Anyone a helicopter pilot?

[WS6]

Just curious to know if anyone flies commercially or privately. It looks like so much fun. I think I'd like to try and get my license one day maybe even do it for a living. I have no idea how or where to start though. I'm just dreaming for now. Might have some questions for anyone that flie though.

Thanks

[va72mlibu]

Been an Army rotary pilot since 2000. PM me with any questions, but I'll tell you this up front...helicopter flight training is $$$$$(unless Uncle Sam is paying)

[go-fish]

Been an Army rotary pilot since 2000. PM me with any questions, but I'll tell you this up front...helicopter flight training is $$$$$(unless Uncle Sam is paying)

Do you think the Montgomery GI Bill would cover it? There was a Helo school right off my base before Hurricane Katrina took it out.
I've wanted to fly since my early days of watching ol' Thomas Magnum's friend TC fly him around Hawaii in his Bell "Little Bird". Higgins Ferrari did nothing for me.

[WS6]

Yeah I saw that for a commercial license it was around 50-60k. I think it would be a lot of fun to do it for a living. Maybe working for the oil companies or scenic tours. There's always helping with mountain rescues and fight fires too. If I was looking to go into the ARMY, I would want to fly an apache. Those things just look so badass.

[NOT A TA]

Back in the early 90's I was a test pilot for an experimental human powered helicopter. I was picked because I'm really light and was a bicycle racer with a good power to weight ratio. Couldn't get it off the floor in the Sikorsky warehouse because it was too warm indoors (need dense air)and not enough roughness to the floor(aids lift while in ground effect). Had to do testing before dawn while there was no breeze in below 20 degree weather outside on rough pavement. That way I got the most lift but I never made it out of ground effect. Crashed it once, cost about 10 grand for a new custom made carbon fiber main rotor blade shaft. Had fun and learned a lot on that project.

[va72mlibu]

Back in the early 90's I was a test pilot for an experimental human powered helicopter. I was picked because I'm really light and was a bicycle racer with a good power to weight ratio. Couldn't get it off the floor in the Sikorsky warehouse because it was too warm indoors (need dense air)and not enough roughness to the floor(aids lift while in ground effect). Had to do testing before dawn while there was no breeze in below 20 degree weather outside on rough pavement. That way I got the most lift but I never made it out of ground effect. Crashed it once, cost about 10 grand for a new custom made carbon fiber main rotor blade shaft. Had fun and learned a lot on that project.

That is a very cool story

Yeah I saw that for a commercial license it was around 50-60k. I think it would be a lot of fun to do it for a living. Maybe working for the oil companies or scenic tours. There's always helping with mountain rescues and fight fires too. If I was looking to go into the ARMY, I would want to fly an apache. Those things just look so badass.

I think it would be difficult to land ANY rotary job fresh out of civilian flight school. I have a thousand hours of multi-engine and am not competitive for any good jobs.

[Damn True]

Yeah I saw that for a commercial license it was around 50-60k. I think it would be a lot of fun to do it for a living. Maybe working for the oil companies or scenic tours. There's always helping with mountain rescues and fight fires too. If I was looking to go into the ARMY, I would want to fly an apache. Those things just look so badass.

When I got out of the CG in 2000 I looked into it. At the time I had eleven years in the CG in and around HH-65 helicopters and knew that the training would have been expensive, but not difficult.

Here are a couple of things to think about.

Tour helicopters have a horrible safety record. Mainly due to shoddy maint. When I was in Hawaii there was an incident at least once a month. I recall a single day in March of 1997 in which there were two crashes, on two different islands with helo's owned by two different companies. Fatalities in both. The Grand Canyon tour companies are better, but not by much. I won't let anyone that I care about get in a tour helo.

The oil company helos take a beating too and their maint and pilot rest programs are suspect as well. Platform landings can be tough. Combine that with heavy loads and weather and it is dangerous flying.

