First Jobs

[mrpresident]

I know that most career minded pilots get a CFI and land an instructing gig to build up some time. But after that, where are some good places to land a "career" job. It seems to me to the GOM is the only one that takes a lot of low time guys.

 

What about tour companies (LV, Hawaii, Alaska)?

 

What about firefighting?

 

And what about overseas? Are there good low time oppertunities overseas? What locations, and how do you go about getting one?

 

Any info is worth it's weight in gold,

 

Thanks,

Wil

[Guest rookie101]

The GOM and touring are the only ones in the U.S. that will stick you in a VFR single-engine turbine helicopter if you've got a 1,000 hrs. You can get into a GOM company with low hours (600 hrs. I believe) sitting in as SIC on a IFR twin-engine medium i.e. S76 and then they stick you in the capatain seat of a light single-engine VFR helo. (206's more than likely). Since each nation has it's own version of the FAA, your probably going to need their certificates so it'll probably be hard to find a low time job in a country you didn't get your certificates from.

 

Here's a thread that you might find useful as far as the touring thing goes.

 

http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterfor...8&hl=TEMSCO

[flingwing206]

I know that most career minded pilots get a CFI and land an instructing gig to build up some time. But after that, where are some good places to land a "career" job. It seems to me to the GOM is the only one that takes a lot of low time guys.

 

What about tour companies (LV, Hawaii, Alaska)?

Both GOM and Grand Canyon/Alaska tours are where most of the thousand-hour CFI's go.

What about firefighting?

Firefighting is arguably one of the most challenging and dangerous flying jobs you can have - as such you will only see very experienced long-line pilots in those helicopters.

And what about overseas? Are there good low time opportunities overseas?

No. There are zero low-time opportunities overseas, which is why you see so many EC pilots on J1 visas working as CFIs over here. They are in a race to get as many hours as they can before their visa runs out.

[wheatbix]

Most people go into charter work (and joy flights) or instructing.

 

There's no way you'd be able to get a firefighting job fresh out of training - its one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs available to pilots.

 

You could always try mustering, i'm not sure what the restrictions are on ag work over there.

 

good luck but

[joshroyse.com]

oh ya...helitack is what we all want..but its the hardest job to get in the heli business(or one of them)...i was told to be a CFI and build five hundred hours...apparently the alaskan pipeline is hiring pilots with five hundred hours....you can get over a thousand hours of turbine time with them....thats what im planning to do...good luck bro

 

josh royse