badtransam97 Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 A question for all you dual rated folks. If you had to pick either FW or RW flying, which would you do for a living? I am about to start my heli training later this month, and am looking forward to it. I already have fw ratings. I sometimes wonder if I should stick with fw and make a career of that, or go ahead and pursue the rw route. I have a CFI job lined up after rw training is completed. I just was wondering what some of you guys that did both liked the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikemv Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 What FW ratings do you have? Are you doing additional Category route to RW? How many RW hours/ratings do you expect to have when you go to work and in what aircraft? Best of luck, MikeMV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badtransam97 Posted January 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 (edited) I currently have private single, multiengine and instrument ratings. I should have my commercial ratings by the time I start rw training in the fall. I am just gonna do the rw add-ons and will have at least 200hrs rw time when I start instructing. I will be doing most, if not all my training in the r-22 and r-44. Edited January 3, 2010 by badtransam97 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikemv Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 I would recommend getting all of your FW CFI/GI ratings and doing commercial RW add on and RW Instrument. At that time evaluate where the global economy is and the state of aviation in general. Some Corporations have both FW & RW aircraft and being dual rated is a plus. The FW side of aviation is much larger than the RW side and thus can offer more opportunity. There is also more competion for jobs because there are more FW pilots both training and trying to make aviation a career. In the mean time start watching pilot requirements for jobs on both sides and try to find out Insurance reqs also. Plan your training/ratings/experience to be employable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bossman Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 badtransam97,Your original question was which one do they like most. Instead of trying to discourage you with all the negatives I'll tell you that the Rotor Wing is the most challenging and also the most fun. If you decide to stick with Fixed Wing at least get the Rotor Private as an add-on. You will never regret it, and you will always be able to say, I can fly a helicopter. All in all, the guys and gals that can make that statement are a very small percentage of the worlds population. Come over to the dark side, become one of the bastard stepchildren of aviation, you will not regret your time in a helicopter. It is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick1128 Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 While there are some companies that operate both RW and FW, the people they tend to hire have more helicopter qualifications and time than FW. This is mostly due to insurance requirements. I am dual rated, but do not have a lot of helicopter time and that makes it tough to get a helicopter job. The real world as far as flying FW or RW is that there is better earning potential in the FW world. But keep in mind the better the earnings potential, the larger the suitcase you need as you will be on the road longer. But in reality it comes down to what you will enjoy and be happier at. One suggestion, is since your helicopter instrument will be an add-on rating, do it as part of your CFII-H training and checkride. And do your helicopter CFI as soon as possible after your commercial-helicopter ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badtransam97 Posted January 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Thanks for the replies! I know there is probably more money to be earned in fw, but like you said, I'd be gone alot more. I have a friend that is trying to get out of 121 ops right now b/c of missing so much family life, that's a part I wouldn't like. I also think that there is possibly more stability in the rw side vs all the layoffs and furloughs going on in fw. I think a part of me is just second guessing my descision to change to rw. I know it's tons more fun than fw, I do have a few hrs in helis, and my dad was an avid private heli pilot. I guess the part I'd miss most about fw, is cruising the FL's and flying big iron..lol! My goal in rw is EMS, but I was thinking if I could manage to become dual rated, other opportunities might arise where I could fly both. Well enough rambling by me, just hoping some of you might have been in my position before and could share your story of how you made the choice between the two. Thanks again for all your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam32 Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Don't Airline captains work about 10 days a month and make around $200k/yr? I don't know many helicopter pilots doing that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miloe Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Don't Airline captains work about 10 days a month and make around $200k/yr? I don't know many helicopter pilots doing that...Wonder how many years they have in the regionals and then in the airlines to get to that point/payscale? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badtransam97 Posted January 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Some captains do, but that's mostly 20yr captains. In the days before deregulation, that kind of schedule and pay was more prevalent, nowdays, one will usually spend at least 5yrs at a regional making 15-30k a year as an FO on reserve, with about 10 days off a month, then move to captain, and maybe one day get the chance to move onto the majors. Its really changed alot. It used to be the regionals were just a rung in the ladder to the majors, now it's just a "hope" of going to a major. At least there is corporate and freight..lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apiaguy Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 It is complete crap to say that you'll be gone more as a fixed wing pilot. It is complete crap to say that the fixed wing side is more unstable because of lay-offs/furlough. As far as which is more fun... duhh,, you're on a helicopter site!?!? Fun is dependant on who you are and what you are doing... I can have fun doing both. If you are tipsy you may always find yourself wanting what you're NOT doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkidKid Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 It is complete crap to say that you'll be gone more as a fixed wing pilot. It is complete crap to say that the fixed wing side is more unstable because of lay-offs/furlough. As far as which is more fun... duhh,, you're on a helicopter site!?!? Fun is dependant on who you are and what you are doing... I can have fun doing both. If you are tipsy you may always find yourself wanting what you're NOT doing. Some of what you say is accurate. I am dual rated, and enjoy both, but the helicopter is the last "seat of the pants" flying you can do and still make a reasonable living. I enjoy the FW for the accuracy and precision of the flight. What is not accurate is your statement regarding the turmoil in the FW employment. Layoffs and furloughs occur frequently with company buy outs, national emergencies, union actions, etc.. I have a brother flying for one of the majors and had the opportunity to join that company. His history is one of feast and famine. True that he earns about $180K per year now, but in the same timeframe of employment, I have earned more total money, without having the stress of unemployment. It took him 10 years of bouncing around the majors, after a 9 year career in the Air Force, to get into a stable situation, and that is not guaranteed. His company is now looking at bankruptcy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam32 Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 Wonder how many years they have in the regionals and then in the airlines to get to that point/payscale? Probably less years then a RW CFI to get to 1500hrs...then the heli pilot will make around $50-80k...and most likely work more days a month... