Careers and jobs, keys to obtaining a career in the helicopter industry.

The key to obtaining a career in the helicopter industry today is understanding the requirements and needs of the operators. As an entry-level helicopter pilot, flight instruction is often the first step on the career path. On April 14, 1995, the FAA imposed a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR-73) requiring 200 hours of helicopter flight time in order to instruct in a Robinson R22/R44. [to include:] That's MORE experience than is required for the Commercial and Flight Instructor Certificates, and the prospective job-seeker's problem is how to get that additional flying time. Not only that, but most insurance companies in the USA require not 200 but 300 hours before giving instruction; AND, beyond that, 1000 hours in small piston-engine helicopters like the R-22 is the generally-accepted minimum number of flying hours before one can secure employment flying turbine helicopters in one of the more lucrative helicopter careers (as in sightseeing jobs, or oil company, news-choppers, or pipeline patrol).  We have placed pilots in all lines of work and it starts with getting the training to our insurance minimum of 300 hours and then we guarantee you a job.  We are the only school in the world that will guarantee you a job.

Most professional turbine-helicopter pilots have first spent years accumulating that minimum 1000 hours by giving flight instruction--for instance, giving perhaps 30 hours per month of flight instruction at a small flight school, 1000 hours could take 2 1/2 or 3 years!. Our version of that, however, is to fly photographic missions for our sister company, BoatPix.com, as a contract pilot, and build that 1000 hours in as little as one year, while becoming an extraordinarily skilled pilot at what helicopters do best: low-level maneuvering!

Since approximately 75 – 80% of the flight training facilities in the US operate the Robinson R22 / R44 as entry-level training aircraft, meeting the minimum requirements to work in this model of aircraft would only make sense. This would give you the greatest potential for employment upon completion of your training. In addition, the helicopter industry today is insurance driven. The insurance providers require operators to meet minimum pilot requirements with regard to hours, experience, and training. These requirements often match those set forth by the FAA SFAR-73.

When developing a plan of action to get you from no experience to that first helicopter job, you must take all of this into consideration.

This program is not for everyone, but if you are looking to build a career as a helicopter pilot, it just may be the way for you to go.

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