# Coast Guard aircraft pilots



## CougarKing (15 Jul 2006)

After doing a search, I couldn't find a thread directly related to my question (most of the other threads usually discussed whether the CCG should be armed) so I started this thread. The CCG official site wasn't much help either. 

How are Coast Guard pilots trained? Do they go to the same training as the Sea King/EH101 pilots of 12th Wing or the Griffon pilots of 1st Wing? Or do they have their own training pipeline? Just wondering cause they have a number of aircraft types in common with the CF, including the Bell 212s (not sure if the CCG also call them Griffons) and the S-61N Sea Kings and the Twin Otters. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Coast_Guard


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## Ex-Dragoon (15 Jul 2006)

Do they actually fly Sea Kings and Twin Otters or are they listed because these aircraft co-operate so much with the CCG?


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## Ex-Dragoon (15 Jul 2006)

http://www.answers.com/topic/h-3-sea-king

According to this one the CF is the only Canadian body to fly them...


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## CougarKing (15 Jul 2006)

What about the BO105 helos in CCG hands? I'm pretty sure the CF doesn't operate BO105s now.

BTW, here's a pic of a Sea King in CCG colors...


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## Ex-Dragoon (15 Jul 2006)

The CF has never operated BO105s, my point is this is the first time I have ever heard of the CCG possibly operting the Sea King and Twin Otter and am wondering if Wilkpedia has made this in error.


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## Ex-Dragoon (15 Jul 2006)

Cool, I wonder when they started to fly them?


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## CougarKing (15 Jul 2006)

any ideas how they train their pilots?(like I said, the CCG official site isn't much help) I wouldn't be surprised if their Sea King and Twin Otter pilots are all ex-CF. 

Makes one wonder about the CCG's own Bell 212s/Griffon as well...

like this one:


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## SeaKingTacco (15 Jul 2006)

Ex-D,

The Coast Guard flies a S-61N  (civvy Sea King) on the west coast.  It is based in Rupert and does the heavy resupply work for light houses.  They also fly at least one Twin Otter (I have personally seen one on a fishpat), BO-105s (not and never operated by the military) and some twin Hueys.

As far as I am aware, the Coast Guard does not train pilots.  They hire already qualifed pilots off of the street and put them to work.

Another note from earlier in the thread- the Cormorants in Canada are military aircraft.  All primary airborne SAR is done the military (I should know- I just finished 12 hrs of primary SAR Stby for the East Coast.  The Sea Kings from 12 Wing Shearwater are currently covering SAR Stby to give 413 Sqn a chance to grieve).  Sloppy media treatment, however, often calls them "Coast Guard" helos. They are not.


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## Ex-Dragoon (15 Jul 2006)

SKT,
  Thanks for the clarification, so its one and one a piece, being an east coaster no wonder I never seen them out this way.


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## CougarKing (15 Jul 2006)

Thanks for all the replies and for the clarification on certain points.


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## Neill McKay (16 Jul 2006)

SeaKingTacco said:
			
		

> As far as I am aware, the Coast Guard does not train pilots.  They hire already qualifed pilots off of the street and put them to work.



To provide a bit more on this, CG pilots and technicians are actually employees of Transport Canada (though they wear CG uniforms).


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## Ex-Dragoon (16 Jul 2006)

Neill McKay said:
			
		

> To provide a bit more on this, CG pilots and technicians are actually employees of Transport Canada (though they wear CG uniforms).



IS it a sub contract out?


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## Neill McKay (17 Jul 2006)

Ex-Dragoon said:
			
		

> IS it a sub contract out?



It's some sort of carryover from when the CG was still part of Transport, and aircraft hours were shared between Transport and Fisheries and Oceans.  I'm afraid I don't know the details.

Edit:
Here are some details from Auxillio Semper -- The Canadian Coast Guard 1962-2002 (Charles D. Maginley, Vanwell Publishing Limited, 2003)

"The aircraft are purchased by the Coast Guard, which until 1995 was part of Transport Canada, although in the 1960s and 70s some units were owned by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. ... In the late 1970s DFO relinquished its ownership of specific helicopters in return for a joint funding arrangement and the use of helicopter hours when required.  As the two organizations are now merged, it has now become just a matter of assigning helicopter facilities to the various programs."


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## Ex-Dragoon (17 Jul 2006)

Thanks NM.


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## Neill McKay (17 Jul 2006)

Ex-Dragoon said:
			
		

> Thanks NM.



My pleasure!


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## MarkOttawa (18 Jul 2006)

There is actually a major section on helicopters at the CCG site:

Helicopter Services Across Canada
http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/helicopter/main_e.htm

See also: 

Photo Gallery: Coast Guard Rotary Wing Aircraft
http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/helicopter/photo1_e.htm

Pilots are officially employees of Transport Canada, not the CCG:

"Individuals interested in employment...as a Pilot  (fixed wing or rotary)  must apply directly to Transport Canada. For further information on these career opportunities or to submit an application for employment, please go to  www.tc.gc.ca.  (DFO pilots are on loan from Transport Canada).
http://www-hr.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pages/career_e.htm#Pilots/Marine%20Surveyors

Mark
Ottawa


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## Good2Golf (19 Jul 2006)

Small point of correction -- while both helos are ancestors of the UH-1, the 212 is not a Griffon.  212 (B212) - two-bladed main rotor, P&WC PT6T-3B powerpac; Griffon (CH146/B412CF) four-bladed main rotor, P&WC PT6T-3D/T-400 powerpac.


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## CougarKing (27 Jan 2007)

How about AVN/AVS Techs who service these CCG aircraft? Would they be wearing CCG uniforms as well or would they just be regular Transport Canada employees?


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## Good2Golf (28 Jan 2007)

CougarKing said:
			
		

> How about AVN/AVS Techs who service these CCG aircraft? Would they be wearing CCG uniforms as well or would they just be regular Transport Canada employees?



AME's.  A single aircraft maintenance engineer does all the work, with the assistance of an apprentice or others as required.


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