 4 years of college at Texas A&M.

It appears it now requires a degree program for Voc Rehab to pay for it. You can't just go to get your license anymore as apparently, the system was abused. Now I need to think of a degree that would let me go do pilot training as well...

[Dain Arns]

It appears it now requires a degree program for Voc Rehab to pay for it. You can't just go to get your license anymore as apparently, the system was abused. Now I need to think of a degree that would let me go do pilot training as well...

Aviation Education Specialization
http://www.sdstate.edu/cs/undergraduate-programs/aviation.cfm

[CybrSlydr]

Aviation Education Specialization

http://www.sdstate.edu/cs/undergraduate-programs/aviation.cfm

Thanks for that - I see that OSU has something similar too.

http://majors.osu.edu/pdfview.aspx?id=189

[andersel]

If you're looking for rural settings and mountains you should come up and check out Alaska. There are, probably, more Part 135 operators up here than everywhere else in the country combined. Give it a thought.

LA

[mfitch]

If you're looking for rural settings and mountains you should come up and check out Alaska. There are, probably, more Part 135 operators up here than everywhere else in the country combined. Give it a thought.

LA

and the University of Alaska Anchorage has an aviation program and works with veterans regularly.

[Dain Arns]

Thanks for that - I see that OSU has something similar too.

http://majors.osu.edu/pdfview.aspx?id=189

If I remember you're from Ohio, so that probably would be best.
OSU's program is Business and Engineering oriented.

Thing I like about the SDSU program is it's Education oriented.
First couple years are geared towards making a student a CFI.
Then you spend your Junior and Senior years being a CFI for underclassmen.
Gaining flying time and experience.
It's a local program for me.
I've been considering going back to school now that I'm gainfully employed again.

The UAA program is great too.
Has 2 year and 4 year degrees if I remember.
Probably would be 'Bush' oriented being in Anchorage.

[CybrSlydr]

If I remember you're from Ohio, so that probably would be best.
OSU's program is Business and Engineering oriented.

Thing I like about the SDSU program is it's Education oriented.
First couple years are geared towards making a student a CFI.
Then you spend your Junior and Senior years being a CFI for underclassmen.
Gaining flying time and experience.
It's a local program for me.
I've been considering going back to school now that I'm gainfully employed again.

The UAA program is great too.
Has 2 year and 4 year degrees if I remember.
Probably would be 'Bush' oriented being in Anchorage.

I thought about Alaska - climate is perfect for me. However, I'm just concerned with the cost of living, not to mention moving there. I'm also looking at Colorado, Maine, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

[mfitch]

The cost of living isn't bad so long as you don't make your home in the bush. The large bush flying groups operate out of the cities (city to bush and back).

[CG_1976]

The cost of living isn't bad so long as you don't make your home in the bush. The large bush flying groups operate out of the cities (city to bush and back).

About the same in Yellowknife and Iqaluit, Whitehorse. But Last Winter was expensive as supplies had a hard time getting in and alternative methods drove up the Cost of Living. Key thing is to remeber hang to cities with good transport systems and mixes. In Yellowknife not many major highways from Provincial Canada, so if you get nailed your cut off and cost go up.