Commercial helicopter pilot pros & cons

gli77 · Post by **gli77** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 3:32 am

Hi everyone, I am looking for some advice on getting a commercial helicopter licence. It has been in the back of my mind for some time and I find myself in a good situation now and wonder if I should go for it? I have been working in the industry(maintenance, avionics mostly) for seven years now and know it is a tough go, but would like to hear from someone who is in the know. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

r22captain · Post by **r22captain** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:40 am

hey....I'm just starting off so I'm no pro. But I'll answer what I can.

1st tip I can tell you is to be very selective in where you train. Try to find a company that hires from their own students. If not you could be in for a multi year road trip. I was fortunate enough to be hired before I had even finished my training. I see you have some engineering backround so that will definatly help you.

W5 · Post by W5 » Thu Sep 30, 2004 11:52 am

There is a fairly good thread about this in the Hot Employment section :
http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=3451

gli77 · Post by **gli77** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 3:13 pm

R22 Captain or anyone else, where and what companies would you recommend for training? Has anyone ever gone overseas to build up hours?

Horseman · Post by **Horseman** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 9:01 pm

gli77

Great Slave Helicopters runs a top notch flight school North of Edmonton. They hire about 4 students per year from a class of 10-12.

You can find info on their web site. All training is done with Schweitzer 300C and 300CBI and Bell 206.

http://www.greatslaveheli.com/mainframe.html

Great Slave is operateing about 60+ helicopters, head office in Yellowknife.

Horseman

r22captain · Post by **r22captain** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 1:01 pm

I currently work for CHL so I'm alittle biased but I have heard nothing but great things about great slave. Just remmeber you have to be in that top % or tough luck.....

Same is the deal with Canadian. They hire the top few out of their classes as well.

gli77 · Post by **gli77** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 6:33 pm

Does anyone have any experience with or heard anything about National helicopters, both in terms of training and working for? Are there any websites that have good posting for rotary jobs?

scubasteve · Post by **scubasteve** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 7:57 pm

Yeah, National used to run their flight school in London out of the same building as my FTU when I was a dispatcher so I got to know their pilots a little. Personally they were great guys and one went on to fly medevacs and not sure what their story is now. I'm pretty sure most of their pilots build their time doing tours in downtown Toronto..thats about all I know.

r22captain · Post by **r22captain** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:38 pm

their nickname on the inside is "smashional"........hehe so think about that.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:33 pm

R22captain :

Have you flown the Robbie on floats?

Cat

r22captain · Post by **r22captain** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:23 am

no I have had not had the pleasure of doing so. Been in a r44 on floats but only as a PAX.

gli77 · Post by **gli77** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 6:01 am

Thanks for the advice. Does anyone recommend or not recommend getting the IFR ticket right after completing the commercial? Is it a useful ticket for starting off, or more usefull for the bigger machines got o oil rigs? How much of an advantage would it be for me to pay for my own MD500, Astar, and EC120 type training?

r22captain · Post by **r22captain** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 6:50 am

IFR might make you look a little more employable as you have a little more experience, but you are right. You won't use it till you go onto mediums or heavies..... alittle ways down the road. The only type rating I would invest in would be a 206 endorsment. 95% chance you'll be starting off on this unless you have acertain company in mind that flys those other types only. If you have a bit of cash get some longline and/or mountain training in. It'll take you much farther initially.

donnybrook · Post by **donnybrook** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 7:11 am

Gli77,

I see you are in Singapore. Is that your permanent residence? If so, and you plan to work there, you might be better served by getting a feel of the industry there. For example, is it primarily offshore/air ambulance stuff? If so, an IFR might help. But in Canada there aren't many positions for low time IFR pilots (try Canadian Helicopters) and the pay is dreadfully low (~$18,000/yr) to start. From what I hear it's also hard to break into the bush flying even after a thousand hours of IFR experience!

From what I can tell R22 is on the money reference endorsements. There aren't many companies flying the 500 anymore and no one will let a lowtimer near the other two,for a few years at least! The 206 is the best option as it is the most common A/C type...

rotorfloat · Post by **rotorfloat** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 1:10 pm

Nothing much new to add, IMO...everyone seems to have hit the nail on the head. The link was interesting W5. Icefield Helicopter Tours had a thread on caaviation a long time ago, about working for free (the letter didn't mention that

, just paying for PPC; which we all endorse

)

About the IFR, it's not really worth it to get unless you intend to enter the IFR side of r/w afterwards. EMS in Ontario is provided by Canadian Helicopters. Their FO minimums are 500hrs and IFR. But word in the inside is that a 500 hr FO will not make captain for a lonnnng time, if ever. And I'm sure you can imagine the pay with that experience. Other IFR ops are left, right coast and arctic. Can't quote minimums there though.

I've also heard nothing but good about Great Slave Heli, and if you're not hired the year you graduate, don't fret, they may ask you next year.

Stay away from National Helicopters.

rf

Commercial helicopter pilot pros & cons

Commercial helicopter pilot pros & cons

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