Becoming an Air Ambulance pilot - am I dreaming?

[pittsblerke]

Hello. I am seriously considering training to become a commercial helicopter pilot and would appreciate some straight, honest advice in response to a few questions:

1. At 37, am I too old to carve out a career as a commercial helicopter pilot?

2. Are there reasonable prospects for employment (either part or full time) if I was to commence and complete a course within the next 18 months?

3. The ultimate objective is to become an air ambulance pilot. Would I have cat in hell's chance of achieving this and what would I need to do?

4. Which is the best rotary wing training establishment?

I've got a fixed wing PPL(A) with 300 hours on some interesting aircraft such as the Pitts S2-B, Yak-52, Extra 300L as well as the usual club aircraft. I'm also extremely lucky to have a good business which is pretty much self sufficient and from which I can continue to draw an income. Therefore, funding whatever training I would need isn't too much of an issue and I could conceivably work for free if this would help get me the right experience towards becoming an air ambulance pilot. This would be the ultimate job for me (and I guess lots of others too!), flying and doing something worthwhile and exciting at the same time but I'm realistic enough to know I would be up against ex-military with lots of hours.

Any advice from people who know what they are talking about would be much appreciated.

Pittsblerke.

[timex]

At 37 you could achieve this, however have you looked at the cost of training to CPL standard (hrs and license)? You would probably need to get at least 1500hrs under your belt (to make you employable) and some of that would need to be twin (a guess would be around 1-200hrs).

You are going into a market that is poor at the moment but will hopefully pick up, when you do you will be competing against quite a lot of ex-mil or guys from the offshore industry with masses of experience/hrs.

What sort of time frame are you thinking of?

[Gomer Pylot]

You're on the other side of the pond, but some things should be the same. EMS is not a young man's game, nor is it a game for the inexperienced of any age. There isn't much flying involved, so it's difficult to maintain proficiency. You may go a month without flying, at least here, and then get a flight in the middle of the night which requires absolutely disciplined, precise flying. If you don't have many years of experience to fall back on, you're putting yourself, the med crew, and the patient at peril. IMO, what most companies require for a minimum is still far too low, but they have to take what they can get.

Becoming a helicopter pilot sounds romantic, but the reality is that it's not romantic at all, it's just a job, and while it beats doing manual labor for a living, it doesn't pay much more, for most pilots. There are far too many low-timers willing to work for peanuts or less for the pay to ever be decent. You need to understand all that going in.

[Whirlygig]

You're not too old but, with employment prospects as they are at the moment, you'd be unlikely to amass the hours and experience required to be an air ambulance pilot in the foreseeable future.

This might help (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/122944-faq-training-employment-prospects-please-read-before-posting.html)


and I could conceivably work for free Please don't. You won't be doing yourself, or anyone else in the industry, any favours.

Cheers

Whirls

[Shawn Coyle]

One of the characteristics that an EMS pilot should have is maturity. It appears you have that from both age and business experience.
The variety of FW airplane types helps (believe it or not) and you should expand that (much cheaper than RW types).
Good luck - the pool of suitable pilots fluctuates in depth!

[Gordy]

and I could conceivably work for free

What Whirls said.....

And my $0.02....... Please don't....there are many in the industry who have spent thousands trying to get the right amount of experience.....some of us need to EARN a living to keep our families....ANYONE who works for free loses the respect of EVERY working helicopter pilot.

For what it is worth....I would say that in the current economic climate, your chances of achieving your "dream job" are slim to none, but for your sake, would love to be proved wrong as long as you respect the rest of us "working" pilots.

[Helinut]

There are some rotary flying jobs that are naturally attractive - for many HEMS is one of those. I have been fortunate enough to start helicopter flying as a second career and done various really rewarding roles including HEMS pilot. It is possible, but it will never be financially a brilliant option. Various things affect the chances of success: overall things are not good at the moment. However, being selfish you only need one job at a time.

Before you become a particular type of helicopter pilot you will need to gain experience appropriate to that work; arguably that is more difficult than getting the licences and ratings. Acquiring a licence or rating is just the start. In the main, helicopter flying is single pilot flying. A problem is that you cannot sit with Nelly and learn your trade by flying as a co-jo.

