Any Helicopter Pilots here?

[Leland Pate]

I have been toying with the idea of going after a commercial rotorcraft certification as it's something I've wanted to do since High School. I tried for Army WOCS when I was enlisting but at that time they didn't need new pilots. After my six years in the USAF, I once again went to the Army (a bit older and wiser) and tried again. They couldn't give me any guarantee I could get out of my commitment if something happened (like blowing out a knee in school) and lost my flight status. So, I bowed out again and ended up going down a different career track.

Here, 12 years later, I still have the same interest in flying. I know it's outrageously expensive to obtain a commercial rating. I know it's probably very difficult to compete with the excellent pilots coming out of the service. I know I missed the ball on this one probably more than once.

Assuming I have the resources to afford the tuition, does it even make sense to pursue this as a ambition in this economy? It sounds a hell of a lot more fun than Law School.

[rattlsnak]

There is a reason why most helicopter guys are now flying fixed wing. Jobs are hard to come by even with alot of military time. Even if you go out and get your ratings, most likely it will be in piston powered helos like an r22 or such. And will cost you @ $12K, and then you have to get CFI, etc to build time at crappy pay, unless you can afford to build time on your own and at @ $250 an hour, that would add up quick, and then you have to find someone to hire you with no turbine expireince and then work your way up all the while competing with the military guys who already have lots of turbine time. The main difference being, IF they can find a decent job, they would start a decent pay, while as you would have to start from the bottom and it will take YEARS of crappy pay and schedules to get to a decent level. If you can handle all of that, some of the best entry level helo jobs are flying in south LA for the oil companies.

[Seahawk]

Leland,

I was one...I haven't moved the sticks in over six years and have been retired from the military for over two years. But, in many years of flying, meeting a whole lot of folks (including three years as the Chief Government Test Pilot at the Sikorsky Factory in Bridgeport, CT), I can provide some insight.

First, hours matter, that is where you are going to have a problem. All civilian jobs have a minimum hour requirement for total hours and often hours in
type/model/series. Then they'll ask for Pilot in Command hours. They aren't being silly, this stuff really matters: There is no substitute for seat time.

Second: Given certain quals, etc., getting a civilian flying job requires a network like any other job. Cashflyer here on the board can help explain this better than I can.

I do know a few Chief Pilots at EM outfits and they all like to hire known applicants from the bubba and bubbette network. I get a call every few months from a good friend of mine who runs a unit in Colorado who keeps asking me to come run operations for him while I get my quals in the second seat, on the way back to PIC.

Third: Go fly a bit, see if you like it. What you fly and why really matters: I know a few guys that fly oil rigs in the Gulf who do it for beer money, nothing else; they hate it. The EM folks seem to love every mission. Have a goal in mind.

Best of luck, I hope I provided some insight.

[dhoward]

Two words.
Tuna spotter.

[VINMAN]

I got half way through my hours. just couldnt afford it anymore

[Eric Coffey]

If you are interested in getting your rotor-wing ticket, start out in fixed-wing, then get the rotor-wing add-on. Much cheaper that way, and you will have the basics down before you transition to fling-wings. Also, it takes some people a lot more hours before things "click" than the minimum required (which can add up quickly).

If you go the pay-to-play route to build hours, it can/will put you in the poor house, especially if you want to build turbine time (to be competitve in the industry). Also realize that most helo jobs begin where the road ends. Meaning, you will likely have to go to the ends of the Earth (remote locations) to find work, especially in the begining.

Have fun!

[afterburn 549]

Juneau, anyone that can pull a collective stick....fly through fog galciers
and what ever

[KNS]

I'm a commercial helicopter pilot, (air medical), things have slowed down quite a bit in the last few years. The recession has hit us as well. As mentioned above, who you know helps a great deal, the more hours you have and time in type the better - and, like Eric mentioned you go where the work is.

Not to discourage you but it would be a tough road.

[azasadny]

I built my neighbor a computer and loaded Microsoft Flight Simulator on it many years ago and he got the bug! He got his fixed wing pilot's license, then got his rotary wing license and he has a Cessna with pontoons (to land and take off from the Detroit River) and a Robinson R22. He's always flying overhead when we're in the backyard, he loves to fly!!

[HHI944]

I've got a very well qualified rotor flying cousin (15k+hrs, certified to instruct everything including NVG flight) and of his last 3 jobs, one was in Afghanistan(actually, he's done a few contracts there) and the other Antartica.

The impression I get from that is that to make any money, you have to fly very adverse conditions.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by HHI944

The impression I get from that is that to make any money, you have to fly very adverse conditions.

Yeah. Sling loads, high elevation, high-tension inspection/repair, SAR, slope ops, IFR (in IMC), etc. In a helo?

That's all brass-balls territory!

[URY914]

Just like in any industry/profession. High risk= high pay. Legal or not.

[widgeon13]

Originally Posted by KNS

I'm a commercial helicopter pilot, (air medical), things have slowed down quite a bit in the last few years. The recession has hit us as well. As mentioned above, who you know helps a great deal, the more hours you have and time in type the better - and, like Eric mentioned you go where the work is.

Not to discourage you but it would be a tough road.

A lot of truth in the above words.

[Leland Pate]

Thanks for the replies fellas. It really sounds like I missed my chance in 2003. I'm 32, and am just reaching that point in my life where for the first time I realize some opportunities have passed me by.

Again, thanks for the responses!

[Embraer]

isn't max age (by the time you reach the board) 33 for army helicopters, with waivers to 34? what about california army national guard in los alamitos? 40th aviation brigade has a ton of helicopters.

get on it!

[Leland Pate]

I contacted the National Guard just to get some details. We'll see what they say!

[HawgRyder]

Having flown fixed wing for a bunch of hours, I look back on my time in the seat and think of the last time I flew.
Problem is...at the time...I didn't realise it was the last time.
If I had known it was the end of my flying career..perhaps I would have taken a longer route...or at least savoured the experience more.
If you get a chance to fly...either fixed or rotor...take it...you never know until afterward.
Bob

[romad]

III wwwwanted tttoo ffffllly HHHelicoterrss bbbbutt ccccould nnneverr uunnderstaddd mmmy iinstructorrr.

[944Larry]

I was for a number of years. Quit about 10 years ago. Got too expensive to operate them, insurance mainly. If you have to do it, go fixed wing and then get an add-on as was mentioned above. I never regreted it, was definately a load of fun to fly one.

[Embraer]

Originally Posted by Leland Pate

I contacted the National Guard just to get some details. We'll see what they say!

LP, did you hear anything back on this?