Pilot's Blog - King Air Captain

Hello! Currently I fly a variety of King Air's for North Cariboo at their Calgary Base. Variety is the key word at North Cariboo, as their fleet is diverse and ever-expanding. The flights we do are also just as assorted. They include flying into high density airports such as Vancouver or small gravel strips in the oil patch.

I began my private rating in the fall of 1999 at a flight school in Calgary. I chose this route rather than a college program as I already had a degree and wanted to fast track. I finished my Commercial Multi-IFR and Instructor Rating by July of 2001 and began looking for work right away. Sept.11th put a halt in any potential hiring, but I didn't give up, and continued to "pound the pavement" making connections and getting my name out there. I was fortunate to sit in on some groundschools and learn about the charter world while continuing to look for work. I would recommend this to anyone currently searching for a job, as you can learn about turbines, charter operations and make friends/contacts.

Two years later this eventually paid off (hang in there if you are currently looking!) and I was offered a First Officer Contract Position on a King Air 100 with North Cariboo. I moved to Edmonton, and began to fly periodically gaining hours and experience whenever I could. Eventually a full-time position opended up and I have been with the company ever since.

Flying is an amazing career, every day brings new excitement, challenges, and insight. Everytime I fly I consciously try to learn something new. I have been fortunate to fly with some great people. North Cariboo is the longest standing charter company in Western Canada and there is a reason for that. The owners and management are extremely experienced, and because of the first-rate training they offer, completely trust their pilots' judgement.

As a female pilot, my one piece of advice is to ensure you are in good shape. The majority of first jobs involve loading your own cargo and with a crew change that can be a lot of lifting!

Welcome to an amazing career - Happy Travels.