In my experience progressing in helicopter flying involves jumping a series of hurdles. You can take different routes but you normally need to jump a hurdle to get to the next stage. Immediately post-licence the first problem is how to gain any additional hours - you are virtually no use as a commercial pilot at that stage. Once you jump that hurdle you need to find a way to become a useful single engine turbine commercial pilot, then to get some twin engine experience and so on.

Be very careful about offering to fly for free. You have seen the reaction here and it is general and understandable. Also, if you are prepared to give yourself for nothing, that might be seen as implying something about how much you value yourself. However, you can usefully spend your time developing good relations with people in the industry. This might well involve spending time doing things ancillary to flying. For example, it would be useful to spend time working at ground handling at pleasure flying.

It is important to develop and keep a good reputation: the hele industry is a small one.

You will also face some difficult decisions. Helicopter flying is hazardous and in the end you need to control the risk you expose yourself to. I have felt obliged to turn down or resign from various jobs where I had serious concerns about safety. Without being too dramatic, in at least one case the pilot who took on a role that I declined is now dead. I recently turned down a job I would have loved to do, because it just did not make any financial sense.

Having means of support outside flying could be very useful. Particularly at first, you may spend a lot of time looking for flying. However, be aware that flying can be all-consuming and deflect you from other bits of your life, including your other business.

I have taken the view that I wanted to enjoy all of the flying that I do. In general, I have done that and enjoyed my early flying just as much as the more exotic stuff.

[Readyornot]

You only live once! Go for it!

[grumpytroll]

You will never know until you start down the path. If you don't get your private then you'll never get your commercial or your instructor rating. If you don't get started then you will never know if a flying job might have someday presented itself. If you have enough cash, you can proceed very quickly through the training. Put yourself directly in front of the opportunities and chances are they will hit you square on.

Cheers

www.thegrumpytroll.com (http://www.thegrumpytroll.com)

(my brewpub)

[FH1100 Pilot]

Let's take it from the top!

1. At 37, am I too old to carve out a career as a commercial helicopter pilot? YES

2. Are there reasonable prospects for employment (either part or full time) if I was to commence and complete a course within the next 18 months? NO

3. The ultimate objective is to become an air ambulance pilot. Would I have cat in hell's chance of achieving this and what would I need to do? NOT EVEN A SNOWBALL'S.

4. Which is the best rotary wing training establishment? THE ONE YOU CHOOSE AND STICK WITH- IT DEPENS MORE ON YOU THAN THEM.

Now, there's always some fool who'll tell you, "Just go for it! Follow your dream!" Unfortunately, this is simply not realistic. Not at 37. See, EMS is not an "entry-level" job in the helicopter world. It's not for beginners or neophytes. You don't necessarily have to be SuperPilot, but EMS is a demanding job that requires a high level of skill and judgment. It will be VERY unlikely that you'll be able to quickly amass the experience (in terms of flight hours)...and more importantly, the seasoning to become an EMS pilot. Then again, you never know. Care to invest 5 - 10 years to see? Yeah, it could take that long to work your way into an EMS position even if you started tomorrow.

And "that long" will involve jobs in which you will be paid very little...surely less than you ever thought possible for a job with such high demands and risks. Uhh, "why?" you ask?I could conceivably work for free if this would help get me the right experience towards becoming an air ambulance pilot.
There ya go! Yeah, you and a whole bunch of other people too. That attitude is what has kept the compensation for helicopter pilots down FOREVER. And it is that very attitude that will continue to keep pilot pay down in the future. The industry salutes you! Heck, the industry thrives on people like you.

[fly911]

Go to Air Methods, PHI, Air Evac, websites and check out their pilot requirements. Look, since you don't need the money, you will really enjoy the journey to becoming a professional helicopter pilot. Once you get a few hundred hours helicopter time, you can start flying tours, instructing, hauling choker cables, photo flights, etc. It's all fun and broadens your experience. The sooner you earn your ATP the easier you will find getting a job. Forget about paying for multi-engine time, except maybe a few hours familiarization. Your first EMS job will be a single engine VFR base. It's just as much fun as a multi-engine IFR assignment. Are you too old? I got my first HEMS job at 50. You have time. email me if you want more detailed info. Good luck. I never met a helo pilot that was sorry he/she started down that path. I don't think that you will be either.

