Quote:
Originally Posted by outdoorguyandgal
Hey everyone-
Looking for local pilots with any possible info on pilot openings. Was flying contract out of BFI and looking to relocate to Pacific Northwest. Any leads would be greatly appreciated! I try to network everytime I am in the area and haven't had any luck thus far. Thanks in advance!!
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Hi,
Every few years I get nostalgic and do a search on some of the outfits I used to fly for, which led to this thread. I registered to pass on what outdated info. I might contribute. Much of this is old information. This is how it used to be:
I flew for AirPac starting in 1980 til about 84 or 85. Greg Thompson was the owner then, (still?) and Rick Smithheart the chief pilot (now a fairly senior captain for AA). Kind of a family operation, good people (no sarcasm)...... but no clue.
I started their BE-99 operation when they first got into turbines and for about 8 months was their only BE-99 captain. (They got a contract, then an airplane, I had previous experience in type, took a checkride with the local FSDO and off we went.)
Anyway, this is not a forgiving area for piston twins, which is were you would start, mostly night, mostly single pilot, NO autopilot IFR. This is were cert. tests for known icing take place and most of the time their anti ice was deferred. One night I landed at BFI and the kid from Galvan (FBO) measured a 16" plug that fell off one of my spinners. Again, at least back then owners and management were good folks, they just didn't live in the same world as the rest of us.
You have a fair amount of experience, indicating that you might survive this, but, I have more than twice your hours and am not sure that I would launch today on some of the missions I did when I didn't know better.
Have you considered other cities in the PNW? The Portland, OR area, were I live (actually in extreme south-west WA, just across the river) has less traffic, better streets, schools, neighborhoods and equally wonderful people and outdoor activities. Also lower Real Estate prices.
I'm not in the loop anymore with local job opportunities, but two that used to be first rate operators in Portland would be Flightcraft and Arrow Air.
Flightcraft used to be all Charter, but I hear they do a lot of corporate management now. When I was flying for them, they had tons of King Airs from 90 - 200 and just a few jets. ( Back then the jets were all under contract, many of which like ONB, Rainier Bank, WWP etc no longer exist.) Now I think they have several Challengers, GII/III and Beechjets for management and charter. Most people I knew there in management are now either dead or in nursing homes, except maybe Al Doughd or Abe Kardong.
Arrow Air in HIO, never worked for them, but they did all the heavy maintenance, hot sections etc, when I worked for the best operation in the PNW. (More following) They have a good mix of charter and management, turboprops - jets.
The best operation in the PNW: Executive Air in Wenatchee, WA (EAT). Flew for them in the mid 80's - 90's. Turbine Commanders 690, Cheyenne and LR-35. They have a lot more going on now. (LR-55, G-III/IV, Challenger). Should have stayed there and taken my lumps. (My wife didn't like EAT. As it turns out, the difference between the four stripe salary and staying was in the alimony.)
The Chief pilot there used to be Don Harter, but he is probably retired now (or worse), his assistant was named Vicky ----? (Can't remember her last name.) She was definitely a "lifer" and young, (then) so she should still be there. She's true as true can be. Also maybe Joe De'Pue. (If he's still there, he's in management now, the old suck up.)
Wenatchee would be a
great place to live, and much cheaper than SEA. Lot's of outdoor stuff to do there, on the river, close to lake Chelan, Leavenworth, the Methow Valley etc. (Boating, skiing, snow-boarding, kajaking, fishing, hunting, hiking, Douglas county PUD((cheapest power in the country, due to the dams.)) and reasonable Real Estate.
In SEA so much has changed that I can' remember who might be useful to you as far as contacts. I knew Thad Mills when he left the Navy, we worked at Flightcraft together, and he went on to be chief pilot at Seattle Jet Center and then to Microsoft. He later became Chief pilot at Microsoft (when he started calling himself Thadeus), but I'm guessing he might be retired by now. I can't remember the name of the Nordstrom boys, and Rainier, ONB, ACME Concrete, Valley, etc all lost their airplanes in the 90's. I really thought I'd keep in touch and maintain contact, but time has a way.
In PDX, Bonneville Power used to have a great Flight Dept. The Chief pilots name was Milt K....?something. I'm afraid I didn't keep in very good touch.
Advice: SEA is not all it's cracked up to be. Consider PDX as and equal but better substitute, or a different location in Central WA/OR that's still connected with SEA. (Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Ellensburg, Redmond / Bend, Yakima, etc.
Best of luck and Godspeed
OBI
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Back to your original reason for moving here:
I agree 100%!!!! That's what makes the outdoors exciting! You get out of your comfort zone and have an amazing time! I kayak fo the 1st time in AK and I cannot wait to do it again!!!!! My guy kayaks in WA everytime he visits!
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