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Maxymillion
Original Poster
452 posts
93 months
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Hi All,
Just wondering if so.......what are the employment options like after you get the necessary qualifications? All over the place? How are opportunities like in the current climate?
Thanks in advance.
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Monkeylegend
3,262 posts
100 months
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Think it's all a bit up in the air at the moment, although William seems to be doing alright.
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Ray Luxury-Yacht
6,385 posts
85 months
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Better off posting in 'Boats Trains and Planes...'
However to give you some examples.
I know somone who is a long-standing Heli pilot, with a range of different type approvals, with many hours - including UK pipeline patrol flying, and some Police chopper work.
He seems to be reasonably well disposed to getting work - although he's often had to travel for it - doing some recent stints in the States.
However, I would suggest looking on the definitive site for pilots - PPrune.com - and you'll see that newly qualified / low hours pilots are really struggling for decent, regular employment.
Even pilots are having a big battle in the recession!
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ETOPS
1,636 posts
67 months
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Ray Luxury-Yacht said: .
Even pilots are having a big battle in the recession! Aviation is one of the most volatile industries in the world. It always gets a beating in a recession, and is vulnerable to a huge number of threats, even when the economy is fine. Breaking in to the heli market as a pilot is very difficult nowadays. If you're experienced and connected, it is doable, but as Ray has mentioned, unless you become a lifer with Bond or Bristow (which face it, isn't the reason you chose helis), you'll have to move around for it. It's a small industry in the UK, which means that the trickle of highly trained, experienced military pilots entering civvy street tend to make up more than adequate numbers. It is possible, don't let me put you off, but it is a tough gig. Best of luck!
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rumple
2,527 posts
20 months
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What does it cost to gain a license, and what does it cost to find out you haven't got the apptitiude for it.
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Cock Womble 7
29,908 posts
99 months
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rumple said: and what does it cost to find out you haven't got the aptitude for it? A helicopter crash?
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HOGEPH
3,214 posts
55 months
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I was very fortunate in that I was sponsored and trained for my CPL(H) by Bristow Helicopters, they also provided my instrument rating, in return for working for them for a minimum of 6 years. (Did 13 in the end before moving on). To pay for that lot now myself would be far beyond my means, and I take my hat off to people willing to self sponsor in this present climate, as you could end up spending the thick end of £100,000.
First thing you'd need to do is get a trial lesson to see if you like flying a helicopter. As others have said, try Rotorheads on Pprune, they have a thread with all the info you'd need.
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Siko
460 posts
111 months
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Hogeph....your username makes a lot of sense to me now ;-)
Where do you work now after the rigs? I am looking at the rigs as an option for when I leave my current job (mil rotary pilot) as they seem to be recruiting at the moment and buddies of mine really enjoy the lifestyle. Just the thought of the next 20-30 years of working in one of the most inhospitable environments and the dunker to put me off!
Where's a nice corporate job when you want one?!
To the OP one of my buddies just started a couple of months ago with a major helicopter company in the North Sea. He was the only ex-mil pilot amongst several full courses of pilots, all others were self-improvers (like you would be) with the odd ex-pipeline pilot or flying instructor thrown in. He started on over £60k and works 3-4hrs per day for a roster pattern that has him only working about half the year, with leave on top. Oh and all the usual healthcare, pension extras etc. Good luck!
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el stovey
13,497 posts
132 months
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Cock Womble 7 said: rumple said: and what does it cost to find out you haven't got the aptitude for it? A helicopter crash? 
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Vieste
9,108 posts
29 months
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Geneve
2,688 posts
88 months
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xRIEx
1,430 posts
17 months
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rumple said: What does it cost to gain a license, and what does it cost to find out you haven't got the apptitiude for it. In the region of £50K for a commercial licence. You need 155 hours before you can begin training. Private licence is about 40 hours, and training, exams, medicals etc. will be about £15K.
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Vieste
9,108 posts
29 months
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£50K wow is that the full on licence go where you want one?
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ryandoc
136 posts
24 months
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Ignore this wrong thread!
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gareth_t
127 posts
77 months
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Vieste said: £50K wow is that the full on licence go where you want one? Well you could gain a cpl for than money, but you wouldnt be instrument rated and only have the ability to fly the aircraft type you passed with (r22 for than money) You really could spend 150k+ on making yourself employable for offshore work.
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bulldong
1,240 posts
72 months
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Dr Jekyll
5,531 posts
130 months
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Vieste said: £50K wow is that the full on licence go where you want one? That's the 'go where you get paid to go' one. The go where you want one is the 15K one (PPL). To oversimplify. Private licence (PPL): Fly in good weather on whatever you trained on. Commercial licence (CPL): Ditto but you are allowed to get paid. Add: Type ratings for other helicopters. Instrument rating to allow flight in ‘instrument meterological conditions’ , (clouds basically). To earn a living you need the CPL obviously, a type rating in something appropriate (Jetranger maybe, preferably bigger and more expensive. An instrument rating (usually). And probably much more flying experience than you’ll get on your courses.
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Caruso
5,588 posts
125 months
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My brother spent about 10 years training and being a helicopter pilot, although there were long periods where he did other low paid jobs waiting for the next flying gig. Throughout the time he was perpetually skint. He paid for his own CPL and got occasional work instructing other CPL candidates, doing power line inspections, heli taxi work in Africa and the Seychelles, and finally living on a Tuna fishing boat in the Pacific flying a helicopter that the mechanic would refuse to go in! He eventually gave it up as he wanted a more settled lifestyle (and to not be constantly followed by cats everywhere he went!)
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