[Helinut]

pb,

It is important to see where the posters are based. The answers may be different depending upon where you are talking about......

[E.G. All UK and most European (?) HEMS is twin engine - not the case in the US of A and some other places].

[SilsoeSid]

Becoming an Air Ambulance pilot - am I dreaming?

'Dreaming of being a pilot', didn't we all, all those years ago?

I know I did when standing in the school playground, as a youthful 14 year old watching an RN Gazelle land on our school football pitch. "One day I'll fly one of those", I remember saying to Mr McMillen the science teacher stood next to me. "Of course you will 'Sid' ", was his reply.

Nine years later, there I was on an Observers course at Wallop and 4 years from then, APC and 'Wings'. 34 years later and here I am, still looking youthfully at the aircraft in the hangar that I now fly.

Who would have thought way back then, that from the dream on the school playground I would still have that feeling stood in the hangar tonight. Dreams can and do come true.


However Pittsblerke, as mentioned earlier, time is not on your side.
From a civi side of things I don't really know how long it will take to get the required hours/experience needed for a HEMS job, but you will be up against ex-military guys aged around 40 with many years of experience, all the desired thousands of hours and hoops gone through that are needed by the employers who can take their pick. Basic requirements are likely to be around 2000 TT, 400 twin, and 'relevant experience', however nothing is ever set in stone.

Time and money are the main factors.
You do say "Therefore, funding whatever training I would need isn't too much of an issue", however 1600 hours at £600/hr and 400 hrs at £1000 would come to around £1,360,000 . As far as the experience goes, where and how long it takes to get it is another question.


Never give up the dream, don't be disheartened by any civi/ex-mil arguments and as I've always said to people, whether its an Infantryman, Tankie or Gunner on a visit on exercise, a youth popping over on a static display or a PC on an awareness day...."If you don't try you'll never know, and there'll be nothing worse in years to come for you to be sat there thinking...I wonder if I could have".


All the very best :ok:

SS
Still that 14 year old at heart, but with greyer hair and a rounder physique.

[fly911]

It is important to see where the posters are based.
Helinut, thanks for catching that. I was offering perspective from a USA standpoint. Should have been more observant.

[EN48]

Becoming an Air Ambulance pilot - am I dreaming?

Well, I wouldnt attempt to provide an answer to your question or advice, not being employed as a commercial pilot. However I can offer a concrete example of a friend who did this in the U.S., but starting from a somewhat different point. He was in his early forties, with a CFI-airplane when he began flying helicopters. About 3000 hours in airplanes, but not working as a flight instructor, and not flying for a living at the time. Began flying helicopters and decided to pursue it as a career. Did a PPC, CPC, CFI, and CFII working at it full time and flying as an instructor at a small helicopter training school. Over two + years, accumulated a little over 1000 hours, did the ATP, bought a little turbine time (not a lot. more like 25 hours) and got hired by one of the larger EMS operators. After two years there, got recruited to fly EMS for one of the more prestigious hospitals in the U.S. at somewhere around age 45-46.

So, it can be done later in life, but the outcome will depend heavily on one's motivation, skills, and ability to build time quickly and check off the ratings. Will this work for you? You are probably the one best equipped to answer this question.

[ShyTorque]

Your first EMS job will be a single engine VFR base.

bought a little turbine time (not a lot. more like 25 hours) and got hired by one of the larger EMS operators.

Sorry, that's incorrect; very definitely NOT, if in UK.

[EN48]

Sorry, that's incorrect;


Sorry, that's correct in the specific case I cited - the part about buying turbine time. This pilot had about 1200 hours of Robbie time and no prior helo turbine time and only a few hours of airplane turbine time as a "guest" pilot. If you mean that this would not likely work in the U.K, then I cant argue with that. I think that I was very clear that this example was in the U.S. and was but one instance, not necessarily the norm. Incidentally, this pilot's first EMS job was flying the EC-135 after a suitable training period - no single engine VFR assignment. In any event, IMO, this is a very challenging longshot anywhere, but not out of the question.

