If you could do it all over again, would you have done Fixed Wing instead?

franknyc · August 25, 2007

If you could go back, would you have done your commercial fixed wing instead? WOuld you rather have pursued a fixed wing career vs. a helo career?

Collective Down! · August 25, 2007

If you could go back, would you have done your commercial fixed wing instead? WOuld you rather have pursued a fixed wing career vs. a helo career?

there's good and bad in every job... i fly fixed wing for a living now and it's soooo rediculously boring. "flaps up, gear up, coffee cup" as they say.

there are more jobs in fixed-wing, you can get hired with lower time, and the top pay is higher.... but i'd still rather fly a helicopter simply because of the sheer boredom that overcomes me during cruise in the flight levels.

that being said, i don't regret flying airplanes... i've learned alot from them that i believe gives me a more complete knowledge of aviation.

palmfish · August 26, 2007

I'm comm/inst rated in both fixed and rotary wing, and I routinely fly both. Helicopters are more fun, but if you simply need to get from point A to point B, airplanes are the way to go.

Also, many helicopter flying jobs (like mine, for instance) can involve long periods of 60 kt orbiting and other tedious maneuvering, just like airplanes. In this mission profile, I'd much rather be able to take my hands off the controls and stretch once in a while.

Believe it or not, it's kinda nice to be able to pick and fold a sectional during flight without risking your life...

Edited August 26, 2007 by palmfish

BillyBob · August 26, 2007

there's good and bad in every job... i fly fixed wing for a living now and it's soooo rediculously boring. "flaps up, gear up, coffee cup" as they say.

there are more jobs in fixed-wing, you can get hired with lower time, and the top pay is higher.... but i'd still rather fly a helicopter simply because of the sheer boredom that overcomes me during cruise in the flight levels.

that being said, i don't regret flying airplanes... i've learned alot from them that i believe gives me a more complete knowledge of aviation.

I have to echo this post.

I have bounced back and forth between FW & RW over the last 18 yrs. I am at a cross roads now. Continue flying a small jet and pursue FedEx/UPS or go back and fly RW and pursue EMS, ENG or corporate/charter. I am leaning on the RW option.

The airlines have some good points over the helicopter world, but RW flying is more fun. Flying a helicopter is a manual operation almost all of the time - You are actually moving the controls ie Flying. Flying the more complex jets is monitoring the flight management systems (autopilot) so as to provide the smoothest ride possible for the 'sheeple'. Most times I hand fly up to 10-15k and watch the A/P for the next hour plus then disengage the A/P at ~5k and continue an ILS to a visual appch.

Load up Flight Sim X and do this 100 times and you'll have experienced the airline world. Minus of course the first year pay, checkrides, bad food, bad hotels, poor customer service of understaffed airlines, crabby pax, poor management, late nights and first year pay. Oh yeah, don't forget the routine FAA supervision.

A good friend flying a wide body turns on the A/P at 600 feet after take off and disengages it on the roll out after landing. That's the way the company wants it done. How's that for mind-numbingly boring? Of course you'll make 150k+/year.

I still remember looking up at contrails and wondering what it would be like. That was why I left RW for FW. Yeah it's fun some days. Yes I'm glad I did it and now I never have to wonder. Now, it's time to start the transition back to RW. That is where my heart lies. In fact I flew a trip in to ELM the other day and saw a bird leaving the Schweizer factory on a test flight I guess. It was a 300 taking off beside us as we cleared the runway. I was mesmerized. What a fun little bird- I was totally jealous. I also saw what looked like a camouflaged 333. Now that is a bird I want to fly.

Can anyone here compare the 333 to a 206B3? sorry, thread creep.

BTW, has anyone dropped in on Schweizer when in the area? How are they to visitors? I have a layover coming up.

I have flown with some guys that left RW and never looked back. They almost shy away from talking about it when we realize there are two rotorheads on the flight deck. I still can't figure it out. Most rotorheads light up when it comes up.

