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Hello, I'm currently working on my fixed-wing private and think I want to career as a Helicopter pilot. My biggest question is: does the school and/or machine you train in impact your career when it comes time to get a job?

 

I live in East Texas and would be willing to travel to another State for a school that's valued more by the industry (assuming any/many exist.) Are there any schools near me that one would recommend?

 

Also, is it important to get a relevant degree along side flight training or is that not really a big enough advantage to worry about?

 

Thanks for all replies.

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It doesn't matter what machine you train in as long as the school who trains you hires you and you stay there until another job comes around.

 

If the school who trains you does not hire you then 175 hours R22 time and 25 hours R44 time would make you the most marketable, provided you are a CFII,...unless the only school around hiring flies Enstroms, then,...?

 

I don't know exactly where in Texas they are, but if I were there I'd train at Sky Helicopters as I believe they do a lot of ENG work in the R44 that I would guess their CFII's get to move into?

 

A four year degree in a marketable field is a good idea, just in case you never find work as a pilot,...or you decide flying commercially sucks!

 

,...advice from a failure, take with a grain of salt.

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Hello, I'm currently working on my fixed-wing private and think I want to career as a Helicopter pilot. My biggest question is: does the school and/or machine you train in impact your career when it comes time to get a job?

 

I live in East Texas and would be willing to travel to another State for a school that's valued more by the industry (assuming any/many exist.) Are there any schools near me that one would recommend?

 

Also, is it important to get a relevant degree along side flight training or is that not really a big enough advantage to worry about?

 

Thanks for all replies.

 

The most popular helicopter used in the training sector is the Robinson R22 or R44. Therefore, it stands to reason, having extensive experience in these airframes would be wise decision for an entry level applicant. With that, the Robinson products have an SFAR requirement for instructors which will need to be satisfied in order to teach in those airframes. That requirement will determine your overall cost of your training….

 

As for what school to attend, it’s a matter of the numbers. The school with the largest fleet usually has the largest student body. A large student body results in instructors gaining time quickly and subsequently moving on to the next job. This turnover creates the best possibilities for graduates being hired into vacant or added instructor spots. Take your time and do the research.

 

No, degrees are not important if you’re simply seeking to be a helicopter (line) pilot. If you have the time and money to spend on a degree, you’d probably should reconsider becoming a commercial helicopter pilot….. And, the helicopter business is not like the airplane business so make sure you do your research thoroughly…

Edited by Spike
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It doesn't matter what machine you train in as long as the school who trains you hires you and you stay there until another job comes around.

If the school who trains you does not hire you then 175 hours R22 time and 25 hours R44 time would make you the most marketable, provided you are a CFII,...unless the only school around hiring flies Enstroms, then,...?

I don't know exactly where in Texas they are, but if I were there I'd train at Sky Helicopters as I believe they do a lot of ENG work in the R44 that I would guess their CFII's get to move into?

I worked for Sky for a short while. Very solid outfit, and would recommend in Texas.

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The most popular helicopter used in the training sector is the Robinson R22 or R44. Therefore, it stands to reason, having extensive experience in these airframes would be wise decision for an entry level applicant. With that, the Robinson products have an SFAR requirement for instructors which will need to be satisfied in order to teach in those airframes. That requirement will determine your overall cost of your training….

 

As for what school to attend, it’s a matter of the numbers. The school with the largest fleet usually has the largest student body. A large student body results in instructors gaining time quickly and subsequently moving on to the next job. This turnover creates the best possibilities for graduates being hired into vacant or added instructor spots. Take your time and do the research.

 

No, degrees are not important if you’re simply seeking to be a helicopter (line) pilot. If you have the time and money to spend on a degree, you’d probably should reconsider becoming a commercial helicopter pilot….. And, the helicopter business is not like the airplane business so make sure you do your research thoroughly…

Information regarding the helicopter industry is inconsistent and varies from person to person. Some people tell me to just do it and go for it, some tell me I absolutely need a backup plan and it's luck based making it in the industry.

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Information regarding the helicopter industry is inconsistent and varies from person to person. Some people tell me to just do it and go for it, some tell me I absolutely need a backup plan and it's luck based making it in the industry.

