How do you guys do it? and is it worth it?

[OhhAndy]

I am taking a serious look into Helicopter training school but there are some things I am a bit concerned about. 1. The school is 55g from start to fininsh. 2. Everybody says there are more jobs out there than pilots but when you look on the boards there are maybe 50 jobs max through out the world that a newbie fresh out of school can actually qualify for. 3. If there are and excess of jobs then why are people literally begging for work and willing to travel anywhere to get the hours needed to qualify for a well paying job? 4. How the heck do you pay back you 55g loan and still live while only making 25-35g a year flying. 5 Why do rookie pilots make rediculously low money after they just paid a huge amount of money for school. I could make more at Mcdonalds flipping burgers for a year than a year of cfi pay. Please if I am wrong in any of this feel free to correct me and show me the light! thanks guys.

[Goldy]

I could make more at Mcdonalds flipping burgers

 

Hey now..I flipped burgers at McDonalds back in 1976...I was 16. I dont even fly for a living, but I can tell you flying helicopters is a lot more fun than flippin burgers. Bottom line, many people see it as doing something for a living that they really love to do...fly. Its not about the money...you're right, you can make 30-50K a year doing anything else..

 

If its about the money for you, then go get a great job, and you can fly on the side for fun.

 

Goldy

[slick1537]

1) I think that school is on the cheap side, there are a lot of other schools taht cost 5-10k more.

2) VR is not the only resource for jobs, if you look on other sites there are quite a few more job listings, however as a 1000hr pilot with no turbine experience, you don't qualify for much.

3) The job is a nomadic job, you have to go where the work is.

 

Give me a break about flipping burgers at mcdonalds, you ive worked a lot of shitty warehouse jobs, including one inside a freezer, and you only make 10-12 dollars an hour, that translates to around 25k a year before taxes. At least where I come from, NY thats more money than most people without a degree make. The fact of the matter is, you can pay your dues and make shitty money for 1-3 years while you train and instruct, then get a job at 45-50k a year as a 1000 hour pilot, thats a better salary than most people with a 4 year degree will make starting out, and your office can hover above beautiful landscapes (unless you work in the gulf ).

[captkirkyota]

>>>>if you look on other sites there are quite a few more job listings,

 

Beside JH, what are some other sites?

Thanks.

[slick1537]

Helitorque and vertical magazine are other sites, however I believe one of them is based in canada or the uk, i forget. I believe I also saw another website with strictly aviation jobs on it, but I dont remember what that was.

[HelliBoy]

The vast majority of jobs are attained word of mouth, and self promotion and networking (unless you work in the GOM, where you just show up ; ) ....), rather than from employers posting openings on the internet. The first job is the hardest to get by far but if you're dilligent you'll find one.

[OhhAndy]

The program I am looking at Is private, com, cfi and Instrument for 46,500 plus fuel. You graduate with 225hrs. After that I assume I would go to a full time CFII job making around 35g a yr... After about 1yr of that now I have apprx 1200hrs. My question is What kind of job can I expect with 1000-1200 hours and what kind of pay am I looking at? You see I am making 72g/yr right now with bonus pay included so this is a Major blow to me financially and I understand its a cool job but I do need to make enough to support my wife and two small children including paying back a very large student loan, its scary as hell!

[ARMYAV8R]

The program I am looking at Is private, com, cfi and Instrument for 46,500. You graduate with 225hrs. After that I assume I would go to a full time CFII job making around 35g a yr... After about 1yr of that now I have apprx 1200hrs. My question is What kind of job can I expect with 1000-1200 hours and what kind of pay am I looking at? You see I am making 72g/yr right now with bonus pay included so this is a Major blow to me financially and I understand its a cool job but I do need to make enough to support my wife and two small children including paying back a very large student loan, its scary as hell!

 

 

Andy, Depending on your age, and if you have college..you might be able to do what I have done....Join the Guard, and get paid to learn to fly, and still keep your 72G a year job

 

If you like...e-mail me for more information. I'll be glad to help

[Goldy]

Andy, Depending on your age, and if you have college..you might be able to do what I have done....Join the Guard, and get paid to learn to fly, and still keep your 72G a year job

 

If you like...e-mail me for more information. I'll be glad to help

 

Either that, or wait 20 years until the kids are out of school, then do it.

[OhhAndy]

Either that, or wait 20 years until the kids are out of school, then do it.

Yeah, I am 34 now so That would put me at 54, kind of a late start. What is the best financing for a deferred pymt plan, and is it worth it to get a college associates degree for the federal aid? As for the ANG, I would rather not end up in Mr. Bush's war, thanks for the suggestion though!

[Gomer Pylot]

The best you can get, right now, with ~1000-1500 hours, is about $50k/year. Every time you move to another job, you go back to newhire pay. 72k is toward the high end of the pay scale anywhere, with >10 years on the job.

[OhhAndy]

The best you can get, right now, with ~1000-1500 hours, is about $50k/year. Every time you move to another job, you go back to newhire pay. 72k is toward the high end of the pay scale anywhere, with >10 years on the job.