The best jobs in rotor wing aviation are logging, heavy-lift and fire. Those jobs are also the toughest to get. Charter work probably pays the best, but at the same time, you only get paid when you are flying so you need to find a charter company that will keep you busy.

It's a tough industry. The pay can be good, but it often lacks consistancy and the work is often dangerous.

There are plenty of upsides to it of course, but I want to make sure your eyes are open going in. I'd suggest you seek out a training company that offers job placement assistance and is able to show you some profound ability to help you locate a post-training position.

[Bruning Auto Design]

father-in-law is a retired Army helicopter pilot and my brother-in-law is active reserves and works for life flight in Eastern Washington. Sounds like a kick in the pants. I would love to get some flight time in....

[baz67]

You guys can have those egg beaters

[BMF Machine]

I took the cannyon tour with my one year old son? I loved it! You just got to prey the pilot wants to live as much as you do! I tried flying R-22's I had 4 lessons and got over it quick. Those little things are too damn touchy! So, I fly 152 and 172 Cessna's?

[Damn True]

R-22's are commonly known as "Dr. Killers".

The things are an absolute horror.

[WS6]

awwwwe True are you trying to say you care about me? Man your gonna make me blush.

Ok not really, but you are right about the dangers. The R22 is touchy from what I have read, but it's so cheap to own and operate that it makes good business sense to a school. I'm not one to jump out of a perfectly good air plane(althought those flysuits look wicked fun) but I'd like to know I have the option to float down to the ground versus trying to time my jump up split seconds before hitting the ground.

I think I'm just dreaming about doing this. I'm not really happy or that excited about school so my mind wonders. I have only a cat holding me down. I figure it would be a fun job and something very interesting to talk about versus saying I'm an engineer. I wonder if it can become mundane and ritualistic though? I guess switching jobs is always an option. Demand is high and pay is very good for pilots. I don't know, I guess I'm just being a dreamer. I'd love to sit down and talk with someone that does this for a job. Especially civilian since that's what I would be. My dad's friend is a pilot so maybe I'll talk with him. He got his training in the ARMY. He flew those funky mosquito looking planes that would hold cargo boxes under them. I can't remember what they were called.

Here's a listing for pilot jobs. I don't know half of the acronyms listed so maybe they are what's so difficult, but many of them are 500 to 1000 hours seat time. That's not a lot when I think about the many thousands of hours I have driving a bus here at UGA. Should have taken out the loan and go to helicopter polit school instead of getting my CDL. http://www.justhelicopters.com/emplo...iChannel=10000

Thanks for the input guys.

[MuscleRodz]

Not a helicopter pilot but do fly small aircraft. My neighbor is one and use to give instruction in helicopters until about 5 years ago. Insurance was costing more a year than he was making. It takes some serious $$$$ to get a HC rating today. I thought about it years ago when i had the chance to do it for the cost of fuel but decided not to as i did not have access to a HC to keep current.

[va72mlibu]

Here's a listing for pilot jobs. I don't know half of the acronyms listed so maybe they are what's so difficult, but many of them are 500 to 1000 hours seat time. That's not a lot when I think about the many thousands of hours I have driving a bus here at UGA.

You'd be amazed how long it can take to build up 1000 flight hours, and YEARS to get 1000 PIC hours. A lot of young guys spend years FLYING NEAR MINIMUM WAGE to get their hours.

[socalfandabodys]

Im a black hawk helo crew chief in the 82nd airborne. We have a couple pilots getting out right now and looking for jobs. Oil Rig companies and pretty much everyone else wont hire anyone with less than 2000 hours. To give you and idea of how long it takes to get that many hours I was deployed for 12 months to Afghanistan. I flew about 5-6 times a week and logged 650 hours during that year. Overall I say it would be extremly tuff just getting your civillian license and going to get a job. I would recommend coming in the military first because its free, you get alot of experience, and the maintenance is done right.

[WS6]

what is PIC? I figured some of those acronyms wouldn't be easy to obtain.

[Kenova]

I have only a cat holding me down.