If everything works out for you;

 

It was hard work, dedication, and the right attitude, so go for it!

 

If things don't work out for you;

 

Its all luck, so have a backup plan!

 

 

Here's a story from my very first interview.

 

Out of about 500 resumes he had widdled it down to just me and one other guy. Why was I chosen to go to the next step? He said he liked how I had a real positive attitude over the phone.

 

During the face to face interview (in which he asked many more questions than my Private and Commercial orals combined) several times I would give him the correct answer, but then he would tell me I was wrong. I would think again, then say something like, No, I'm pretty sure I'm right. In the end he said that he didn't like how he was able to make me doubt myself. So the other guy got the job.

 

,...four months later he posted an ad again! I guess the other guy didn't work out either?

 

The job I finally did get I interviewed there three different times over a four year period.

Edited by r22butters
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If everything works out for you;

 

It was hard work, dedication, and the right attitude, so go for it!

 

If things don't work out for you;

 

Its all luck, so have a backup plan!

 

 

Here's a story from my very first interview.

 

Out of about 500 resumes he had widdled it down to just me and one other guy. Why was I chosen to go to the next step? He said he liked how I had a real positive attitude over the phone.

 

During the face to face interview (in which he asked many more questions than my Private and Commercial orals combined) several times I would give him the correct answer, but then he would tell me I was wrong. I would think again, then say something like, No, I'm pretty sure I'm right. In the end he said that he didn't like how he was able to make me doubt myself. So the other guy got the job.

 

,...four months later he posted an ad again! I guess the other guy didn't work out either?

 

The job I finally did get I interviewed there three different times over a four year period.

He didn't like that you were skeptical of yourself? So he essentially didn't like that you were being honest and critical of your self which would probably mean you're the kind of person who realizes you're Human and will self-correct.

 

I guess he'd rather hire someone who's arrogant over someone willing to learn and question themselves.

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Information regarding the helicopter industry is inconsistent and varies from person to person. Some people tell me to just do it and go for it, some tell me I absolutely need a backup plan and it's luck based making it in the industry.

 

The people (meaning real people, not cyberspace experts) you should talk to are the ones with real, long-term, experience in this industry. These folks have survived the ebbs and flows of this business over time and will provide you with solid information. However, like me, most will say “go for it” as we (I) “did it” so why can’t you?

 

And, luck isn’t something I’d risk my future on. Success in this business is based on patience, sacrifice, determination, flexibility, availability and in the beginning, a boat load of money. The sad reality is, in the helicopter business, the “backup” plan is usually more financially stable, more secure in the long term and sacrifice free (comparatively speaking), then the helicopter business. Therefore, why place flying a helicopter in such high regard? These are the kind of questions you’ll need to answer for yourself.

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Train at a school that offers the possibility of job. The Robbie seems to be the platform of choice for instruction and should be considered.

 

Here's the critical question: Where would you rather be in 10 years- Wishing you had tried or glad that you did? Working professional pilots all started at zero. They all acquired experience wherever they could, and they all chased jobs,(unless they had a sponsor and a place before they started, besides Uncle Sam I've seen this once).

Flight instruction is the most common way to gain experience, but I know people who started their own helicopter company to build time. I knew an unusually talented and capable pilot who ran heavy machinery, worked in entertainment and was highly skilled artisan besides all that who slept rough and put considerable hard-earned cash into buying time. The point is, it can be done.

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Here's the critical question: Where would you rather be in 10 years- Wishing you had tried or glad that you did?

I wouldn't be me if I didn't point out the third possibility - I can't believe I pissed away that much money, what the Hell was I thinking, no job is worth this!?

 

,...now time to get drunk, try and forget 2016, and ring in what will hopefully be a less sucky year? :D

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Thanks for all the replies. I've already accepted that this would be a career of passion and not easy/stable money. I'm okay with that.

 

I've considered getting an A&P or some other rating to work in/around the field so I have a fallback plan that keeps me near the field/industry and whatnot.

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I wouldn't be me if I didn't point out the third possibility - I can't believe I pissed away that much money, what the Hell was I thinking, no job is worth this!?

