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More Lies???


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Thought I would share an article I found interesting off the news feed today:

 

Quote:

"The helicopter training program costs more than TSTC’s traditional flight program. Pearce said students will end up paying about $160,000 over the course of two years, compared to about $70,000 for students in the aircraft pilot training program.

But new helicopter pilots also earn higher wages immediately after graduation than commercial airplane pilots, in part because of the differences in pilot responsibilities."

Humor yourselves and read more directly from the article:

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/higher_education/tstc-starts-new-helicopter-training-program/article_85d57cb2-4d3a-5a3d-a779-ee0d88f28afd.html

Edited by Retreating Brain Stall
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I'm more curious as to what Robinson helicopters cost "$1.2 million apiece to buy".

 

And what the heck does this sentence even mean:

Pearce said students will end up paying about $160,000 over the course of two years, compared to about $70,000 for students in the aircraft pilot training program.

Does he mean "airplane" or are helicopters no longer considered "aircraft"? Sorry...am I being too anal?

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And my suspicion was confirmed lol. "UHI has incurred the upfront cost of the three helicopters, which approximates $1.2 million. " Their airplane program is called aircraft so yeah...

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCcQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tstc.edu%2Fdocs%2Fdoc.php%3Fid%3D8499&ei=MTX0U7eqFMf1iwLvvIGYCg&usg=AFQjCNEEjDh53CKmt4pDMAY-3waQ5TPBkw&sig2=wJe7gThr7RK4IrSPcHoIbg&bvm=bv.73373277,d.cGE

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I think the wage comparison is misleading. You're not gong to be earning 43 grand out of school unless you've got some pretty good connections. You're going to be earning the same 25 grand as a CFI that a regional FW guy starts at.

 

Also, you sure aren't going to be making 96 grand in 5 yrs either. That's twin IFR pay and no one is going to hire you when they have plenty of military twin guys filling the gap.

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I am positive I will make much more money flying helicopters over fixed wing.......

 

Mostly because I am not rated to fly fixed wing for money!!! Lol.

Edited by WolftalonID
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Instructing, wages are fairly comparable. After that, however, the helicopter pilot tends to make more for the first few years, perhaps as much as ten years, depending on the path of either one. The salary curve tends to flatten considerably for the helicopter pilot, while the fixed wing income should continue to climb.

 

There is a lot more the puzzle, however. In the grand scheme, fixed wing pilots are far more a dime a dozen than rotor pilots, and those who are dual rated are somewhat of a rarity. Fixed wing pilots tend to face far more competition for positions than rotor pilots, although there are also far more fixed wing aircraft and positions that come open.

 

In some arenas, the pay disparity is striking. While waiting on a fire recently, I listened to a discussion between a pilot flying an Astar and a pilot flying a single engine air tanker (SEAT). The air tanker pilot was making hundreds of dollars an hour for every flight hour as well as daily. His daily wage was higher than the helicopter pilot, but the helicopter pilot made nothing for each flight hour (TEMSCO). The helicopter pilot tended to fly a lot more hours in the summer on fires, but made far less. There were only about 55 SEAT positions available in a given year, however, and most of those were filled by returning pilots. The Astar pilot was returning, too, but not that far removed from instructing...only a few years into his career. Most of the SEAT pilots were 20-30 years into their career, with far more flight time.

 

The Astar pilot also had a job when the season ended, with the same employer. The SEAT pilot did not, and had to go find other work.

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[quote name="Bootcamp" post="158073" timestamp="1408502909"

Does he mean "airplane" or are helicopters no longer considered "aircraft"? Sorry...am I being too anal?

 

No, you have just gotten really good at interpreting the FARs;)

Edited by Retreating Brain Stall
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96k is attainable in 5 years after school. Tours at Maverick will do it, utility will do it, If you go gulf and make it into a medium... May not be the norm but it isn't unheard of either.

 

Also, you sure aren't going to be making 96 grand in 5 yrs either. That's twin IFR pay and no one is going to hire you when they have plenty of military twin guys filling the gap.

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96k is attainable in 5 years after school. Tours at Maverick will do it, utility will do it, If you go gulf and make it into a medium... May not be the norm but it isn't unheard of either.

 

I'd amend that to 5 years after you find your first job, which itself could be 5 years after school.

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