How to Become a Bush Pilot

James Wynbrandt and Flying Staff

Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 03:19 PM ET

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Floatplanes are staples of North American bush operations. Georgian Bay Airways

Key Takeaways:

Bush piloting, essential for remote areas, demands exceptional backcountry flying skills, self-reliance, and the right attitude, with two main career paths: commercial operations and missionary aviation.
Training typically requires a commercial pilot license, specific endorsements (e.g., float, tailwheel), and often an A&P license for missionary roles, with specialized flight schools and university programs available.
Entry-level positions often involve significant ground support duties, and additional practical skills (e.g., mechanic, electrician) are highly valued for employability.
Salaries vary, with commercial bush pilots potentially earning $2,500-$8,000+ monthly, while missionary pilots typically fund their own expenses and salary, around $4,000-$6,000 per month, through donor networks.

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Bush pilots operate in remote areas worldwide with little operational support. Career success and survival require excellent backcountry flying skills, self-reliance and resourcefulness, and above all, the right attitude, say bush pilots Glen Ferguson and Keith Saulnier. They represent the two bush-pilot career paths you might consider: missionary aviation and commercial operations.

Saulnier owns Georgian Bay Airways in Parry Sound, Ontario, which offers a Career Bush Pilot Program, and Ferguson is CEO of the International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA), whose 60-some member organizations include mission-aviation fellowships and colleges with mission-aviation programs. Here are their tips for becoming a bush pilot.