 

,...now time to get drunk, try and forget 2016, and ring in what will hopefully be a less sucky year? :D

 

You spent years getting there and you quit. Your training was adequate, but you quit. The industry provided at least one long sought opportunity, and you quit. Be honest about it, you quit. Perhaps it was a well founded safety decision, perhaps not- you made the call, you're alive but you quit. Your experience in many ways is typical, except that you didn't find a way to do the job and you quit. You were beaten before you started if you see all that as a waste, but it would be so if you wasted it.

 

You're right- it would be easier to get drunk and just throw cash out the window. But not nearly as personally rewarding.

Edited by Wally
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You spent years getting there and you quit. Your training was adequate, but you quit. The industry provided at least one long sought opportunity, and you quit. Be honest about it, you quit. Perhaps it was a well founded safety decision, perhaps not- you made the call, you're alive but you quit. Your experience in many ways is typical, except that you didn't find a way to do the job and you quit. You were beaten before you started if you see all that as a waste, but it would be so if you wasted it.

 

You're right- it would be easier to get drunk and just throw cash out the window. But not nearly as personally rewarding.

Yep I quit, and if I had it to do over again I'd quit again! I regret my Commercial training, Instrument training, and the three times I tried to get my CFI! I regret every single penny spent on the R44, 206, 500, and s300!

 

It IS ten years later for me, and I'm not glad I tried, I'm wishing I never had! Some of us are better off as just Private Pilots, and I wish it hadn't taken me so long to accept that!

 

Your damn right I quit!

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Well, some people just aren't cut out for it. If you were in the military, you probably would have been scrubbed off course. But in the civil world, the school wants your money, and anybody with enough money, no matter how unsuitable, will get through eventually. But then he will have huge trouble finding and retaining a job.

 

Not the school's problem - he reached the minimum acceptable standard and got a ticket.

Not society's problem.

 

Problem belong you. But stop whingeing about how tough it is - you just weren't the right fit.

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Gentlemen....lets get back on topic here and come to the consensus that the 300C is way better than the r22 regardless of fact/reason/reality and logic

Why do some schools train in the 300? Profit?

 

Because as an outsider from what I see it looks most beneficial to train in Robinsons as they're used most commonly everywhere else.

 

What do you think of the Cabri G2?

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I've considered getting an A&P or some other rating to work in/around the field so I have a fallback plan that keeps me near the field/industry and whatnot.

 

 

In this business, next to flying, wrenching is the next best thing. That is, if you’re mechanically inclined and somewhat mechanically talented…

 

Not necessarily as a backup plan, I obtained my A&P and it has provided me with opportunities during my flying career and, will continue to do so when I can no longer fly. I also became a Police Officer so that will also give me additional avenues for employment after flying… However, like I said, neither of these accomplishments were gained as a backup plan. For me, I believed it was simply a necessary part of my pilot career advancement… So yes, gaining an A&P would be a good backup plan especially when compared to something like a degree in Sociology…

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In this business, next to flying, wrenching is the next best thing. That is, if you’re mechanically inclined and somewhat mechanically talented…

 

Not necessarily as a backup plan, I obtained my A&P and it has provided me with opportunities during my flying career and, will continue to do so when I can no longer fly. I also became a Police Officer so that will also give me additional avenues for employment after flying… However, like I said, neither of these accomplishments were gained as a backup plan. For me, I believed it was simply a necessary part of my pilot career advancement… So yes, gaining an A&P would be a good backup plan especially when compared to something like a degree in Sociology…

I think I'm going to get an A&P first since from everything I've read if I want to fly helicopters I probably could benefit from a safety net. Being a helicopter A&P sounds like a great safety net that could provide opportunities as a commercial pilot as well.

 

I actually can't figure out if Helicopter A&P would be an add-on rating or if it's separate from GA fixed-wing stuff. So.. if you or anyone here can direct me to where I can learn all I need to about the reqs, ratings and so on I'd appreciate it.

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I actually can't figure out if Helicopter A&P would be an add-on rating or if it's separate from GA fixed-wing stuff. So.. if you or anyone here can direct me to where I can learn all I need to about the reqs, ratings and so on I'd appreciate it.

