Degree That Works Well In Conjuncture With Helicopter Pilot

[CJM91]

I would agree that a trade might be better unless you want to pursue a degree for personal interest or to have another career. My degree and other education certainly adds interest to the job and helps me to communicate more easily with professional customers (and less easily with others!). I don't think it has aided my employ-ability as a pilot particularly. It probably binds me more to the customer than the employer. The ideal pilot is not a strong independent thinker, in the eyes of most employers. More and more I keep my thoughts to myself and a few other like-minded souls.

 

Most helicopter managers, although highly experienced, are not usually highly educated. This doesn't necessarily limit them in their job but sometimes they are less keen on those "smarter" than themselves. I think that higher education in pilots is not particularly valued by management, although it would raise the professionalism of the business a bit (or even a lot, perhaps). That would be a good thing.

[Bell-powered]

Hey guys,

Could anyone point towards a degree that would work well with being a helicopter pilot (a company would see your degree as a plus)?

I'm thinking Geography, or Geology. Any other recommendations?

 

If you feel like you have to get a degreevjust get a Ame license. Some might get you as pilot engineer..

[Whitestone]

First off, a very good first post by "Deep Throat the third", you hit the nail on the head but with humor (second post in this thread).

 

There are two things that the "neanderthals" in any business hate and that is as CJM91 stated, people who are "smarter" and if i may add... (?) those who stand up for themselves. The psychology of making the employee feel indebted or worthless has little effect on one who has options but is terrifying to anyone who is not in a position to walk away, a fact well known to most in upper management. Education gives you options whether it be blue or white collar. It isn't always the smartest thing to let people know you are educated because you will seem (or be) a threat to them and they will gang up on you Yes, just like in grade school, remember that big bully? He became a helicopter pilot as well only this time he isn't stealing your lunch money he is stealing your livelihood and destroying your credibility because he fears you.

 

They make you an outcast because of your education and insight and the fact that you don't drop the "f-bomb" twice in every sentence but then would call on you for the very skills that separate you from the "unwashed" masses. I so hear you CJM91, i too just go about my business, do my job but no one gets the full package anymore, i have learned to keep that to myself. A while back i did slip up and got a very pointed question from a "boss" about my "experience" but i just shrugged it off saying i had watched a program on TV. LOL

 

A very good post too by P5 who seems to be one of the ones one this site who speaks for the most part what no one wants to hear but needs saying. (that this industry [and all others] is/are rotten, corrupt and filled with unintelligent backstabbers) I don't agree with everything he posts but his post in this thread is solid in my opinion, spelling mistake aside.(and really who gives a "dam" about that?)

 

 

As for wrenching and flying... i wouldn't do it. There are many who would and do but i have seen far too many guys get screwed by having to do both jobs, flying half asleep because you spent the night doing an inspection (duty day? no that was a duty NIGHT, totally different!) and NEVER being FAIRLY compensated for carrying both tickets. Do you think that your employer would ever say to you, "Hey Joe, you saved us a bundle on a plane ticket for that last inspection, here's $2000 for helping us out, we appreciate it!" Never in all my years have i seen that and if it is out there somewhere it is being kept a secret from me! Then there's the old argument that knowing how to wrench could save you from a night in the bush but it hasn't saved me so far, not saying it wouldn't or that it hasn't saved others, just not me so far. You'll have your plate full enough just being a pilot, that is if you are one of those few who is not afraid to pick up a broom or clean up the ops gear and so forth.

[skullcap]

Flash:

 

Since my grades were not good enough to get into University(even if I had wanted to go) it was not an option, consider yourselves lucky to have choices. To this day I consult a friend of mine who does work in aviation still, who has a degree. His advice always comes to me in a refined method which although is not much different to others, is laid out in a manner which can be followed. In my point of view a business degree is the most valuable to have in our business.

[DGP]

Agree with whitestone...and I am one of those dreaded p/e...you may get to fly going that route...I did...but you get screwed over totally...it still hurts to bend over

[Guest plumber]

It is interesting though how many pilots misspell the word "hangar".

 

bazinga.

There I was trying to give a little helpfull advice and then bammm out of nowhere comes the spelling police.

 

It is good that you finally have something constructive to ad to this forum seeing you are neither a pilot or an engineer but instead a scholar of the english language.

 

You will be the first I consult when writing up a resume for my next flying position seeing spelling was the first skill that got me in the door in the first place and not the fact I can build a whole pile of stuff.

 

Thank you sir for showing me the errors in spelling Hangar it will help me out greatly in the future. I now know the proper spelling of the place I pull the helumacopter in and out of.

[CJM91]

Reply to Whitestone:

Thank You, you sound like a fellow traveler. When I started out in 1978 I thought that the industry, employing expensive high-tech devices needing expensive high-tech maintenance, would exhibit the highest levels of management expertise and financial acumen. Generally, not so. For a time I tried to use my computer and financial skills to assist but the zeal to improve and do better is just not there. So I mostly keep my cake hole shut and use these skills for my own enjoyment and betterment. I certainly help out when asked but rarely offer now unless it is clearly a "no risk" situation.

 

In one of my first jobs, after the season a manager asked, "So,what do you think of the helicopter business now?". Naïvely believing that he really wanted to know, and being forthright by nature, I told him that there were quite a few disappointments. This didn't cost me my job but probably soured the relationship. Later on I got the sack from another company for what I thought was diligent protection of the operator's interests. He did us both a favour, it was certainly a positive career move for me.

 

Having said all this,the helicopter business is probably not much better or worse than many others. It would be interesting to hear from other folks if this is the case. (Sorry, guess I'm drifting the thread here . . . )

[CJM91]

Flash:

 

Since my grades were not good enough to get into University(even if I had wanted to go) it was not an option, consider yourselves lucky to have choices. ... In my point of view a business degree is the most valuable to have in our business.

 

Hey, having worked with you years ago I find that first statement hard to believe. Mind you, I nearly crapped out in university while applying myself diligently to such non-credit endeavours as building rockets, learning to fly and overhauling my British motorbike.

 

But I do disagree with the comment about the business degree, for a line pilot at least. I think it would only serve to sharpen the disappointment as to how lots of companies are run, both in a financial and human resources sense. However, for an owner manager like yourself, it would be invaluable, or for general interest. Also, the comments elsewhere about understanding psychology are right on the money but probably apply to life itself. But there certainly is a rich abundance of quirky personalities in the flying racket.

[RPMRPMRPM]

Flash

If I had the chance to do it all over again I would be looking at an aeronautical engineering degree or something directly related to flying.

Good luck.

[MMike]

There I was trying to give a little helpfull advice and then bammm out of nowhere comes the spelling police.

 

It is good that you finally have something constructive to ad to this forum seeing you are neither a pilot or an engineer but instead a scholar of the english language.

 

You will be the first I consult when writing up a resume for my next flying position seeing spelling was the first skill that got me in the door in the first place and not the fact I can build a whole pile of stuff.

 

Thank you sir for showing me the errors in spelling Hangar it will help me out greatly in the future. I now know the proper spelling of the place I pull the helumacopter in and out of.

 

You are most certainly welcome.

 

But alas I must correct you once again. If you recall, I'm a "real" engineer. Nor am I a scholar of the English language...just literate.

 

Again....bazinga.