Helicopter hours towards regional (Encore / Jazz)?

[Me262]

Good morning all,

I haven't posted on or visited these forums in ages - Some years ago I posted as I was considering a career change from Army to commercial pilot. Thankfully my luck was good, and I was successful in transferring to the RCAF as a pilot. I currently fly helicopters (CH146, or B412 in civilian terms).

I'm approaching my 25 year pension (2.5 years to go), and am starting to look towards the next bound. What I would really like to do is fly fixed wing airline.

So my main question: How relevant will helicopter hours (multi engine turbine) be towards hiring requirements for Encore / Jazz?

For some background, by hiring time I will have over 2000hrs of Multi crew, multi engine turbine helicopter (approx 1500 PIC).

I already have my CPL(H) and PPL(A) with multi rating (just over 200hrs FW TT now), and will have Group 4 IFR once I write the INRAT.

My plan is to then do what conversion training is necessary to acquire CPL(A) and Group 1 IFR, using as many credits from DND and my previous FW as possible. Once I have these ratings, I would expect to be around 2500hrs total time, but low fixed wing - probably in the vicinity of 300hrs, 100 PIC.

Using Encore as an example (I'd like to be Calgary based if able), I would technically meet the 750TT, 100 FW PIC requirements, assuming helo time would be counted, even if at half time.

Does anyone have any insight into how the regionals would count the helo time? Is it worth full time, half time, nothing? Understanding the industry is very fluid and things will change in 2.5 years, if you were looking at this today, would this be a competitive application? Or should I be looking towards an instructor rating, or smaller goals for a few years, to build up more FW time?


Thanks all in advance, clear skies!

Heard of a heli guy with military time hired at porter. Is that you. If so, congrats.

Ha thanks, but ME262 is right, still 19 months to pension. I do know the guy you are talking about though.

Have you considered using the VA Education and Training Benefit to complete the required FW time at an appropriately accredited flight school? I know of at least one CH146 colleague who is currently building time toward his ATP AMEL in NC at a Part 141 school. Prior to that, he was getting his time building subsidized somewhere out east (NB or NS - can't remember). Given this type of training is working toward a license/certification, my understanding is that the bar to have this subsidized by that program is pretty low.

The problem with the VA program is you need to be completely out to access it, and it doesn’t provide anything to pay the bills. I’m hesitant to get completely out until I have all my ratings and am employable, I’d hate to get out without some kind of job offer.

Ultimately the VA benefit briefs well and looks good on paper but isn’t all that accessible, since it leaves members unable to pay the bills while going to subsidized school. It really should be allowed to use it in your last year or two of working, to allow part time schooling and proper qualifications before release to ensure a seamless transition. But then they might actually have to pay it out because people would actually use it….

It was pretty accessible. You must give them a quote from the school and they just pay it up with very few questions if any. It was super easy using mine all up, with 30% of it to spare for all other expenses.

[careerpilot?]

It was pretty accessible. You must give them a quote from the school and they just pay it up with very few questions if any. It was super easy using mine all up, with 30% of it to spare for all other expenses.

Do they actually cover living expenses whilst one goes back to school, for those of us who have families to feed?

I still have a mortgage to pay and all that, even my pension won’t be enough to cover everything. It’s great they cover the tuition, but one still needs to eat, and until training is done, won’t be employable in their new field.

If they would cover time building for ATPL, that would be epic, as I could get an FO job once out and use VAC to cover purchasing block time. But I suspect they wouldn’t as it’s not a formal course leading to a formal qual, unless I could sell it as ATPL being the end qual. Maybe I’ll talk to VAC about that one.

Or maybe I forego my CPL(A) training until I’m out and leverage my CPL(H) for employment while I do CPL(A) on the side, paid by VAC…

[Me262]

It was pretty accessible. You must give them a quote from the school and they just pay it up with very few questions if any. It was super easy using mine all up, with 30% of it to spare for all other expenses.

Do they actually cover living expenses whilst one goes back to school, for those of us who have families to feed?

I still have a mortgage to pay and all that, even my pension won’t be enough to cover everything. It’s great they cover the tuition, but one still needs to eat, and until training is done, won’t be employable in their new field.

If they would cover time building for ATPL, that would be epic, as I could get an FO job once out and use VAC to cover purchasing block time. But I suspect they wouldn’t as it’s not a formal course leading to a formal qual, unless I could sell it as ATPL being the end qual. Maybe I’ll talk to VAC about that one.

Or maybe I forego my CPL(A) training until I’m out and leverage my CPL(H) for employment while I do CPL(A) on the side, paid by VAC…

IMO if I'd be you I'd totally apply to either RCMP Air Div, STARS or Ornge, depending where you are. They would take you immediately with your thousands of hours

Then if you really want the airline life, do your ATPL via VAC while flying.

[careerpilot?]

IMO if I'd be you I'd totally apply to either RCMP Air Div, STARS or Ornge, depending where you are. They would take you immediately with your thousands of hours

Then if you really want the airline life, do your ATPL via VAC while flying.

Yeah those are options - RCMP I believe requires pilots to go through depot, and I'm not doing basic training again! I've already been soft offered a job at STARs, that's largely my fallback.

My only worry about doing that is ending up at the bottom of the seniority bubble as airlines firesale hire right now, but may not be hiring as aggressively in a few years as they get caught up. I already fear my earliest timelines will see me at the bottom of that hiring bubble and therefore seniority lists. Perhaps I'm overthinking it.

[CaptDukeNukem]

IMO if I'd be you I'd totally apply to either RCMP Air Div, STARS or Ornge, depending where you are. They would take you immediately with your thousands of hours

Then if you really want the airline life, do your ATPL via VAC while flying.

Yeah those are options - RCMP I believe requires pilots to go through depot, and I'm not doing basic training again! I've already been soft offered a job at STARs, that's largely my fallback.

My only worry about doing that is ending up at the bottom of the seniority bubble as airlines firesale hire right now, but may not be hiring as aggressively in a few years as they get caught up. I already fear my earliest timelines will see me at the bottom of that hiring bubble and therefore seniority lists. Perhaps I'm overthinking it.

If you have STARs to fall back on, and you are interested in airline life, Why not try for the new career? If the seniority thing and the hiring timing doesn’t work for you, then go back to Whirly birds. Take a chance, you got nothing to lose really.

[Me262]

IMO if I'd be you I'd totally apply to either RCMP Air Div, STARS or Ornge, depending where you are. They would take you immediately with your thousands of hours

Then if you really want the airline life, do your ATPL via VAC while flying.

Yeah those are options - RCMP I believe requires pilots to go through depot, and I'm not doing basic training again! I've already been soft offered a job at STARs, that's largely my fallback.

My only worry about doing that is ending up at the bottom of the seniority bubble as airlines firesale hire right now, but may not be hiring as aggressively in a few years as they get caught up. I already fear my earliest timelines will see me at the bottom of that hiring bubble and therefore seniority lists. Perhaps I'm overthinking it.

And you have your pension, that's a huge safety net. Not really a risk at all to just go for it. So it's a matter of choice between not getting an extra free 90k via VAC vs a few years of seniority.

[careerpilot?]

What about volunteering? CASARA, Cadets, etc? I know one should volunteer for the good feels, but is it so bad to have a mutually beneficial arrangement? I give you my time, and I build PIC doing it?