 

US Citizen: Requirements to get a mechanic's certificate?

 

1. You must be:

 

at least 18 years old;

able to read, write, speak, and understand English.

 

2. You must get 18 months of practical experience with either power plants or airframes, or 30 months of practical experience working on both at the same time.

 

The experience is normally obtained by performing aviation related work when supervised by a person with a valid mechanic’s certificate with airframe rating, power plant rating or airframe and power plant ratings (A&P)

 

You can work for an FAA Repair Station or FBO under the supervision of a certified mechanic for 18 months for each certificate, or 30 months for both. You must document your experience with pay receipts, a log book signed by your supervising mechanic, a notarized statement from your employer, or other proof you worked the required time.

 

As an alternative to this experience requirement, you can graduate from an FAA-Approved Aviation Maintenance Technician School.

 

3. You must pass three types of tests;

 

a written examination

an oral test

a practical test

 

Ref Link: Become a Mechanic

 

CFR Part 65; Subpart D – Mechanics; §65.71 - §65.95

Edited by iChris
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Hello, I'm currently working on my fixed-wing private and think I want to career as a Helicopter pilot. My biggest question is: does the school and/or machine you train in impact your career when it comes time to get a job?

 

I live in East Texas and would be willing to travel to another State for a school that's valued more by the industry (assuming any/many exist.) Are there any schools near me that one would recommend?

 

Also, is it important to get a relevant degree along side flight training or is that not really a big enough advantage to worry about?

 

Thanks for all replies.

Why do some schools train in the 300? Profit?

 

Because as an outsider from what I see it looks most beneficial to train in Robinsons as they're used most commonly everywhere else.

 

What do you think of the Cabri G2?

Employers don't really care about what school you do your initial training at. Deciding factors for employment will be your flight experience (hours flown, aircraft types and local area knowledge / experience in the type of flying being done), your personality and who you know.

 

That being said, your first job as a civilian pilot will be as a CFI. Your best bet at getting that CFI job will be with the school you train at, as they will personally know you. For this reason, it is advisable to go to a large school with a high turnover, as there will be a steady stream of jobs becoming available. Bristow, Hillsboro and Mana Loa come to mind.

 

A college degree is not at all necessary to be successful as a helicopter pilot. That was one thing that was very appealing to me about this industry; I had no desire to pay for lectures that were completely irrelevant to what I wanted to do. Out of the hundreds of job listings I've seen over the years, I can only think of a couple that required a college degree, and they were outside of the US.

 

As for your question about the Schweitzer 300. Some schools use it because it is a vastly superior helicopter for training compared to the R22. The landing gear is more robust (reduced chance of damaging the aircraft doing hover autos, run-on landings and full down autos). The rotor system has more inertia, giving you a larger margin of error doing autorotations. It does not have a governor, which teaches students throttle control. The cockpit is larger, which allows it to accommodate larger students. And the operating cost is only slightly higher then the R22. However, very few schools use the S300; for that reason alone you should train in the R22, in order to maximize job opportunities. Better yet, train in both.

Edited by Hand_Grenade_Pilot
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As for your question about the Schweitzer 300. Some schools use it because it is a vastly superior helicopter for training compared to the R22.

I was just about to start arguing, but then I thought, your right the 300 is a better "trainer"! Its slower, less responsive, and both you and your Cfi can be a big fat-ass! Plus its not nearly as fun to fly, so you won't be tempted to hot-dog around during your solo time!

 

Go for the Cabri. That's the trainer of the future! :D

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I was just about to start arguing, but then I thought, your right the 300 is a better "trainer"! Its slower, less responsive, and both you and your Cfi can be a big fat-ass! Plus its not nearly as fun to fly, so you won't be tempted to hot-dog around during your solo time!

 

Go for the Cabri. That's the trainer of the future! :D

 

Right now, the future is a very tough job market.

The Cabri is very appealing but the R22 looked a disaster at a comparable point in its fielding. The school I worked then took a sales ride in one and emphatically(!) declined to use, buy, lease or operate them.

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