Hiring heli students?

[heliav8t]

I just thought i would stir up some talk. some might think its a stupid idea but some might think it makes sense.

When a student goes to there flight school why do larger heli companies not go through some of the students and offer to pay for there school? They could have the student sign a contract stating that when they graduate they will go straight to them so that the company can teach the student to fly and represent there company just like they want. It would be a large capital but in the long run, wouldnt it do the company good so that they do not have to wait for just the right pilot and be out flying, making money? i am new to the industry and have just been wondering.

[Pohi]

I think, to answer your question, the phrase "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?" comes to mind.

 

It would be nice if companies would pay for certificates, and some will, but for the majority of the companies, there are stacks of qualified resumes on their desks. I could imagine that if the pool of pilots goes away, then what you talk about might be a little bit more common.

 

Just my two cents though.

[Shaun]

I would sign a contract just to get that job without anything in return, so companies really have no incentive to spend money on my training.

 

I wish companies would group together and own flight schools to forge a better link, and maybe then some of what you are proposing might occur.

[R22139RJ]

I would think that if the company wanted to pay for your training, they would train you themselves. Why pay for flight school when the company could have you completely familiar with their helicopters and operations. If they did the training when they were getting paid for the flights, it would be win win.

[heliav8t]

ya. that does make sense. thanks for the input guys. just thought i would stir up some conversation.

[csw1000]

Pohi is right, and there seems to be a lot of free milk these days. I'm spending thousands right now, along with a lot of other cats, to put some more of that "free milk" on said table. Back in the latter part of the 90's I got a job with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter as a financial advisor / stock broker "in training". The market was going crazy (.com days) and they needed cows, paid me 30k+ salary while I was in training, paid for my training and licensing, and put me up in Manhattan for a month working in the Trade Center II. That's when some "jerk in a chopper flew under me (66th floor) and reminded me I really need to fly. Anyway, as I am sure you can guess, they don't do that anymore. Online banking and investing and the near complete removal of the "Glass Wall" laws that restricted banks from selling investment products caused a sharp decline in demand for brokers. I wish there was as big a pilot shortage as SSH made it seem.

[SBuzzkill]

I can think of a few "companies" that do this, but it's a hefty commitment and it's not all fun and games

 

But as it has been said - they have a large amount of qualified pilots already out there. Not to mention a large pool who are paying their own way through training.

Edited February 3, 2010 by SBuzzkill