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 (edited) I went though all of the fixed wing training available and then switched to helicopter and did the same. Your chances of getting a job in airplanes after your initial training are much much higher. At my 141 school the regionals were hiring at 250 hours, with 0 dual given I came out with that. On the helicopter side many people, myself included came out of training with no job possibilities what so ever. For many it was hundreds of thousands down the drain, the system depends on more CFI hopefuls then CFI's, so somewhere most will get burned. Unlike fixed wing, helicopters don't have lots of doctors and lawyers getting just a private, or regional air carriers scooping up low time pilots. About half the airplane pilots I have met are miserable, much less so with helicopters. Quality of life seems better with helicopters, I know several ex airline pilots who left for a better life. I can't recommend one or the other, if I could do it over again I would have just gone to mechanic school and built hours on the side. Edited January 4, 2010 by Shaun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyMountainPilot Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I am dual rated and I found it easier to make a more money and have a lot more free time in FW than helicopters. I fly about the same as when I flew EMS, and I make a little more money. But with EMS I had to be at station 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, every other week. I did like being home every night when I flew RW, but I never went to exotic places flying RW either. However, many FW jobs are nothing more than a scheduled route day-in and day-out. It depends on the type of FW job. I can see how flying for the airlines could get boring quickly. Flying corporate can be much more fun with the right employer. Of course I would drive a tour bus for the right client;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edspilot Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 Ok, all great points. No, I do not have any magic answer to you question, just my experience so here goes. At 18 years old (1972) I wanted to fly helicopters. However, with the returning Vietnam vets were a plenty as the war was returning many helicopter pilots and the outlook for me was going to be few. That led me to start my FW training in 1973. I figured that I’d be still flying and after some time I could transition to RW later when the outlook was maybe better. I got my Pvt, Comm, Seaplane, Instrument, Multi, CFI, CFII and my college degree all by July 1976 in FW. I then started FW flying, instructing, charter, towing banners and flying the mail, (yes, back then there were contract pilots for the post office.) Along the way I added my ATP too. In 1984 I did my transition to RW Comm & CFI in the Bell 47D&G. What a ‘ball” that was! I continued to fly FW and a little in the RW (mostly playing and some copilot.) I joined U.S. Customs Service as an aircraft pilot in 1986 and flew FW 98% of the time for the next 20 years and enjoyed every minute of it but missed the RW, but it paid the bills quite well so I just did without the RW and retired in 2006. In 2006 being retired and 52 years old, I wanted to do more RW flying so I went to the airport and did the SFAR 73 checks in the R22 & R44. I know that I will never have time (life left) to build enough time to fly any of the bigger stuff in RW. Therefore, I made the decision to just fly RW for fun. So, in May 2009, I bought one of the SSH ships at a great price and have been flying it ever since. I may open my flying up to others by allowing some low time RW pilots time building opportunities this year since I fly mostly solo. I know it is difficult to build the time and I want to help others to get over that 200 hour mark so they can at least teach. That has been my take and why I am where I am in the dual-rated world. Remember, you still have to pay the bills so be sure plan to do that first. If that is in flying, great. If not be smart to just fly for fun and enjoy! I'm enjoying my fun R22 flying.... edspilot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badtransam97 Posted January 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 Great points guys! I appreciate your responses very much..keep on posting them..lol! I believe I would enjoy flying rw for the most part, but if I were to come across a corporate gig, or border patrol or something that would be awesome! The way it stands now, I am on track to have my comm fw and then the rw program I'm starting this fall includes 200hrs and then a job CFI/tours. I figure if something falls thru with the heli's, I can always head to Fl and tow banners to build some hrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Lyman Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 A question for all you dual rated folks. If you had to pick either FW or RW flying, which would you do for a living? I am about to start my heli training later this month, and am looking forward to it. I already have fw ratings. I sometimes wonder if I should stick with fw and make a career of that, or go ahead and pursue the rw route. I have a CFI job lined up after rw training is completed. I just was wondering what some of you guys that did both liked the best. I think most will agree: All things being equal (pay, availability, reliability, etc...) it's a no-brainer...RW. But that is rarely the case. I did fixed wing instruction for awhile because work was available and the cost of the CFI rating was cheaper. Now I do little FW instructing and fly RW full time. I like it a LOT more the FW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotorrodent Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Don't Airline captains work about 10 days a month and make around $200k/yr? I don't know many helicopter pilots doing that... You have it all wrong. Airline Captains have 10 days "off" a month and make $100K/year. AG heli pilots do better than that! Rotorrodent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotorrodent Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 Wonder how many years they have in the regionals and then in the airlines to get to that point/payscale? I know a 747 Captain at United Air Lines who has been there for 25 years but it is his 4th airline. He made 747 Captain 38 years after he was flight instructing in Cessna's. In 2003, United Pilots took a 50% paycut. 747 Captains make somewhere around $190K/year. Looks like it took him 38 years to make the big pay. That's why they call it a career! Copilots are about half that amount for 747. Bottom pilots make something like $80k/year so I hear. Cheers Rotorrodent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam32 Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 You have it all wrong. Airline Captains have 10 days "off" a month and make $100K/year. AG heli pilots do better than that! Rotorrodent It has changed then...still more days off a month then most heli pilots...and more money... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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