I am a fixed wing IFR driver with just over 3000hrs TT, 1500hrs pic, and around 1500 turbine; and am looking to move over to the helicopter world.
There are several companies all offering the 60 hr conversion package with prices rangeing from $28,000 on an R22, right up to $52,000 on the Bell 206.
A few questions:
1) Assuming I can get the finance, which would be the best route and why?
2) Will my previous fixed wing experieance make any real difference in the elusive 1st job search?
3) What will the typical first job pay?
4) what is the general consensus of opinion on the job market at present?
Thanks in advance,
Mo
Getting the helicopter job
Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, North Shore
Getting the helicopter job
"WHAT DO WE WANT !!!!"
"PROCRASTINATION !!!!"
"WHEN DO WE WANT IT !!!!"
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"PROCRASTINATION !!!!"
"WHEN DO WE WANT IT !!!!"
"Ah.........whenever I guess......"
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sky's the limit
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Mo,
Here is what I posted in response to another question some time ago, have a look, and if you've got more questions, let me know.
http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=19853
Is your FW time all IFR pavement to pavement stuff, or do you have some bush/float type experience as well? Having that much time in the air will help get through the course faster, as you're already comfortable with the environment, but if you've go to bush/float experience, the operating environment of the helicopter will be totally new to you. Not that it's a bad thing, just you won't be able to walk into an operator with 60hrs and say you've been working on your own in the bush before, and can handle it.
The industry is hoping right now, most operators can't find enough experined drivers right now, I'm sitting in the airport after 6 weeks out becuse there was no one to relieve me. The problem with that last statement is the word "experienced." Read through some of the other threads on here, and a few of us have articulated what we mean by that. In FW, it's about hrs, in rotary, it's about hands and feet.
My flight's boarding, so I'll leave it here, but if you don't find what you're looking for in the other threads, let me know, and I'll do my best to answer your remaining questions. I would avoid the R22, ranted about that too, but you can make your own opinion on that later. Doing the whole convesion on the 206 is not the best idea either, and it's REALLY pricey. Bit like doing your private license on a Cessna 206/185... too much a/c for what you're needing at the time.
I've got some serious couch time in mind, so I'll be around if you need anything else...
Good luck,
STL
Here is what I posted in response to another question some time ago, have a look, and if you've got more questions, let me know.
http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=19853
Is your FW time all IFR pavement to pavement stuff, or do you have some bush/float type experience as well? Having that much time in the air will help get through the course faster, as you're already comfortable with the environment, but if you've go to bush/float experience, the operating environment of the helicopter will be totally new to you. Not that it's a bad thing, just you won't be able to walk into an operator with 60hrs and say you've been working on your own in the bush before, and can handle it.
The industry is hoping right now, most operators can't find enough experined drivers right now, I'm sitting in the airport after 6 weeks out becuse there was no one to relieve me. The problem with that last statement is the word "experienced." Read through some of the other threads on here, and a few of us have articulated what we mean by that. In FW, it's about hrs, in rotary, it's about hands and feet.
My flight's boarding, so I'll leave it here, but if you don't find what you're looking for in the other threads, let me know, and I'll do my best to answer your remaining questions. I would avoid the R22, ranted about that too, but you can make your own opinion on that later. Doing the whole convesion on the 206 is not the best idea either, and it's REALLY pricey. Bit like doing your private license on a Cessna 206/185... too much a/c for what you're needing at the time.
I've got some serious couch time in mind, so I'll be around if you need anything else...
Good luck,
STL
I am curious, why you would want to switch after getting your fixed-wing career on track? I too am interested in getting a heli commercial conversion, but the lifestyle and pay don't seem very appealing. I'd like to learn for fun, but it's so expensive as a hobby. It is my thought that the high echelon of fixed wing pilots enjoy higher pay and a better lifestyle than the high-end heli guys. It's a long and difficult road to the top in the fixed wing market and I get the impression it's even more difficult in the rotary world. Changing career paths at this point would be a huge stress. You must love choppers!
