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[koalaa119]

Hi Cole,

 

Just a note. When I went through training I was one of 10 guys doing the course. Of the 10 that were with me through the course the only guys that are still flying today are guys that had no mortgage for their course. Some pilots have been lucky to get well paying jobs in their first couple years, but myself and others spent 4 years and I have heard of guys taking longer to get their first good paying job. Not saying that it will be this way for you, but wanted you to have a different perspective.

 

If you go into debt to get your liscense after your course you may not be in a financial position to take on a 2 or 3 month ground level contract that doesnt' pay well. Please note that I don't encourage nor recommend anyone work for free and I never have. But I have taken jobs for 2-3 months of ground crew work that got me a little time in the seat as well. If I was bound to paying off a debt like most of the guys I went through the course with, I wouldn't be flying, like them, today.

 

In regards to the law enforcement helicopter thing: I know a friend of mine who just left the R/W world to become a police officer. Turns out that the OPP requires you to have time on the ground before flying for them. One more thing to consider if you are looking to go that way. You may want to start as a officer and get time on the ground and maybe they will put you through the course. I have heard of this happening to a RCMP helicopter pilot.

 

cheers