Alpine Helo Flying

[Fat Dog]

Hi All

Did a quick search but didn't find what I was after - anyway, was skiing last week and it reminded me as usual what a pretty cool job it appears to be operating the helos in ski resorts that are used to rescue, transport etc. Got me thinking how I'd love to mix it with my current job (left seat B757) - say helos in the winter, fixed wing the rest of the year. Wondering if someone would be kind enough to enlighten me with a few facts?

Is it a good job or not? Is it something that rotorheads would aspire to? Do the french/swiss etc guard these jobs with their you-know-whats, or if you have the required experience is getting a job possible?

What kind of experience would they be looking for?

Thanks!

[tecpilot]

This is not a job for a part time pilot.

There is no sightseeing pilot in this kind of business. The companies involved do the full range of helicopter business like external load, heliskiing, rescue with quick changes between the tasks. It's sometimes very tricky to operate in mountains and deep snow and therefore they want only very experienced pilots. And also of course experienced in the operation area.
A lot of well experienced pilots are waiting for a job cause the market is very small. Only very few operators.

For Switzerland you need additionally a special mountain rating.

The normal way to get such a job is to clean the hangar a few years mixed with in difficulty increasing pilot work and to learn the way they handle the things from the beginning.

[chutedragger]

Fat Dog, Hope this is what you are looking for.

I cant speak on behalf of EU or NZ...but here is kind of how it goes in North America. I started flying, wanting to go skiing, put in the time to get skiing and now as an operator...want to try to avoid skiing.

The NA industry is firstly about insurance. Most contracts want at least 3000 hours. This is usually only a requirement for the paper work...as typically the operator will only put a guy in who can actually fly "skiing". Like flying your 757, R22 or AS350, the good guys make it look really easy. To get this good, you would "typically" have endured a mountain course earlier in your career ($20K) and then found a utility job in the mountains to gain the time...and scarring the **** out of yourself more than a couple times. This includes heavy machines at altitudes 3000 to 9000 feet on a very daily routine. Now adding snow (swirling induces virtigo) and mountian winds.

Now that you have a skiing gig...it is absolutley awsome. It is my favorite flying (over corporate, fire fighting, sling, filming, Ect.,) The reason, (i'm a skier) eveyone is on vacation and having a good time and it is extremely challenging flying. The down side is the crappy weather, around icing conditions, landing in insane virtigo swirling snow...flying to your stakes, at 8000 feet, in a fully loaded helicopter. What could possibly go wrong? Usually what goes wrong is not a major, but even the small incidents... is a major deal to you as the pilot, and the heli company. To make it worse, heli rates are at a major cut rate right now to stay working through winter...so the company can't afford ANY hic-ups. 9 days out of 10 it is straight forward flying but there is always a 10th day.

I have left out a lot of the fantastic parts of the job...what I am hoping to enlighten you on is how the dynamics of getting the job will effect you.

Hope this helps, and I am sure a few guys will add a couple more comments.

Fly Safe

[FLY 7]

I've flown with Air Zermatt several times.

See here: Willkommen bei der Air Zermatt (http://www.air-zermatt.ch/air_zermatt_2007_en/content/index1_EN.php)

They have produced several excellent DVDs covering the work they do and it's worth getting a copy to see some great flying and diverse operations in the Alps.

[alouette]

Yep, Air Zermatt is tops!!!:ok:

[Fat Dog]

Great, thanks for the replies all.