Thinking Of Becoming A Heli Pilot...i Have Some Questions

[Jordan]

I'm thinking of getting my commercial license. I'm 19 and out of high school with some money saved up, not alot but something to start with. I have done a lot of research, but i still can't really figure out what school to go through. I'm not sure if i should get turbine time or go with piston time. I know i could get my license as cheap as 50 grand with the R22, or as expensive as 90 grand with the 206B. If i went with the turbine i would have to get about a 50,000 loan, which i am not looking forward too. Just a couple of quesions....

 

I'm willing to go anywhere for school, what do you think is the best place to go to get piston time?

What do you think is the best piston helicoptor to get your time on? R-22? SCH 300?

 

What about turbine time? Is is worth while to spend the extra money to have the turbine time?

 

I know low-time pilots don't make much money, but roughly how much would a low hour-pilot make?

 

If you have any other advise it is greatly appreciated, if i do go with my turbine time i'm thinking of going to great slave helicoptors. Thanks, jordan

[dcheli]

First off....Dont do the full course in a turbine. This is a major waste of your cash. If you gotta take out 50G's, not worth it. I did my full commercial in the 47 and then did a R44 conversion and that is what got me a job...the RH44 not the B206. There are more companies out there allowing 100hr guys fly 44's then there are 206's. The 206 endorsement...well my humble opinion...not worth it on your commercial training... instead spend that money ( cause you can do twice the time in a piston due to cost) and go shoot auto's and general emergencies. This will give you an edge when you...if you... get asked for a check ride...The turbine wont get you a job! School's will tell you it will...but there after selling you 206 time...Its a business thing you see! You will make around 30G's a year, not to bad for a 19yr old... Take you time and work hard...never give up and ....work hard!!! Bighorn is a good place to go...also there are a few on the lower mainland... Talk to RotorheadRob! Rob is a great instructer and worth your time and money!

 

 

Best of Luck

DC

[helicopper]

19 + single (??) + fresh outta highschool + maths & sciences covered (??) + 20/20 vision (??) = stupid question...

 

why pay for your commercial helicopter licence when our Canadian Forces are looking for quality pilot candidates???????

 

just an option worthy of consideration...

[sirlandsalot]

I agree completly with dcheli, that is well said! I got my 206 endorsment at 90 hrs, it didn't help me get a job at all, compared to the R44 endorsment of which my first 400 hrs where flown on. By the time I was ready to fly the 206, the company would have payed for the endorsment anyways! have fun!!!

[MrMike]

If going to a full school is an option for you DO IT! You dont want to end up like some of us old farts working full time and training on the weeked ends. Low time pilots dont make much but in the research I have done, I would only be taking a 5,000 a year pay cut to be an instructor ha ha ha! its all relative and you have to start some where.

 

Are you in the US or Canada?

 

I ask because there is a thread here some where about Canadians taking up schooling here in the US because the dollar is so close these days, with out dollar dropping the way it is you guys up north can get pretty good bang for your loonie.... or toonie.... or what ever it is

 

There are a lot of things to think about. Its good your asking questions. Take every thing with a grain of salt and do your research. If you contact schools ask a lot questions.

 

The military is also an option, but that takes time too. Keep in mind we are living in troubled times as well.

 

I just started my road to pilot, single dad, working full time with 2 kids. Your in a GREAT spot in your life right now! If pilot is what you really want GO FOR IT! This forum is a great place with great people that are full of information.

 

Mike

[Jordan]

Thanks for all the infomation guys!! I really like this site already. I see lots of you give advise about getting the CPL on piston time. I'm still not 100% sure what i'm doing yet, but i'm leaning towards turbine time on a 206B at the moment with Great Slave helicopters.

 

What i have found mostly while searching through heli training schools is that most training schools (In Canada anyways) say they will help you find a job after the course is finished. But even then it will be hard for a year or two by the sounds of it to find a first job with only 100 hours under the belt. But when i research Great Slave Helicopters with turbine time, it sounds like they hire all of their students right out of training (If they are professional and have good attitude that is). So if i can get hired right away, start making money and building hours, it kinda makes sense to me to get a loan and spend the extra bit of money on Turbine time to have a quaranteed job. It is just what i'm thinking right now. But if i go do it with an R22 it will cost about $50,000, if i go do it with a 206B with Great Slave it will cost about $85,000, so thats about a $35,000 difference. But when you consider that all flight school is tax deductable, then actaully it will cost me about an extra 20,000 to get turbine time.

