Career in SAR?

[reticentae]

Hi all,

I live in Sydney and now that I have the financial means I've started my PPL(A) training with a view to get my CPL, from what I've gleaned from these forums I'm not too late by any means (I'm 28 yrs old), and I've even started re-considering my youthful ambitions of becoming a search&rescue pilot. I have had some volunteer experience in mountain SAR (on the ground) and really think I'd like a career in this field.

I was wondering what sort of career paths one might take to become a SAR pilot and what sort of requirements I would be expected to meet after completing my CPL.

Also, I'm undecided between going for airplane or helicopter CPL. In an ideal world I might even go nuts do both but finance and common sense dictates I make the choice now and I'm wondering what the differences in terms of career prospects might be.

[preduk]

I was under the impression that all SAR pilots are ex or current mil pilots.

[wobble2plank]

I was under the impression that all SAR pilots are ex or current mil pilots.

Not quite true, ex Mil pilots make good candidates due to previous training and operating environments. Cheaper to train! Any pilot can get a SAR job, they just need the required experience. Which, unfortunately, can be expensive both in time and money to achieve.

For example if you work the Aberdeen line for Bristows or Bond for a few years then you can move over to the SAR world. Generally taken in seniority order for both the RHS (Captain) and LHS.

Bear in mind that people don't tend, on the whole, to get lost/ into trouble in good weather so you will be operating in poor weather and often at night.

After 8 years of it I had had enough, fantastic job but it can be emotionally draining at times.

Work hard, find any helo employer and then work up your experience, the rest will follow.

Good luck

W2P