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EchoBravoPilot · 21-05-2013, 17:02

Hi group! I just joined now/today! I am so very pleased to meet you and find this board! I have vacation now.

I had looked at Footloose charters in Tortola, BVI. But no joy for me. First, they don't rent to a solo traveler and sailor. Second, well that $89/day online price quote just wasn't true and yes, I'm on a super tiny budget.

BTW, 23years of flying, 10 in Alaska & I am just at the 'Regional Airlines' which equals no dough/$ "yet". But mostly just previous life choices/curve balls. All I really have to show for it though is a lot of my own flying adventure stories to tell though! ( & my life too! )

I am willing to meet up and help crew. I will check out the listings here next. Any other crew needed website refereals appreciated!

I have a lot of inland experience from 48 foot A scows (MYC) to keeled yatchs (WYC) since high school / youth. I was off the water for some time while in Alaska flying from '98 to 2008. However, I have sailed a number of times back at my pops place on Lake Minnetonka since back in the Lower 48. That's where his boats are. I even crewed in C scow races in recent years. Amazing how fast it comes back.

I may go to either or both Key West and or BVI just to walk the marina's and check out the bare boat charter operators. Any very affordable, less than ~$50/day, housing referals that are clean and affordable for single guy, on land or water are greatly appreciated. I am not afraid of boat work on my vacation, nor "work to learn" something new. I can get most anywhere for zero $.

I would love to learn the area and skipper small non-sailor groups that I conjour up in my travels and such if you have a boat or know of a line on an outfit that allows such (commercial) things.

Please shout out what you know to me & I'll scout it out!

Thanks!!

- Eric Boyd, in Phoenix, AZ today.

Private message ok! Forum message ok! Direct email ok! ( PMs enabled for public )

fjwiley1 · 21-05-2013, 18:31

Welcome to Cruisers Forum AV8TR...you'll enjoy it here.

"enjoy the wind for it is free"

maxingout · 21-05-2013, 20:38

Good luck on your cruising adventures.

I like flying to windward at 4 miles a minute in a King Air 200 when I fly out to the Indian reservations in Arizona. Sometimes I fly slower in a Barrons or a Conquest.

I can not tell you how many time I have looked up at airplanes when I was crossing an ocean at five knots. More than once I have wished I was on board the plane.

One of my acquaintances made her living flying for Air BVI in DC-3 aircraft. There are regional airlines in some out of the way places that can put you in the trade winds if you are will to live there.

You have a lot of options.

EchoBravoPilot · 21-05-2013, 23:41

Thank you fjwiley1!

Thank you maxingout!

It is a honor and pleasure to make your aquaintance here on this message board maxingout / Captain Dave! I have just begun to looking at your websites. All are very inspiring indeed! Thank you again for stopping by to welcome me! Yes, the thought of living there is up for consideration. It is actually a real possibility, even with my job now. It would be fullfillment of one of my life long dreams. I did give your FB page & book 2 pushes of the Like Button already. I can't wait to read more, and learn more!

Eric Boyd

PS I even applied for that AZ 4 corners job flying the King Airs a few times in years past, '08, '09. I did Medivac in Alaska on the BE-200, as FO til end of 08' and recession hit that company hard. Now I am an FO on the EMB-145 jet at ExpressJet "based" out of Houston, living in PHX.

maxingout · 22-05-2013, 19:27

We fly out to the reservations with Southwest Air Charters. Periodically we get pilots who have been laid off the airline industry, but not too often. We fly from Scottsdale to San Carlos Apache, White River Apache, Hopi, Peach Springs, and Parker as our main destinations.

We make it up to the reservations and back in a single day once we are done seeing our patients.

Flying in this area is made interesting by thunderstorms of the summer monsoon for three months, sand storms, and snow storms with some ice risk in the winter time. I always fly in the copilot seat, and I am pretty sure I could these planes if I needed to because I have been through the routine a bazillion times.

I got to admit I like flying to windward at 260 knots.

I hope you can get a job that lets you spend some time in the islands. I was stationed in Puerto Rico for five years, and we used to fly over to St. Thomas in Cessna 172s which took about 25 minutes from Roosevelt Roads Puerto Rico. The right place in the Caribbean can be awesome for a couple of years before island fever sets in.

Good luck on your adventures.