I'm sorry, but it had to be done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtbjH8Tm4fM

Ken

[Damn True]

awwwwe True are you trying to say you care about me? Man your gonna make me blush.

Ok not really, but you are right about the dangers. The R22 is touchy from what I have read, but it's so cheap to own and operate that it makes good business sense to a school. I'm not one to jump out of a perfectly good air plane(althought those flysuits look wicked fun) but I'd like to know I have the option to float down to the ground versus trying to time my jump up split seconds before hitting the ground.

I think I'm just dreaming about doing this. I'm not really happy or that excited about school so my mind wonders. I have only a cat holding me down. I figure it would be a fun job and something very interesting to talk about versus saying I'm an engineer. I wonder if it can become mundane and ritualistic though? I guess switching jobs is always an option. Demand is high and pay is very good for pilots. I don't know, I guess I'm just being a dreamer. I'd love to sit down and talk with someone that does this for a job. Especially civilian since that's what I would be. My dad's friend is a pilot so maybe I'll talk with him. He got his training in the ARMY. He flew those funky mosquito looking planes that would hold cargo boxes under them. I can't remember what they were called.

Here's a listing for pilot jobs. I don't know half of the acronyms listed so maybe they are what's so difficult, but many of them are 500 to 1000 hours seat time. That's not a lot when I think about the many thousands of hours I have driving a bus here at UGA. Should have taken out the loan and go to helicopter polit school instead of getting my CDL. http://www.justhelicopters.com/emplo...iChannel=10000

Thanks for the input guys.

It can be absolutely glorious. Flying low and slow gives you a view of the world like no other. I've hovered in the channel at Jaws and watched Laird Hamilton tow-in surfing. I've seen humpback whales being born. I've flown though Waimea canyon on Kauai. I've flown through volcanic craters on "The Big Island". I've seen the chains at the feet of the Statue of Liberty. I've flown down 42nd St. in NYC just above streetlight level.

I've also taken bird strikes in pitch black conditions, flown in "The Perfect Storm" and Hurricane Bob, had MGB low oil P lights 125nm from the beach, landed on a flight deck in very rough seas and had 6 very close friends die. One of them in my arms.

It can be great. It can take you close to death and just as easilly take you all the way there.

The absolute best maintained vehicles in the world, bar none, are US Military Helicopters and I'm proud to say that among them, the Coast Guard helos by far have the best safety record despite the worst flying conditions. (barring gunfire of course) Despite that, stuff still happens. They still crash.

Civilian helicopters are maintained under an entirely different paradigm. Their safety record reflects that.

what is PIC? I figured some of those acronyms wouldn't be easy to obtain.

Pilot in Command. It means you are in the right seat (PIC sits on the right in a helo because Igor wanted it that way) and are "THE PILOT" vs left seat as "Co-pilot". You signed for the plane, you are ultimately responsible.

[WS6]

It can be absolutely glorious. Flying low and slow gives you a view of the world like no other. I've hovered in the channel at Jaws and watched Laird Hamilton tow-in surfing. I've seen humpback whales being born. I've flown though Waimea canyon on Kauai. I've flown through volcanic craters on "The Big Island". I've seen the chains at the feet of the Statue of Liberty. I've flown down 42nd St. in NYC just above streetlight level.

That sounds amazing and makes me want to sign up tomorrow. Did you ever pilot or did you just jump out the side? I'm a terrible swimmer so I could never do that job.

That was funny Ken. Thanks for sharing

[Damn True]

That sounds amazing and makes me want to sign up tomorrow. Did you ever pilot or did you just jump out the side? I'm a terrible swimmer so I could never do that job.

That was funny Ken. Thanks for sharing

Flew quite a bit on test flights, but rarely on operational missions. I think my logbook has about 500hrs of stick time. I was an aircrewman so normally I was in the back, winch operator keeping the meatheads up front from doing something stupid and plucking tea-bags (rescue swimmers) out of the water.

Got wet a few times in the course of training programs etc but I didn't care for being outside of the helo and therefore outside of the system of control.