Are you saying that if I had 3000 hrs and went to another job I would go back to starting pay? It seems to me this is a profession you do for fun rather than to make money??? I had the Idea that pilots made good money and work was readily abundant but I am really starting to question if this is right for me or not. I am also hearing that people end up traveling to 5-10 locations in their pilot career and the work is extremly hard on families, all for 50g/yr? I am not all about the greenbacks but I am certainly not going to live just barley scraping by to pursue this career, Thanks for the imput guys!

[palmfish]

How about earning over $100,000/year flying everything from Blackhawk and A-Star helicopters, to Cessna 210 and Pilatus airplanes? Maybe you also want comprehensive health and life insurance? How about a 401K based retirement plan with employee matching funds?

 

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/career.../am_recruit.pdf

 

http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/jobsearch...mp;SUBMIT1.y=17

Edited August 15, 2007 by palmfish

[james28]

you could work as i pilot for smugglers. i hear they make pretty good money.

[apiaguy]

pilots do not make good money.... they can make ok money... not poverty level (except as a flight instructor..which you'll unlikely make 35g)

typically guys with 10 years plus experience are still in the 60's in income.....(and those are only some of the guys...many make less and not many more make more) ((or at least much more))

 

100k in the helicopter industry is only certain types of flying... it is pretty rare on the whole. You're much more likely to hit that number in the fixed wing world.

 

It seems to me that the helicopter industry is made up of two types of people as pilots.... 1) young dumb and full of ... wanting to "fly" and have a cool job that "isn't really work"... I believe there is a high drop-out rate in this category... maybe work a couple years in the industry and move to something else 2) more mature ex-military or civilian pilots that have experience in the industry and are surviving. I say surviving only because unless you own the company/helicopter... you're just the pilot and pilots are "a dime a dozen" because EVERYBODY (go with me on this one guys) wants to be a pilot!

 

If you're serious about your family you'll skip this career change.... pick it up as a hobby on the side.... learn about the industry for a few years as a bi-stander.. get some ratings... in 5-10 years when you've seen a little more you'll thank me.....

DO NOT think you can make a quick turn into this industry.... You will get AIDS (aviation induced divorce syndrome) and that thought of being a helicopter pilot will be satiated as you see all the crashes and death.... you'll keep flying for FUN!!

[slick1537]

^ New resident fry ^

| |

 

but seriously, you make good money doing something else and have a family to support this is probably not the field to get into

[ARMYAV8R]

And now you see why I put what I did..

 

Andy, Depending on your age, and if you have college..you might be able to do what I have done....Join the Guard, and get paid to learn to fly, and still keep your 72G a year job

 

If you like...e-mail me for more information. I'll be glad to help!

 

lol...

[hotrodturbo7]

And now you see why I put what I did..

 

Andy, Depending on your age, and if you have college..you might be able to do what I have done....Join the Guard, and get paid to learn to fly, and still keep your 72G a year job

 

If you like...e-mail me for more information. I'll be glad to help!

 

lol...

 

 

how hard is it to get a woft packet going for ANG?

[Chi-town]

The Reserves and National Guard are deploying at almost the same rate as Active Duty, so....you might not be keeping that cushy job. The NG was great when we weren't at war, and the views from the "older" gents here reflect that attitude (One weekend a month, two weeks in the summer woo hoo I can't believe I get paid to do this). In my opinion, everyone is active duty or "just redeployed" nowadays with no change soon.

 

There is no easy way to become a helicopter pilot. Pay your dues, work hard, and feel good in a job well done.

 

By all means, join the Army. It's a great experience, but don't do it just to learn to fly. Just like the guys who joined for the college money. You will be disappointed.

[ARMYAV8R]

The Reserves and National Guard are deploying at almost the same rate as Active Duty, so....you might not be keeping that cushy job. The NG was great when we weren't at war, and the views from the "older" gents here reflect that attitude (One weekend a month, two weeks in the summer woo hoo I can't believe I get paid to do this). In my opinion, everyone is active duty or "just redeployed" nowadays with no change soon.

 

There is no easy way to become a helicopter pilot. Pay your dues, work hard, and feel good in a job well done.

 

By all means, join the Army. It's a great experience, but don't do it just to learn to fly. Just like the guys who joined for the college money. You will be disappointed.

 

 

While there is a bit of truth (little) in what you say, you can keep your job..will you get deployed? maybe..depends on when your unit went. For example, my unit just got back in Feb. So, by current law I am looking at my unit getting dep[loyed no sooner than 5 years from this past Feb..now..that is overseas...The border however, may be a different story. I have been in the military for 14 years...all reserve time..total deployment time overseas...7 months...(with the Marines) will that change..maybe, maybe not..either way I can still keep my "cushy 65,000 per year" firefighter job

[ARMYAV8R]

how hard is it to get a woft packet going for ANG?

 

Depending on your state, your age, your background, and physical health it may be easy or not...If you want, PM me your phone number and we can talk

 

Blake

[OhhAndy]

pilots do not make good money.... they can make ok money... not poverty level (except as a flight instructor..which you'll unlikely make 35g)

typically guys with 10 years plus experience are still in the 60's in income.....(and those are only some of the guys...many make less and not many more make more) ((or at least much more))

 

100k in the helicopter industry is only certain types of flying... it is pretty rare on the whole. You're much more likely to hit that number in the fixed wing world.