[fly911]

It is important to see where the posters are based.
Sorry EN48 I forgot to note your location....

[grumpytroll]

Wants to be the last living helicopter pilot on the planet, therefore there is no hope of anyone of any age from this day forward ever suceeding in the field. Boo Hoo. In ten to fifteen years there will be no helicopters flying anywhere is the sky because it is impossible for anyone to successfully become a helicopter pilot. I hope its not true because after I suffer my first heart attack, I hope a sassy, over confident and arrogant pilot will fly a EMS helo to my front yard and transport me to the hospital where I will be saved and can continue to comment on this site. I further hope that the pilot makes 100 grand a year, works from home, and drives a company car. I am hopeful of all things and confident that the world will continue and the need for helicopter pilots of all skills will be in high demand.

GOFORIT

[FH1100 Pilot]

Hey, reality is reality. Some of you don't like to face it or admit it.

Grumpytroll spews:(FH1100) ...Wants to be the last living helicopter pilot on the planet, therefore there is no hope of anyone of any age from this day forward ever suceeding in the field.Negative, ghostrider, I never said that.

Boo Hoo. In ten to fifteen years there will be no helicopters flying anywhere is the sky because it is impossible for anyone to successfully become a helicopter pilot. Never said that either. (Ever hear of the term "reading comprehension?") My opinion is that at age 37 it will be virtually impossible for a guy to have a career as an EMS pilot. Anyone want to throw around some hiring minimums at the various companies? Anyone want to give this guy a REALISTIC estimate of how long it'll take him to build up enough time to get his first (non-EMS) job, much less the 1500 to 2000 hours of r/w PIC time he'll need to fly EMS? Yeaaaah, I didn't think so. And then we'll have yet another 1500-hour EMS pilot out there? Oh, I'm lovin' this idea! I hope he'll at least be sassy and arrogant!

I hope its not true because after I suffer my first heart attack, I hope a sassy, over confident and arrogant pilot will fly a EMS helo to my front yard and transport me to the hospital where I will be saved and can continue to comment on this site. If you don't settle down and start being less angry at the world, that first heart attack might come sooner than you think!

Grumpytroll, do you actually believe what you just wrote? Really? Because we seem to have way too many sassy(?), over-confident and arrogant EMS pilots already, thank you very much. We keep reading about them in the accident reports. For my part, I do hope we have FEWER of them. If I ever need the services of an EMS helicopter (which I doubt will ever happen), I hope it's flown by an experienced, seasoned, conservative pilot who's been around the block a couple of times who won't crash, not some sassy Johnny-come-lately who decided late in life that flying an air ambulance would be "cool."

I further hope that the pilot makes 100 grand a year...Stop right there! Hold on! The OP already told us that he'd work for free. You think ANY helicopter pilot is going to make "100 grand" a year flying EMS as long as there are other pilots with the same attitude? Heh, me neither.


Sassy?

[SilsoeSid]

I further hope that the pilot makes 100 grand a year, works from home, and drives a company car.

Two things, (ignoring that UK AAs are charity run so £65 may be a bit much)
1. Working from home, would the pilot live at the airbase or would the airbase have to move to the residential area the pilot lives in, and which of the pilots home does it operate from, or would each pilot have his/her own airbase?
2. Why would you need a company car if you worked from home?

[floatsarmed]

Mate,

The question that you should be asking yourself, and be brutally honest, is, why do you want to become an Air Ambo Pilot?

In the UK you are never going to be able to compete with all of the guys leaving the AAC and RAF with the levels of experience that they possess and the established network that leans toward hiring ex mil guys in the UK. Have a look at the Gloucestershire Air Ambo web site for instance? '22 years AAC, instructor on Apaches' etc. See what I mean?

If you want to become a professional pilot then be aware it is a very hard and long road to get to a point where you will be hired for air ambo / police / offshore. We are talking ten plus years in the industry minimum.

If you REALLY just have to be a pilot then research it hard and then be prepared for the reality of a long hard slog and a high probability of failure.

