Advice On What To Do

[iceberg]

Hello everyone,

 

I have really enjoyed reading these forums and have gotten a lot of usefull information out of them.

I am in Grade 11 in Ontario and am hoping to become a helicopter pilot someday. I have been thinking a lot about what is the best way to acheive this goal of mine. I have basically narrowed it down to four choices:

 

1) I apply to RMC under the ROTP and get a degree from there, then be a pilot in the Canadian Forces.

2) I take a year off after high school is completed and work as a truck driver (I have connections). This way I can make some money and not have to worry about the financial aspect of this as much.

3) I jump straight into helicopter training and get some loans and borrow money and just get right into it.

4) My final choice is to first get my AME licence category "M" and work with that for a while, make money and connections then go into training with an advantage and see how it goes.

 

I am just trying to see all my possible options for my plan and get some good advice out of the guys and girls who have done this before.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. If there is any other route to take which you think is better I would love to hear it.

Thanks in advance,

 

Iceberg.

[Cole]

Hey man, join the club.

 

Helicopters anonomous.

 

Well, if you read through lots of the threads youll get an Idea on what everyone thinks. Basically, do what you really want to do. Dont let anything stop you.

 

Mabey considder looking up "Cry of the wind" on these forums and firing him a PM, he will be able to give some sound advice on some schools out there (unless something happened and he disappeared, he hasnt been around here in a while)

 

Cole

[iceberg]

Alright, thanks Cole. I will check him out and see what he has to say.

 

Iceberg

[Blackmac]

ICEBERG:

 

My original training comes from the military, you can't beat it, plus you get a degree and don't have to stay in forever.

 

The last one is an excellent idea, if you don't want to go military. You will always have something to offer a company, either as a pilot or ame.

 

I retired as a Pilot/Ame.

 

Cheers, Don

[tDawe]

If I may add,

 

There is no reason to "jump straight in" with loans. Being that your new here, I'll use the polite term of "inadvisable" to describe jumping in head first with nothing but loan money and pie eyes. Some people on here may use a more firm set of words to describe it.

 

Their does exist a shortage of pilots, however jumping in will not help you beat the rush when things pick up, the shortage of pilots exists mainly in the 1000-5000 hour range, based on what cheif pilots have told me. however the difficulty in making the jump from 100 to 500 to 1000 is such that the demand far exceeds the possibly supply, so if your worried about missing the so called hiring wave, don't be.

 

Airborne energy manages to get a few more new guys flying every year then most it seems, another sugestion for your plans might be to head off to a place like SAIT I think its called (or maybe its NAIT) in alberta, get some gas plant training and HS2 Alive etc. and work the rigs for a year, I know the money is good (as long as you dont spend you time off getting stoned in Fort. Mac.) and saving money for helicoptering is a MUCH MUCH better idea then borrowing money for helicoptering. Pilot/operators from Airborne are reputed to do very well for themselves finacially, although i dont know the numbers myself.

 

I'd also vote for the military, if it wasnt for my 20/30 uncorrected eyes I would be there right now. Some people argue that a CF career may prepare you for a job like STARS or CHC/Cougar, but will do little for a job logging or long linning, there is a stigma there.

 

No matter what road you choose, the time to talk to pilots of all three disciplines, (pilot, pilot engineer, and airforce) is NOW, not after you have your licence. find out what sort of flying interests you, and be prepared for a 3 year plan or more until you find yourself flying.

[iceberg]

Thanks for all the advice, I appreciate it.

 

I will look into the gas plant stuff and working the rigs. I am not the type to throw any money away for getting stoned and stuff.

 

Blackmac, what school did you get your AME training? I am looking into either BCIT or Canadore College. Both seem to have good programs.

 

Also, how was RMC? What program did you take? I am looking into Mechanical or Civil engineering. Thanks

 

 

 

Iceberg

[Blackmac]

Iceberg:

 

I have only driven by RMC in Kingston, but have a few friends who went there, it's referred to as free schooling.

 

Got my AME experience in the Royal Canadian Navy Fleet Air Arm starting in 1952.

The school I attended was the Naval Aircraft Maintenance School (NAMS). Out of five years, I spent 2 in school. My time in the Navy was spent working on Sea Fury aircraft and then I transferred to the helicopter squadron, HU21. I worked on Bell G's, S-55, HUP-3. HU21 was a search and rescue squadron and we flew as hoist operators and rescue frogmen (jump in the water) on the 55's and HUP-3.

Did the last tour on the HMCS Labrador in the arctic on re-supply of the Dew Line.

Also went to Sqaw Lake (now called Scheferville) with a bunch of 55's to give the Air Force, 108 Squadron a hand in building the Mid-Canada Line.

 

After the Navy in 57, wrote the AME Licence, YZM 611 from Toronto.

 

Did my CPL in Quebec City and my 25 hour helicopter endorsement at Helisolair in Montreal with Lucien Levrot.

 

Would not change a thing.

 

Jack Beeman who was the first Bell Helicopter salesman in Canada, was also my Commanding Officer on HU21 squadron.

 

Commander Pullen was commander of the Air Arm at Shearwater and also Captain of the Labrador when I did my tour.

 

Interesting times.

 

In this day and age, I would still go military.

 

 

Cheers, Don

[iceberg]

Wow! That's amazing. You have a very interesting background.

Thanks for sharing it with me.

 

Iceberg

[Pally]

Wow! That's amazing. You have a very interesting background.

 

 

Pay very close attention youngun and you'll do just fine........there are a few more like him around these parts.

[Skidz]

Iceberg:

 

I have only driven by RMC in Kingston, but have a few friends who went there, it's referred to as free schooling.

 

Got my AME experience in the Royal Canadian Navy Fleet Air Arm starting in 1952.

The school I attended was the Naval Aircraft Maintenance School (NAMS). Out of five years, I spent 2 in school. My time in the Navy was spent working on Sea Fury aircraft and then I transferred to the helicopter squadron, HU21. I worked on Bell G's, S-55, HUP-3. HU21 was a search and rescue squadron and we flew as hoist operators and rescue frogmen (jump in the water) on the 55's and HUP-3.

Did the last tour on the HMCS Labrador in the arctic on re-supply of the Dew Line.

Also went to Sqaw Lake (now called Scheferville) with a bunch of 55's to give the Air Force, 108 Squadron a hand in building the Mid-Canada Line.

 

After the Navy in 57, wrote the AME Licence, YZM 611 from Toronto.

 

Did my CPL in Quebec City and my 25 hour helicopter endorsement at Helisolair in Montreal with Lucien Levrot.

 

Would not change a thing.

 

Jack Beeman who was the first Bell Helicopter salesman in Canada, was also my Commanding Officer on HU21 squadron.

 

Commander Pullen was commander of the Air Arm at Shearwater and also Captain of the Labrador when I did my tour.

 

Interesting times.

 

In this day and age, I would still go military.

Cheers, Don

 

Hey Don, what year did you do your CPL(H) with Lucien ? He started Helicraft in '69, so I'm assuming it was prior to that (?) I'm trying to gather old-timers stories for a bit of a historical perspective for our website...