aeroscout Posted January 22, 2014 Report Share Posted January 22, 2014 Gentlemen, thanks for all of your input on this topic. This type of stuff really helps paint an accurate picture of what EMS pilot life is like. I agree that there are not that many 2-3 thousand hour helicopter pilots out there. I don't see that number increasing any time soon either. Have any of you noticed a shortage of qualified pilots? If there is a shortage I'm wondering if the salaries may increase. Maybe just wishful thinking on my part.The minimums have been lowered to increase the HEMS pilot application pool. Since they will be less qualified, and a bigger pool, guess what kind of pressure that puts on wages ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilot#476398 Posted January 22, 2014 Report Share Posted January 22, 2014 I've always heard that every season there is a butt-load of 1000 hour pilots applying to the entry level tour gigs. So if there is a shortage of 2-3 thousand hour pilots, then what are these tour pilots doing once they get over 2000 hours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Posted January 22, 2014 Report Share Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) EMS is structured to prevent accumulating useful, general experience.LZ minimums are generous 'white tire' (any solo pilot) dimensions. Almost big enough for Piper Cub, easy for a Pilatus Porter.You can't do a weather 'look-see'. Ever. 700 and 2 will be the worst you ever see, and not for long.The flight parameters are designed to keep one so far from the limits that you'll never get a real sense of performance margins and capability (other than vertical ascents at max gross). Your next ride Airbus ride is radical maneuvering compared to EMS 'book' strictures.You don't want a nervous medic narcing you out, either. And you never know who had a bad night... The company training probably won't increase your level of skill, either. Pick up Part 1 and the PTS for COM, and that's your standard of excellence- forever! Meanwhile, the average 3000 hour pilot hired next year, year after, or 8 years from now will always be better than you. That pilot has pushed the margins twice as long as you before he starts rusting... Edited January 22, 2014 by Wally 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azhigher Posted January 24, 2014 Report Share Posted January 24, 2014 Yikes, what were you doing before where you felt like you were pushing the margins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Yikes, what were you doing before where you felt like you were pushing the margins? Not test piloting or anything impressive like that. Just 100-150 landings a day, yanking and banking as GoM field ship pilot for 45,000 landings, single and twin. If I wasn't at some flight limit I was wasting MY time, the customer had a block time contract. "Cruise" was when I was looking for the next platform through the greenhouse... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilot#476398 Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Not test piloting or anything impressive like that. Just 100-150 landings a day, yanking and banking as GoM field ship pilot for 45,000 landings, single and twin. If I wasn't at some flight limit I was wasting MY time, the customer had a block time contract. "Cruise" was when I was looking for the next platform through the greenhouse... 150 landings a day? What exactly are you doing out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 (edited) 150 landings a day? What exactly are you doing out there? 2-4 minute legs:Putting the crews on the platforms at sunrise;Flying parts, tools and supplies;Delivering lunches;Moving crews;Picking'em up before downtime;And, on an average day, 1 trip to the beach, 11 minutes each way and 1 external load, both of which were not 'block' time. That field was an oval 3 nm E-W and 5 nm N-S, 20 platforms, and 2 field ships.Automation did away with this kind of operation. At that time, some field bosses would tell the pilot to fly "X" hours that day, just bore holes, to add flight time to justify having the field ship... Edited January 25, 2014 by Wally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azhigher Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 Aaahh, I gotcha. Thanks =) Not test piloting or anything impressive like that. Just 100-150 landings a day, yanking and banking as GoM field ship pilot for 45,000 landings, single and twin. If I wasn't at some flight limit I was wasting MY time, the customer had a block time contract. "Cruise" was when I was looking for the next platform through the greenhouse... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gomer Pylot Posted January 25, 2014 Report Share Posted January 25, 2014 I had a job like that. 100 landings was a slow day. "Bring me a wrench. Wrong wrench. Bring another. Bring me a Coke. Bring me a roll of tape. Take me to another platform." I only shut down to refuel. Otherwise, just sitting, running, waiting for a call, which didn't take long. Once or twice a hitch I got to go to the beach, about 3 miles away, and that was a long flight. A few times a day I did sling-loads, mostly 55-gal drums and slugging pumps. I had to be very low on fuel to lift the big pump in the summer. By the time I got out of that mess, I could land a 206B pretty well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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