Otherwise, if you have the cash then just do it for fun as I'm sure it can be just as rewarding being 'just' a pplh as well. Good luck :ok:

[Thomas coupling]

Pittsblerke.

I have done 14 yrs as a police/hems pilot. I am also an ex mil pilot.

I have seen a paramedic on £22000 remortgage his house and obtain a CPL Ir for a total of £48000 all inclusive.
He was picked up by an oil rig company doing offshore with the bare minimum hours. He will slowly work his way up to captain over the next 3-5 yrs.
So it can be done.
That said - I have never met someone so committed...and so lucky. The economy currently though is not the same.

The acid test for me would be if my son asked me the same question that you posed.
My answer would be a categoric NO. The risks are too great and I would suggest the vast majority look back after going down that road and wish they'd never started.
Stick with your PPL, your comfortable lfe style and do something else that is as exciting.....

At best you'll wallow in a mickey mouse 'holding' job, on £20 - 30000 forever.
Your IR will probably never be used in anger. As for HEMS driver - you will have to join the dead mans shoes queue:oh:

Finally - a word of advice: please, for the sake of the industry, dont ever volunteer your services for free or less than market prices. You will drive everyone elses salaries down. It is frowned on.

Regards.

[jayteeto]

Specifically as an Air ambo pilot....... If it was my son asked this question, I would also say don't do it. That said, you MIGHT get lucky, but probably won't. The job market is not great and there are ex-mil pilots who are struggling to get jobs with a lot more experience.
As a helicopter pilot?????? If you can afford to fail, why not?

[jayteeto]

Never a truer word said..... When anyone finds out my job, they tend to say "That must be exciting!!". NO IT ISN'T!! It has its moments and they are MOMENTS, but generally it is boring.

[pittsblerke]

Thanks to everyone for posting replies, I appreciate your time and I'm pragmatic enough to understand that this would not be an easy endeavour.

My reasons for wanting to undertake this challenge are numerous. What I didn't mention is that I passed OASC at Biggin Hill about 20 years years ago and was sponsored through university as an APO on a RAF cadetship, however, it all came to a premature end because of an eyesight problem that wasn't detected during the selection medicals. It only came to light two years after I joined when I became a little short sighted and was packed off to Halton for further tests and given the bad news. I had surgery to correct the problem after I left the RAF but it wasn't a viable option at the time so I was medically discharged. At the time I was absolutely gutted so you could say there is a big itch I need to scratch. Having built up my business and achieved a degree of financial security (which I have worked bloody hard to do), I potentially have a second chance to follow my childhood dream. Obviously the military is out of the question, airlines don't appeal in the slightest so I was thinking about about a challenging and worthwhile flying job.

I note the many comments about offering to work for free. All fair points and apart from the unnecessarily obtuse and unhelpful post by FH1100, well made.

The truth is I wasn't contemplating working for free as a career pilot for the rest of my life, rather, from my limited fixed wing experience I know of plenty of people that have flown glider tugs, parachute ships, positioning fights etc etc for little or no money to help build up their experience. I was wondering if there were similar opportunities in the helicopter world.

Thank you again to everyone for your advice, I'll take it all on board and to those of you that have achieved what I dream of doing, my utmost respect.

[Whirlygig]

The truth is I wasn't contemplating working for free as a career pilot for the rest of my life, rather, from my limited fixed wing experience I know of plenty of people that have flown glider tugs, parachute ships, positioning fights etc etc for little or no money to help build up their experience. I was wondering if there were similar opportunities in the helicopter world. We knew what you meant and the reply is still, please don't. If you must, then work for at least some remuneration but not for free.

In reality, those sorts of roles are rare in the helicopter world in the UK. There may be the odd repositioning job for maintenance but again, competition is high and most operators would prefer to trust their aircraft to a more experienced pilot.

Whilst FH1100's reply lacks something of a bedside manner, you'd still do well to take on board what he (or she) says. It may not have been what you wanted to hear but was a valid reply nevertheless.

If you haven't already, get a Class 1 medical and have a helicopter trial lesson.

Cheers

Whirls

[grumpytroll]

Thats what I have been telling the crybabies I have worked with over the years.

