Junior Pilot Programs

[Bee3]

I have been in the industry for close to 20 years and I still enjoy it.... most of the time. 
 

But it is near impossible to get a start today as a low time guy due to client requirements and the ease of just hiring an experienced guy. 

[VortexRing]

11 hours ago, vortex said:

Out of curiosity, from all the comments in this thread about how awful the industry is and how anything other than helicopters would be a better career choice, what are you guys doing hanging around a helicopter forum?? Why don't you take your own advice and put this career behind you and never think of it again?? 

I make the parallel to being in a abusive relationship, it sounds easy to leave but in reality its not that easy. 

I actually enjoy my career but I couldn't imagine starting over with the way the industry is now. Client requirements have become insane, 2000hr minimum is common place now. I've even seen a job that required dual crew and both needed 4000+ to move a drill in an astar. Most (not all) operators will chew you up and spit you out, pull a resume off the mountain and keep on keeping on... At the pace Mountain View, Chinook etc.. mint new CPL's there are far more mouths to feed than there is time to feed them. 

If you REALLY want it, you can slug it out and get going but you better be ready to sacrifice for it. 

[freck]

20 hours ago, vortex said:

Out of curiosity, from all the comments in this thread about how awful the industry is and how anything other than helicopters would be a better career choice, what are you guys doing hanging around a helicopter forum?? Why don't you take your own advice and put this career behind you and never think of it again?? 

 Yeah you’re right. Bad burrito the industry is great, good tours, over the top pay, tons of opportunities for new pilots. Pm Vortex he probably has that left seat position ready for you. No cleaning hangars for you, you should have all your hours in the first six months For all the clients demands. No sacrifice and home every night. Is that better bud?

[R0T0R]

22 hours ago, vortex said:

Out of curiosity, from all the comments in this thread about how awful the industry is and how anything other than helicopters would be a better career choice, what are you guys doing hanging around a helicopter forum?? Why don't you take your own advice and put this career behind you and never think of it again?? 

It’s simple - bills. We’re trapped. 
 

imagine if you will, making an $80,000 salary. This is hypothetical mind you. People will argue that it’s too high or too low but here’s the point: could you start over? Not me. I have a mortgage, kids and tons of other things that rely on this wage. Sure you could say that I could cut back and start over. Have a drive down to the grocery store and see if you could cut back. 
 

The long and the short of it is that we ruined this industry just as surly as operators did. I know a pair of operators in Fort Mac that started just fine. Treated their employees great and everyone was happy. One concession after another turned them into what they started a company to get away from. And guess what? People still work for them. They always will. That guy that wants his start will put his head down and get his hours then go elsewhere. 
 

why do I work in this industry? Sometimes I love it, sometimes I hate it but most of all. It’s what I do to pay the bills. 
 

if I really wanted to get into aviation and knew what I do now, I would become a fixed wing pilot. Put up with #### but in the end, the union would help make it so I don’t have to work so much for a FAR better wage that I make now. Boring? Sure but crapping in a plastic bucket at -40 in the Arctic sucks too. Pick your poison. 

[GrayHorizons]

"crapping in a plastic bucket at -40 in the Arctic sucks too."

 

this task alone should get you another $20 per hour for that tour.

 

[FiveCut]

5 hours ago, R0T0R said:

It’s simple - bills. We’re trapped. 
 

imagine if you will, making an $80,000 salary. This is hypothetical mind you. People will argue that it’s too high or too low but here’s the point: could you start over? Not me. I have a mortgage, kids and tons of other things that rely on this wage. Sure you could say that I could cut back and start over. Have a drive down to the grocery store and see if you could cut back. 
 

The long and the short of it is that we ruined this industry just as surly as operators did. I know a pair of operators in Fort Mac that started just fine. Treated their employees great and everyone was happy. One concession after another turned them into what they started a company to get away from. And guess what? People still work for them. They always will. That guy that wants his start will put his head down and get his hours then go elsewhere. 
 

why do I work in this industry? Sometimes I love it, sometimes I hate it but most of all. It’s what I do to pay the bills. 
 

if I really wanted to get into aviation and knew what I do now, I would become a fixed wing pilot. Put up with #### but in the end, the union would help make it so I don’t have to work so much for a FAR better wage that I make now. Boring? Sure but crapping in a plastic bucket at -40 in the Arctic sucks too. Pick your poison. 

I think 80k is grossly low for an insurable and skilled utility helicopter pilot. At a certain point with family and mortgages pilots are trapped for sure at rates similar to that, they have to work. It’s not like their skills can be moved laterally like an AME’s can to different technical disciplines.  

[wcobra]

6 hours ago, GrayHorizons said:

"crapping in a plastic bucket at -40 in the Arctic sucks too."

Only if it's not in the generator shack where it's warm!

[DGP]

14 hours ago, wcobra said:

Only if it's not in the generator shack where it's warm!

I was on a drill job in Ontario...mid winter....-40 most of the time...these drillers knew how to build an outhouse...it was totally lined with blue styrofoam...had one car heater in it and lights...you would sweat in that place...HAH!

[R0T0R]

37 minutes ago, DGP said:

I was on a drill job in Ontario...mid winter....-40 most of the time...these drillers knew how to build an outhouse...it was totally lined with blue styrofoam...had one car heater in it and lights...you would sweat in that place...HAH!

Gotta love how low our bar is😂. That said, it would have been nice to have that!

[Nacreous]

A BUCKET!! Some guys get all the perks! That's a step up from "the shovel" and the

dark cloud of insects just waiting for their feast the second you drop your drawers...