Any civilian helicopter pilots?

Question

I'm about to go through a helicopter school in florida. how hard is it to get a job after recieving 300 hours? what kind of pay can i expect?

Answer 1

Probably want to make sure you get your Instructor rating. That's how most people build up their hours to get a better position. Most commercial venues generally will not touch you without at least 1,000 hrs PIC time.

Answer 2

Thanks mostly to insurance company policies, getting that first job will be tough. If you land a job at all you will likely be sweeping the hangar or if you are lucky flying as a co-pilot somewhere.  If a company is going to invest thousands of dollars of training into you, then they want to be sure you will stick around - so show them good ethics, good character, and perseverence.  You will be rewarded.

On the bright side, the average age of helicopter pilots is getting older, and a lot of pilots are going to be retiring in the next few years.  That means there will be even more of a shortage then there is now.  Good luck!

Answer 3

Getting an instructor job when you finish your training can be the simplest thing in the world or the biggest pain. Some instructors get hired immediately by the flight school where they trained, while others search far and wide all over the country without any success. It really depends on luck (and by luck I mean timing), and your willingness to move to other parts of the country. If schools in your area coincidentally need instructors when you finish, then it will be pretty easy. But, if you finish when everyone is fully staffed, then you will have to be willing to hunt around and move.

Pay is usually anywhere from $20-$50 per hour and if you work at a relatively busy school you might make $20K-$30K in a year. It kind of sucks if you are also trying to pay off a huge loan, but at least you no longer have to pay to fly.

Let me talk about hours for a minute. You will have at least 150 hours when you finish your commercial, and probably 170-180 when you finish instructor training. The insurance requirements of the specific school where you plan to work will then dictate how many hours you need for employment. Insurance requirements for flight schools tend to range between 200 and 300 hours, and getting that time will be a chore and it may come out of your pocket. There is nothing special about 300 hours, it's just that some schools require that much. Others require less.

It has been my observation that Robinson schools tend to have higher insurance requirements that Schweizer schools. This is not set in stone, however. You may want to think about aircraft choice because paying to get to 200 is a lot better than paying to get to 300. Now if you get some time in both, then you will be the most flexible from an employment standpoint. Plan ahead and try to get a feel for who is hiring and whatnot before you finish your training. Also, a flight school is a great place to make contacts, so remember everyone you meet there.

Good luck!