"you wouldn't be happy if they paid you a hundred grand a year to work at home AND they give you a company car!"

Or to some of my army buddies who complained about the pay:
"you mean if they paid you a million a year you could actually find the LZ?"


And ohhhh, when we had to go to the field:
"maybe the commanding general can arrange for an enemy attack at the division housing area, that way you wouldn't have to go to the field. Just shoot them from your lawn chair."


cheers

[GS-Alpha]

If you want to do something worthwhile and enjoyable, and you have a decent income already, have you considered training to be a paramedic and work towards getting yourself a job as an air ambulance paramedic, and at the same time go get your PPL(H) and fly in your time off for fun? I'm sure the position of being an airborne paramedic is highly sought after, but I bet you would stand a much better chance of succeeding in that aim than you would at flying the things yourself. That way, you will get the best of both worlds?

[Devil 49]

1. At 37, am I too old to carve out a career as a commercial helicopter pilot?
No

2. Are there reasonable prospects for employment (either part or full time) if I was to commence and complete a course within the next 18 months?
This is a tougher one, but "reasonable prospects"? Probably not, more later.

3. The ultimate objective is to become an air ambulance pilot. Would I have cat in hell's chance of achieving this and what would I need to do?
Yes. No. And- maybe. It's possible you'll get where you want to be. It's very unlikely, but it could happen. If you're industrious and the stars align, you could work in this field. Having a measure of financial security helps, as does being mature (there are positive aspects to being 37) and experienced. You could do it.

Reasonable prospects?
There's a lot of experience available and looking in the market, right now. Lots of capable pilots will be entering the market before you are competitive. Bad for you, nugget
Acquiring the required experience is a considerable challenge, many (the majority?) never get it. Commonly, one 'travels' extensively and 'lives rough' while actively beating the bushes for the next flight hour. It is tough, even with the ready necessary in the bank.
The majority of EMS pilots are ex-military aviators, and some operators seem to 'prefer' a military background- you won't fit that.
EMS seats aren't predictably available at a preferred location, and that's a major draw for me and many of my peers. I could fly more and/or be better paid in other phases of the industry.
The 'good seats' are very, very stable. Hint- many of the industry's open seats are open with good cause...

You could do this thing. But, it's not a 'reasonable prospect', more the 'cat in hell's chance' kind of thing. If failure's better than not trying- well, somebody's going to be filling a seat at my base in the next few years.

P.S. Don't 'work for free'. Do favors, as required, but don't ever give it away. It cheapens what you'll be trying to accomplish, don't minimize that factor. Prostitution (conventional definition) is the only field where 'free' services might be preferred to paid. I'd like to think my profession is better than that.

[Sulley]

In order to 'end up' flying an Air Ambulance you will HAVE to do other flying jobs first.In the civillian world ,to get the minimum requirements you just have to it's the way of the world. That said you would still be flying for a living, and isn't that what you want? If you can't face the idea, then I would suggest the whole flying thing isn't for you. You never know you may find a flying job you don't want to move on from ,or that takes you in another direction.Remember at the moment you want to be an AA pilot, but you don't really know what that entails it may not even be for you.
If you have the cash - and the 'need'- do the course. You never know where it will lead.

[Whirlygig]

I think being an instructor or a photo/survey pilot can be just as rewarding, but no-one ever seems to want to do that as their ambition.I do, I do, I do .... got me CPL, all dressed up and nowhere to go. :{

OK, I've never been an AA pilot, but here are my reasons/perceptions for it not being top of my list of pilot careers. No doubt here some can put me straight.

Imagine a nasty RTA on a Dual Carriageway ... a family. Husband driving and fatally injured, wife critical, teenage children in the back relatively unscathed physically and distraught. Who is there to talk to them, comfort them? Who is there to decide whether to answer the ringing mobile phone? Who is there to pick up the personal belongings; the CDs, the shopping, the clothing .... ? And who cleans out the helicopter on return to base?

I can't begin to imagine some of the traumas that AA pilots must witness and deal with. Not sure I am made of such stern stuff to be able to switch off when I get home. Even Richard Hammond couldn't tempt me. And I do know of one AA pilot who had a nervous breakdown because of everything he'd seen and witnessed.