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sky's the limit
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Loop,
There is much more money available for a mid-level helicopter pilot than there is in FW. People want to talk about the high end, such as Senior Airline pilots, and heli-loggers, but to do this is not an accurate comparisson.
The airlines are paying less than ever before, that's not likely to change, and as you say, getting there(senior Capt seat) takes a career. And those seats are VERY limited, as are the $200,000/yr Heli Logging seats.
For arguements sake, we'll say the Turbo-prop Capt is the mid level of the FW side, most in this country are making between, $40-70K per year. An average helicopter pilot with about the same time, will be making anywhere from $60-100K depending on the type and location of the work. If you are reasonably talented, you'll be into the more specialty type work within a couple years. In 4000+hrs FW, I had to leave the country to make over $60,000, I can make that in less than six months work now.
As for lifestyle, well that's a personal thing. There's nothing worse in the world to me than doing the same thing over and over again, regardless of how big the aircraft is, for others, spending 28 days in a tent in the mountains is hell... All depends on your wiring. To say one has a better lifestyle than the other is to view things through one lens, and we don't all look at things the same way....
The HUGE advantage RW has over FW IMHO, is job saticfaction. I work with my machines, most FW jobs do not. I build drills and towers, put out forest fires, capture animals, land in places that have never been landed in before, and generally use my machine in a way that takes much thought, planning, and skill. Flying my King Air around I did not. If you like to think, and solve problems, helicopters are way out in front - if you don't, as many don't, stay in FW.
I can gaurentee you the average 500-5000hr RW pilot outearns their FW counterpart, but no one should do any type of flying for the money, so it boils down to what makes you happy. Either way it's a long road, and to switch in Mid-career takes commitment, lots of it. The year I switched, I had four job offers in FW the spring I was on the road looking for my first rotary job, those offers ranged from Birdogging for a large Western bombing outfit, to flying a Cub on Tundra tires... said no to them all because I knew this was the right direction for me. I'm glad I did, because the things I've experienced since, made it all worth it.
STL
There is much more money available for a mid-level helicopter pilot than there is in FW. People want to talk about the high end, such as Senior Airline pilots, and heli-loggers, but to do this is not an accurate comparisson.
The airlines are paying less than ever before, that's not likely to change, and as you say, getting there(senior Capt seat) takes a career. And those seats are VERY limited, as are the $200,000/yr Heli Logging seats.
For arguements sake, we'll say the Turbo-prop Capt is the mid level of the FW side, most in this country are making between, $40-70K per year. An average helicopter pilot with about the same time, will be making anywhere from $60-100K depending on the type and location of the work. If you are reasonably talented, you'll be into the more specialty type work within a couple years. In 4000+hrs FW, I had to leave the country to make over $60,000, I can make that in less than six months work now.
As for lifestyle, well that's a personal thing. There's nothing worse in the world to me than doing the same thing over and over again, regardless of how big the aircraft is, for others, spending 28 days in a tent in the mountains is hell... All depends on your wiring. To say one has a better lifestyle than the other is to view things through one lens, and we don't all look at things the same way....
The HUGE advantage RW has over FW IMHO, is job saticfaction. I work with my machines, most FW jobs do not. I build drills and towers, put out forest fires, capture animals, land in places that have never been landed in before, and generally use my machine in a way that takes much thought, planning, and skill. Flying my King Air around I did not. If you like to think, and solve problems, helicopters are way out in front - if you don't, as many don't, stay in FW.
I can gaurentee you the average 500-5000hr RW pilot outearns their FW counterpart, but no one should do any type of flying for the money, so it boils down to what makes you happy. Either way it's a long road, and to switch in Mid-career takes commitment, lots of it. The year I switched, I had four job offers in FW the spring I was on the road looking for my first rotary job, those offers ranged from Birdogging for a large Western bombing outfit, to flying a Cub on Tundra tires... said no to them all because I knew this was the right direction for me. I'm glad I did, because the things I've experienced since, made it all worth it.
STL