 

But i'm still doing alot of searching around and i really appreciate the help that you guys are giving me. I'm 19 right now and this looks like a very good career decision. I really like flying, the outdoors and seeing the country, so what could possibilty be a better job.

 

Thanks alot guys. Jordan

[Cole]

it sounds like they hire all of their students right out of training (If they are professional and have good attitude that is).

 

Who told you that?... i can tell you straight up thats not true. I can also tell you (without mentioning names) that a student from Bighorn (the RH22 school with the "1 in 10,000" instructor for much less denaro) got on with gshl with 100 in the RH22. There course starts in september and lasts 10 months. If you do not complete said course in said timeframe theres no job until *at least* the next year.

 

Believe me when i tell you ive done my homework on this option and although brutally tempting at the current state of the industry i believe the 'right candidate' can succede no matter what school they have attended and what platform they trained on. Ill be making a thread in a few moments and you can see what ive chosen to do.

 

No matter what you should choose, good luck to you and do take the advice of the people here... they have forgotten more about helicopters then the majority of the population tends to know.

 

Cheers.

Cole

[xrkyle]

But if i go do it with an R22 it will cost about $50,000, if i go do it with a 206B with Great Slave it will cost about $85,000, so thats about a $35,000 difference. But when you consider that all flight school is tax deductable, then actaully it will cost me about an extra 20,000 to get turbine time.

 

Tuition credit deductions are applied to the lowest personal tax rates which in part depends on what province or territory you live in at the end of the year. You won't get anywhere near a 43% deduction. On a $45000 tuition a guy in BC looking is at getting just under 10k back. For most guys, assuming they get working right away and aren't being paid much, it will take a couple years to realize the deduction since you can only deduct up to your total income for a given year and you'll have to carry over to the following year(s).

 

What I'm trying to say is the tax deduction is marginal so I wouldn't factor it into your decision.

[Jordan]

Who told you that?... i can tell you straight up thats not true. I can also tell you (without mentioning names) that a student from Bighorn (the RH22 school with the "1 in 10,000" instructor for much less denaro) got on with gshl with 100 in the RH22. There course starts in september and lasts 10 months. If you do not complete said course in said timeframe theres no job until *at least* the next year.

 

Believe me when i tell you ive done my homework on this option and although brutally tempting at the current state of the industry i believe the 'right candidate' can succede no matter what school they have attended and what platform they trained on. Ill be making a thread in a few moments and you can see what ive chosen to do.

 

No matter what you should choose, good luck to you and do take the advice of the people here... they have forgotten more about helicopters then the majority of the population tends to know.

 

Cheers.

Cole

 

I never said that if you train with piston time that you won't get a job with GSH for example, i'm just saying you have a higher chance when it comes time to try and get a job there. For example, around the end of November GSH looks to be hiring more new pilots, but to apply for the job they send you up in a 206B and see how you can fly it (This is on thier website right now). Most likely the guy that did all 100 hours on the 206 will be better at flying that heli then someone who just has a 5 hour endorsement on it. And great slave does higher out of their training school, all of their students usually.

 

 

But wherever you go, good luck with flight school!!

 

Jord

[Tom7]

I never said that if you train with piston time that you won't get a job with GSH for example, i'm just saying you have a higher chance when it comes time to try and get a job there. For example, around the end of November GSH looks to be hiring more new pilots, but to apply for the job they send you up in a 206B and see how you can fly it (This is on thier website right now). Most likely the guy that did all 100 hours on the 206 will be better at flying that heli then someone who just has a 5 hour endorsement on it. And great slave does higher out of their training school, all of their students usually.

But wherever you go, good luck with flight school!!

 

Jord

 

 

It also says that you don't need a JetRanger endorsment on there, so obviously it's not that important. With 100 hours, having a JetRanger endorsment doesn't make any difference in my opinion. The guys at GSHL aren't going to be looking for a great deal of skill in the flying simply because well..at 100 hours you don't have much, but what they will be looking at is your attitude, and that you can fly the machine safely and make good decisions. 90% of breaking into this industry is attitude. If you have the right attitude you will have way more of a chance than the guy with the JetRanger ticket. Get your license on a piston machine and if you want to spend a little extra, get the R44 endorsment. It will take you much farther than the JetRanger. A 100 hr pilot is a 100hr pilot. I know from experience!

 

But I do wish you the best of luck, it's an awesome job...to say the least.