My suggestion is to at least get a taste for FW flying. Get some ratings and do some charter or corporate work. I mean King Air 200 or better. Get up into the flight levels and go some distances. Get above a couple hundred knots. Comparing a Seminole or Cessna 172 at 120kts and 6000 feet to low level rotor wing flying is apples and oranges. FW is much more challenging when you shorten the decision making times, but in the end it kinda becomes a math drill. i.e. You're at FL 230 with 425kts ground speed and told to cross 30 miles this side of a vor/fix at FL180. Oh and half way down center tells you to slow for spacing....yawn... it's ok 'George' (A/P) will tell you the required decent rate if you program it in correctly.

IMHO RW is more fun/enjoyable/rewarding/tiring.

Definitely taste both to remove the doubt.

Your mileage will vary.

Good Luck

lockedcj7 · August 26, 2007

I have absolutely no desire to fly fixed-wing commercially. I'm dual rated but only use the ASEL certificate for pleasure or convenience. Airplanes are great for going long distances when there's a runway close to your destination. And a piston single doesn't need much of a runway. If you need to land on a building, small clearing, parking lot, construction site, etc. nothing beats a helicopter and that's the kind of flying I'd rather be doing anyway.

I don't think I'd fit in as a commercial airplane pilot. Two pilots are standing on the ramp. One is wearing a white shirt with a tie and shoulder boards. The other is wearing shorts and a polo shirt. The second one has a vaguely rumpled appearance and his skin looks like it has a layer of dried sweat on it. Which one would you rather be?

cctk2 · August 26, 2007

I never intended to be a commercial pilot back when I got my fixed wing ratings back in 78. When I decided to go commercial in 83, I went hook line and sinker including CFI in both, multi engine ratings, etc, and was glad I did.

I flew both RW and FW for a mapping/surveying company for 14 years. (All Part 91) Best days of my life were jumping back and forth on the same day.

Ten years ago, I decided was time to leave that organization, and now I do all fun flying for a helicopter company in Alaska. (Part 135).

Would I do it that way again. Without question. Actually I miss flying FW, especially multiengine, but my flying needs are met. 300 hours Atar time each summer, and six month vacations... Thank you God.

BillyBob · August 26, 2007

I have absolutely no desire to fly fixed-wing commercially. I'm dual rated but only use the ASEL certificate for pleasure or convenience. Airplanes are great for going long distances when there's a runway close to your destination. And a piston single doesn't need much of a runway. If you need to land on a building, small clearing, parking lot, construction site, etc. nothing beats a helicopter and that's the kind of flying I'd rather be doing anyway.

I don't think I'd fit in as a commercial airplane pilot. Two pilots are standing on the ramp. One is wearing a white shirt with a tie and shoulder boards. The other is wearing shorts and a polo shirt. The second one has a vaguely rumpled appearance and his skin looks like it has a layer of dried sweat on it. Which one would you rather be?

QOL and $$$$ would be the first determinant, work dress code...I'd wear a perty pink dress if the job was good enough.

Don't some of the GOM'r companies make their pilots wear white shirts and epaulets?

I agree though. Polo shirt and jeans/shorts would be much better than a business suit.

HelliBoy · August 26, 2007

In fact I flew a trip in to ELM the other day and saw a bird leaving the Schweizer factory on a test flight I guess. It was a 300 taking off beside us as we cleared the runway. I was mesmerized. What a fun little bird- I was totally jealous. I also saw what looked like a camouflaged 333. Now that is a bird I want to fly.

Can anyone here compare the 333 to a 206B3? sorry, thread creep.

BTW, has anyone dropped in on Schweizer when in the area? How are they to visitors? I have a layover coming up.

The guys at the Schweizer factory are pretty good, they dont have a regular tour but if you call ahead ask they'll probably give you one (you might have to tell them you're thinking of buying an aircraft). I was there a couple weeks ago, those camo 333s are for Saudi Arabia, and seeing the various model build ups was pretty cool. They also had the FireScout UAV out on the hangar floor...cool. They're also working on a four bladed version of the 333, which if anyone read the article in Rotor&Wing about a new Schweizer model coming out, I suspect this is it. They developed a 4 bladed head for the FireScout and are sticking it on the 333 and just have to pass certs. The FireScout is basically a 333 with no pilot or crew compartment and a few other changes. Send a PM if you get up to NY and want to check out the 300.