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A typical day of a working as a helicopter pilot is amazing! You get to see the world from a position most people only dream of. Everything looks completely different when flying a helicopter a few thousand feet above ground.

But in reality, what you can expect each day differs depending on the particular field of piloting that you decide to become a part of. For instance, an offshore helicopter pilot will typically begin their day at sunrise; spending most of the day landing on oil ridges in the middle of the gulf.

If you're a Medical Evacuation helicopter pilot; you'll spend a lot of your time in hospitals and landing on roof top pads. Medical Evacuation pilots also get to something many helicopter pilots don't do regularly - night flying. Night flying opens up a completely different flight experience than flying by day and although amazing; may not be suitable for all pilots.

Regardless of what field you choose to work in; a helicopter pilot can expect to have each day filled with thrilling new adventures that are truly unique to the trade.

But before it all comes to fruition and long before you land your first piloting job; you will need to complete certified helicopter training and legally obtain your license. Although this may seem like a time consuming hurdle; the truth is that in the end it is definitely worth the work and the wait!

According to most resources, helicopter pilots typically start out earning approximately $35,000.00 - $50,000.00 per year in beginning of their career. After a couple of years as a professional and experienced pilot the pay typically exceeds $50,000.00, and in some fields pay can exceed $100,000.00. Not bad for getting to do something you love!

Helicopter Pilots often play a pivotal role in many professions. Here are just a few of the occupational areas where licensed helicopter pilots are a critical part of the team. Certainly you are sure to find one that resonates with what you want to achieve in life.

You also need to consider the fact that you may not be able to become a military helicopter pilot. They have a stringent flight school screening process that is often difficult to pass and they can at will move you into an alternate area of service. If you feel strongly about gaining military training, enlist with a contingency to serve upon acceptance into helicopter flight training school.

The other factor to consider is the time commitment required to obtain your helicopter pilot license in the military. The military absolutely expects that you are a military officer first and a pilot second. This exchange requires a lot of give and take and should be considered prior to making a concrete decision. If you feel strongly about the military and are willing to sacrifice a block of your time; then entering the military training program may be just the thing for you.

Each level of helicopter pilot licensing has different FAA minimum flight time requirements. To obtain your Private (Helicopter) Pilot License, the FAA requires that you have 20 hours of dual and 10 hours of solo flight time. This is not a very realistic ratio because it typically takes between 30-45 hours of dual and about 10-15 hours of solo flight time to gain the experience and certification that will be required of you.

To obtain your Commercial Rotorcraft License, the FAA requires the pilot to have a minimum of 150 hours of flight time, and 100 of those hours must be PIC (Pilot in Command) time. Pilot in Command time is accumulated by flying solo and acting as the pilot of your helicopter AFTER you attain your Private License. Even if you are receiving flight instruction at the time; the hours toward PIC count as long as you are registered as the acting pilot of your aircraft.

Pilots who have their fixed wing license may be able to apply that flying time to their rotorcraft add-on license as well which will save both time and money.

Most helicopter flight training schools are charging rates of about $235-$275 per flight hour with an instructor and $200-$235 for solo time. Your ground school time will usually cost somewhere between $30 and $40 per hour.

Overall, you should expect a cost of about $10,000-$15,000 to obtain your Private Pilot License with an additional $16,000-$20,000 involved to obtain your Commercial Rotorcraft License. Of course these numbers can vary, depending upon your ability, the location of your school and the helicopter model you are training in.

The majority of helicopter jobs require a minimum of 1,000 hours as pilot in command, which usually means that you'll need an additional 800 hours after obtaining your Private Pilot License and your Commercial Rotorcraft License. To quickly build up hours, many helicopter pilots become Certified Flight Instructors (CFI) and teach others to fly at the school where they learned.

Flight instructors typically have about 200 hours of in air flight time before they can become eligible as an instructor. For some helicopter models the FAA enforces a strict 200 hour minimum in order to be an instructor. Working as a CFI has both advantages and disadvantages. The main disadvantage is that CFI's typically only make about $15 - $25 per hour. There are also several advantages; the most beneficial being that you get to build your flight hours quickly while getting paid to do it. You also gain valuable experience that you would normally have to pay for at a rate of $150-$200 per hour. Essentially you are using a helicopter, gaining the flight time and not having to pay for it. For your long term goal this is an optimal situation.

That all depends on how frequently you fly the helicopter. If you are pursuing your licensing on a full-time basis it may only take you 6 - 8 months to earn your license. Compared to many training and educational programs this is a drop in the bucket! But also keep in mind that you will be required to build up to 1,000 flying hours as well. Once you start instructing it will likely take you 12 - 18 months to build up to 1,000 hours. The number of students at the helicopter school will greatly influence the number of hours you will be afforded the opportunity to instruct.

Unfortunately, you don't have complete control over how quickly you can obtain your license. The flight schedule at your school can greatly influence the timeframe for completion especially if your school only has a couple of helicopters and dozens of students. In this scenario you will find that you will be unable to fly as often as you may like.

It's very important that you thoroughly research helicopter training schools prior to making a decision. Finding the best school and one that will wholly support your needs can be tricky and is often a trade off between cost and convenience. If you are ready to begin checking out schools; check out the following section about the important facts you must know!

Fortunately you have many options to choose from when selecting a helicopter school. Just like in any other business it is always important to remember that helicopter schools earn revenue ONLY if you decide to become a student. There will be quite a bit of sales talk involved in your interview process and it is your job to thoroughly research each school before making a selection. One of the smartest things you can do before making a definitive decision is to visit the school in person and talk with some of the currently enrolled students.

Think of your training as one of the largest investments of time and money that you will make in your life and remain vigilant and patient during the selection process. Although you may be eager to get started and ready to jump in with both feet; you need to protect your self and your investment carefully. Don't rush! Wisely prepare and plan for your training so that you will have an opportunity for a brighter future.

There are two parts of FAA Regulations under which helicopter training schools operate: Part 141 and Part 61. Part 141 helicopter training schools have more federal oversight and more requirements for certification. Does that mean that a helicopter training school operating under Part 141 is better than a school operating under Part 61? Maybe. Maybe not. This is when it becomes important to consider your desired future occupation as a pilot.

Do some research and you will find that some schools operate under certification requirements for both Part 141 and Part 61 which can open up more future opportunity for you. Check with each of the helicopter training schools you are considering and find out under which requirements they operate under.

Ask the school about recent accidents. If they don't report any it's usually a good idea to search the NTSB website and find out for yourself. A free five minute search at http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp could reveal information that the school failed to mention to you.

Most schools have staff to help you obtain the necessary financing to cover your schooling. The school should be willing and able to assist you through the entire process which is very similar to other arenas of academic funding. If you want to begin gathering information there are some resources listed below that can help:

http://www.teri.org/

http://flighttraining.aopa.org/learntofly/financing/funds.cfm

Many of the financing options available offer deferred repayment of up to 6 months after receiving your Commercial Pilots License. As you shuffle through the financial side of becoming a helicopter pilot try to be as financially savvy as you can. This is an investment of your time, money at the onset but will in the end provide you an endless and lucrative means to earning income in an amazing field that will be extremely rewarding.

Sincerely Yours,

Wayne Mullins

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For any questions or difficulties contact me at wayne@helicopterpilotsecrets.com

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