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Posted

hello

 

which industry would you make more money in, being a professional pilot and why. I assume airplanes, cause there are more of them flying. buy helicopters pilots are probably harder to come by. Is there more job stability in airplanes as well... why why why..

 

dlo

Posted (edited)

Some answers are ... it depends....

Generally speaking you will make more in the airplane world.... that has to do with commercial airline pilot salaries being top of the pilot job world. Yes, it seems there is more demand for airplane pilots because there is a larger fleet and people regularly use aiplane travel... helicopters are more mission specific and we try to use them when they make the most sense to be used (if an airplane can do the job just as well, use it to save operating costs) Helicopter pilots are not hard to come by... only helicopter pilots that have enough hours to insure, have the experience necessary for the job and will work for very little are hard to come by. (that's the operator talking)

Usually much more job stability in airplanes as they are scheduled operators where as helicopter ops are usually seasonal work. Also much more likely to be home at night with airplanes (airlines) than helicopters where work occurs "in the field" or away from home, where the job is, until it's complete.

 

I preceeded this post with ... it depends... because you can always find the opposite of what I said.

Edited by apiaguy
Posted

Your first link claims from 20k to 250k. At what point is a helicopter pilot worth 250k a year in relation to 20k?

Posted
There is more money in flying airplanes than helicopters. As for why, God only knows.

 

Because you can't fit 200+ people, at $150+ a seat, into a helicopter. It's easy to justify paying someone $200k to fly your machine when there are hundreds of people waiting to sue you when you injure them after wrecking your employers $15M aircraft.

 

As for "being home," there are very few Airline jobs where you are home for any predictable amount of time. The inconvenience decreases with years in service, but it will always be there. At least in the Helio world you have the hope of a normal family life with EMS, ENG or ALE, however minuscule that hope may be.

 

All that said, "It Depends" is still an excellent answer.

Posted (edited)

If you end up in a Part 121 flag carrier seat, you make more as an airplane pilot. Some corporate pilots do very well, too.

Helicopters are more "industrial" transport machines, doing specialized flying, competively bid. Some of these slots pay very, very well. They may not compare with senior airline captains, but still pretty good.

 

The rest of us journeyman helo drivers do about as well as your average airplane guy. A less experienced but widely employable helo pilot (more than a thousand hours, etc.) does a little better than a fixed wing guy. the airplane guy will sleep in civilized settings, and the helo guy'll be in the armpit of the world, but that's purely subjective- the fishing, etc., is pretty good off a rig, etc.

 

Those are just my impressions- actual mileage may vary.

Edited by Wally
Posted
hello

 

which industry would you make more money in, being a professional pilot and why. I assume airplanes, cause there are more of them flying. buy helicopters pilots are probably harder to come by. Is there more job stability in airplanes as well... why why why..

 

dlo

 

 

 

Two websites that can help start your own research:

I don't know the average for Corporate FW or RW but these are a start.

 

Helicopter

http://brian.hudson.home.mchsi.com/helopay...cales/index.htm

 

Fixed Wing

http://airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines.html

Posted

Hey,

 

Airplane industry would have to by far be more lucrative and have more opportunities for earning the higher dollar. This is deffinately so in New Zealand and Austrailia. If you want to earn big bucks your getting into the wrong industry, from my experience it takes a long time and a lot of hard work on a very very average wage trying to gain precious hours before you start earning a half decent wage.

 

The benifits of flying and deciding to go down the path of airplane or rotary shouldn't be made on how lucrative they are though. Alot also depends on what you are keen on you know. I have my rotary liscence, but that is because I have a passion for them and I think you need to have a big passion for either the airplane or helicopter to get through thoes slow years earning peanuts. If I didn't have the passion then I guess I would have made a career move by now!! The benifits of flying and deciding to go down the path of airplane or rotary shouldn't be made on how lucrative they.

 

Rotary to me is extremely more attrctive because of the variety that is possible for your average pilot where everyday can be different, and the work is or can be extremley specialised and require a lot of skill. Where to me being an airline pilot plugging in digits into the auto pilot and sitting back for a 3hr fligh just seems boring as and even though it would have a bigger pay cheeque doesnt beat rotary operations

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