 

It seems to me that the helicopter industry is made up of two types of people as pilots.... 1) young dumb and full of ... wanting to "fly" and have a cool job that "isn't really work"... I believe there is a high drop-out rate in this category... maybe work a couple years in the industry and move to something else 2) more mature ex-military or civilian pilots that have experience in the industry and are surviving. I say surviving only because unless you own the company/helicopter... you're just the pilot and pilots are "a dime a dozen" because EVERYBODY (go with me on this one guys) wants to be a pilot!

 

If you're serious about your family you'll skip this career change.... pick it up as a hobby on the side.... learn about the industry for a few years as a bi-stander.. get some ratings... in 5-10 years when you've seen a little more you'll thank me.....

DO NOT think you can make a quick turn into this industry.... You will get AIDS (aviation induced divorce syndrome) and that thought of being a helicopter pilot will be satiated as you see all the crashes and death.... you'll keep flying for FUN!!

While I appreciate your oppinion could you give examples of why it is hard on families, why in 5 years i would be glad not to be a pilot, and why do people get out in 2yrs or so.

[ADRidge]

I am taking a serious look into Helicopter training school but there are some things I am a bit concerned about. 1. The school is 55g from start to fininsh. 2. Everybody says there are more jobs out there than pilots but when you look on the boards there are maybe 50 jobs max through out the world that a newbie fresh out of school can actually qualify for. 3. If there are and excess of jobs then why are people literally begging for work and willing to travel anywhere to get the hours needed to qualify for a well paying job? 4. How the heck do you pay back you 55g loan and still live while only making 25-35g a year flying. 5 Why do rookie pilots make rediculously low money after they just paid a huge amount of money for school. I could make more at Mcdonalds flipping burgers for a year than a year of cfi pay. Please if I am wrong in any of this feel free to correct me and show me the light! thanks guys.

 

 

I've gotta ask: what are your motivations for looking into flight training? Dwell on that a bit and then, if necessary, re-evaluate your priorities. I understand that with family considerations it makes a career transition difficult, especially when you're talking about rotary-wing jobs but I think alot of that hinges on what kind of hours you want to work versus what you currently work, what kind of pay you currently make versus what you would make after the switch, etc.

 

I will admit that from a low-timer's point of view (1.5 hours total time so far) this industry is a young single person's field, but if you want it bad enough, you'll get there.

[ADRidge]

While I appreciate your oppinion could you give examples of why it is hard on families, why in 5 years i would be glad not to be a pilot, and why do people get out in 2yrs or so.

 

I'll jump in on that while I'm on this thread.

 

Lets say you go the route I hope to take. You get your ratings up to CFII, go to the GoM and fly, maybe transition to EMS later on. That right there eats up a decade of your life, and if you don't hook up with the right company, you might end up going right back to 50k/yr when you finally get a stable work schedule where you're home most of the week flying EMS. When you're in the gulf, you'll likely work a 7/7 or 14/14. You'll only see your wife and kids half the year for at least two or three, upwards of five or six years while you get the hours and experience necessary to get a good EMS job. GomerPylot sent me an im many moons ago summarizing the life of a GoMer. You're 100 miles offshore, based 200 miles from nowhere when the water heater bursts and your wife is stuck to deal with that on her own. You'll fly Christmas and your kids' birthdays. You'll miss family functions, or you'll be replaced by myself or some other 'robbie ranger' just itching to make that 52k/yr.

 

That's almost verbatim, and Gomer, if I embellished too much, feel free to correct me.

 

I don't know too much about tour flights or anything, but chances are if you make it to 1k, you'll probably end up in the gulf. It is what it is.

[OhhAndy]

I'll jump in on that while I'm on this thread.

 

Lets say you go the route I hope to take. You get your ratings up to CFII, go to the GoM and fly, maybe transition to EMS later on. That right there eats up a decade of your life, and if you don't hook up with the right company, you might end up going right back to 50k/yr when you finally get a stable work schedule where you're home most of the week flying EMS. When you're in the gulf, you'll likely work a 7/7 or 14/14. You'll only see your wife and kids half the year for at least two or three, upwards of five or six years while you get the hours and experience necessary to get a good EMS job. GomerPylot sent me an im many moons ago summarizing the life of a GoMer. You're 100 miles offshore, based 200 miles from nowhere when the water heater bursts and your wife is stuck to deal with that on her own. You'll fly Christmas and your kids' birthdays. You'll miss family functions, or you'll be replaced by myself or some other 'robbie ranger' just itching to make that 52k/yr.

 

That's almost verbatim, and Gomer, if I embellished too much, feel free to correct me.

 

I don't know too much about tour flights or anything, but chances are if you make it to 1k, you'll probably end up in the gulf. It is what it is.

To be honest with you I have no interest in flying in GOM, my goal is EMS due to the fact I already have me emt, ff-1 and hazmat training. What i would like to do is be a cfii, then possible a charter/tour pilot then ems. Does this seem like a realistic goal on a 5yr plan?