Nah .. give me a pipeline survery - 50/50 flying :) or a student trying to kill me any day :ok:

Cheers

Whirls

[ShyTorque]

50/50 flying

???????

Sounds dodgy to me; I prefer far better odds of getting back down safely. :eek:

:E

Do you mean sharing?

[Whirlygig]

50 feet, 50 knots and if the engine goes, you've a 50/50 chance of surviving ...

Cheers

Whirls

[Whirlygig]

Just try saying, "ha ha very funny ..." :}

Cheers

Whirls

[Epiphany]

I think your humour rather overshot that particular Antipodean cephalic Whirls. :8

[Heliringer]

I should have read the whole thing, anyway it's deleted now. Too much fizzy wine last night:ugh:

[Bertie Thruster]

Imagine a nasty RTA

Our unit does about 600 RTA's a year out of the 1000 or so jobs. I do half of those. About 10% are 'nasty'. So in the last 10 years I've seen about 300 of the type Whirls described. I haven't gone mad yet but my wife says I drive really slowly these days!

I know its going to be a bad job when the paramedic who has taken the details on the 'phone, runs out to the helicopter excited and happy!


Given the limited time scale available and pittsblerkes financial security, I think that GS-Alpha has offered him a good suggestion.

[ShyTorque]

Just try saying, "ha ha very funny ..."
Cheers
Whirls

Ha ha, very funny.

I think your humour rather overshot that particular Antipodean cephalic Whirls.

Yes, it did. I was asleep in bed.

Of course, I've no idea about low flying.

[Whirlygig]

ShyT, ... stuff was posted and subequently deleted. :p


but my wife says I drive really slowly these days ... you don't have a great deal of choice in your neck of the woods. ;)

Cheers

Whirls

[ShyTorque]

Even more funny then. I did wonder wtf.... :ok:

[Epiphany]

Yes, it did. I was asleep in bed.

Of course, I've no idea about low flying.

Think you are becoming a tad paranoid Shyte and I had no idea that you are Australian otherwise I might have mentioned cricket too.

[ShyTorque]

Just bantering with my dear pal Whirls until you jumped in.

If I was in Oz I certainly wouldn't be asleep in bed at 1 in the afternoon.

As for cephalic, what an insult..I'll have you know that I've never suffered from any sexual diseases whatsoever.... :E

[Whirlygig]

Now, now gentleman .... please behave and play nicely together and then we can all talk about The Ashes. :}

Cheers

Whirls

[Bertie Thruster]

...almost back on track......

landing...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i97/nmhsu/landing4.jpg


landed...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i97/nmhsu/100_2656.jpg


It can be done; I walked out on my PhD to join 'the circus' (with a cyclic and collective as my trapeze bar.)

[Floppy Link]

You sure you want to be an air ambulance pilot pittsblerke? This time of year gives me skidmarks...

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc264/Boecopter/SS855806.jpg

[EN48]

I walked out on my PhD to join 'the circus"


Different strokes for different folks. I stuck with my PhD and it has enabled a lifestyle that I could have only dreamed about working as a helicopter pilot, and with the means to fly what I want when I want. With the prespective of a few decades, it was overwhelmingly the right choice for me (but possibly not for everyone.) Abandoning an established career track with strong upside potential to become a pilot (airplane or helicopter) is not a decison to make without lots of careful weighing of tradeoffs, IMHO.:ok:

[Bertie Thruster]

My work was related to some 'interesting' (ie potentially lucrative for the sponsor, Guinness) biochemical pathways and potential gene manipulation in yeasts.

If I'd had another chance (knowing what I know now), I wouldn't have even bothered with the first degree, let alone a PhD and would have got flying at 18 rather than 28!

I could have had 10 extra happy years, being paid to tart around in the sky! (42 years instead of 32) (EN 48 has got a point though; he's been a pilot for 45 years!)

Just 1 year left for me now.:sad:

(Air ambulance with floats, Floppy? You'll be winching next!....perhaps not beyond the realms of possibility, given the current twists and turns of the 'SAR-H' saga!)