Helicopter Jobs in the UK

[pilotade]

I'm thinking of a career in aviation and don't want to go down the airliner route following September 11th and the job losses etc.. .. .I have looked at CPL(H) training but I am not familiar with the job availability in the UK. . .. .Any information out there will be most appreciated.. .. .Ade

[cleared24right]

I heard, and this may only be a rumour, that Bristow where that short on pilots that they were taking PPL(H) and taking them on with like 60 hours or so, that was at Humberside. There are more Heli jobs around at the moment for definate try flight international and do a job search on helicopter positions.. .. .<a href="http://www.flightinternational.com" target="_blank">www.flightinternational.com</a>

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Its much much harder and more expensive to become a helicopter pilot. There are fewer jobs that pay less.. .. .If they do get short there are from decade to decade periods whereby someone like Bristows might run a partial sponsorship. These are like hens teeth. The military however are very short of pilots and helicopters have a bright future in our post cold war expeditionary Air Force.... .. .WWW

[Whirlybird]

At the moment, from what I hear, neither Bristows nor Scotia are recruiting unless you have an instrument rating (I've heard variations from £15,000 to £30,000 for the cost of this, on top of costs of getting CPL(H) etc). After September 11th, the laid-off airline pilots with dual qualifications went back to the North Sea. So the North Sea operators can pick and choose right now. So some of the instructors who would normally be moving on to the North Sea are staying put. So what does that leave for us newbies? I wish I knew. How long will it last? Answers and speculation same as for other branches of aviation.

[Rotorbike]

WWW stated: Its much much harder and more expensive to become a helicopter pilot. There are fewer jobs that pay less..... there are also fewer people with licences!!!!. .. .Cabair state that the cost of an integrated Helicopter course is 41,000 and an integrated Fixed Wing one is 47,000. OK it's far more if you decide to get a twin engine helicopter rating whilst doing your Commercial training but thats like doing a 737 type rating during your private.. .. .Whilst acknowledging that this year isn't the best to have a fresh helicopter ticket burning a hole in your pocket I would debate that it costs more to get a helicopter licence.. .. .Unfortunately in this current market it is he that becomes the most inventive that will get the hours and the employment opportunities helicopter or airplane.. .. .If you are interested in helicopters then go helicopters. You won't ever earn as much but you might save a divorce or two by being home at night more often. . .. .Oh, if only wife one and two could read this now <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> . .. .PS CHC Scotia recent pay increase will give them parity with narrow body jet Capt's topping out at about 80K sterling, which isn't that sad!!!

[ML Handler]

Join the Army or RAF, you won't get a licence but you will get experience on decent aircraft and have some fun, it will also make getting your licence easier if you rack up enough hours (2500 I think). Clearly I have now lit the touch paper for ex military wannabees to tell you that life in a growbag is not all roses...Bosnisa...getting shot...cr@p bosses...low hrs...etc etc..

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Rotorbike - if you have only a single engine non-turbine license and low hours just what jobs other than instructing are available to you. Assuming a good year - I'd be interested in some scenarios as I have weak understanding of this area.. .. .My perception is that unless you have turbine time you are pretty much stuffed.. .. .WWW

[Rotorbike]

Myself I have a completely civilian background which stated with a UK private helicopter licence. Then nearly eight years ago got myself a 'J1' visa for the US and went to get the commercial/instrument CFI, CFII licences. Found a job at a different flight school and then instructed for 18 months.. .. .At this school we also did flight tours in a turbine helicopoter so at about 1000 hours the boss transitioned me and off I went in that aircraft. Its amazing how all of a sudden you become willing to sell that aircraft to customers when you are flying it!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> . .. .My next step was a US ATPL(H) and then look for my next move. I found a short term co-pilot position , offshore oil support, on the other side of the world and jumped at it. Two months later I had the grand total of 100 hours of twin turbine hours and was unemployed. . .. .But I now had 100 hours single turbine and 100 twin turbine hours so I was 'above' instructing and spent the next couple of months unemployed. My licences were now two years old and I had about 1500 hours total.. .. .I managed to get a position flying tours and was given a transition by the company into their aircraft. It was a seasonal job and went about flying as much as I was rostered for. I had two months left of the summer contract when I was called by the company that I had worked the short term contract for. I quit flying tours and headed back to offshore oil support. . .. .That was nearly 5 years ago. I have since been transitioned into all the company aircraft, twin and singles. And grown from a Co-pilot into a Captain. . .. .It's 7 years since I finished my licences and I have 3900 helicopter time with a grand total of 4 hours fixed wing..... This year I have completed my UK ATPL(H) and now have three ATPL licences two with instrument, guess which one is without.. .. .Enough about me, your question what to do with a brand new licence. Well in the UK I am not the best person to ask that question (maybe Whirlybird is better but she's looking so might not be so willing) as I didn't go that route. . .. .I do know that last year, CHC Scotia took on about 60 pilots. And seriously struggled to get persons with any kind of experience. Meaning that a large percentage had brand new tickets. These all got UK instrument and type training and will be bonded for between 24-36 months for about 50K.. .. .I think it was the year before last that Bristows sent a few guys off at their expense to get all licences and then lost a contract. They were picked up by Scotia. CHC Ireland have this year put a 600 hour guy through instrument and type training. The North Sea companies are telling everyone that they are only taking on people with instrument tickets which is true up to a point, the odd one keeps slipping into Cabair. CHC Ireland currently have a couple of guys doing helicopter instrument course at Cabair.... company expense. Bristow Helicopters (5 year bond) also have guys currently instrument training at Norwich.. .. .If you don't fancy instructing or can't get into the North Sea or it isn't your wish to go there. Then maybe starting with tours of some discription. Robinson has helped so many with a four seater piston helicopter, the R44. Perfect for a tour aircraft. I know of a guy who's first 1000 was flying tours in a Bell 47. . .. .Others that didn't pick up an instructor ticket went the tuna boat route. The aircraft get stationed on the boat and go spotting every day. Find a school and steer the boat to it. The faster you find the fish the quicker you will be back to dry land. Normally 5-6 hours flying a day. Very big hour builder and a fairly good wage as you get a percentage of the catch. If anyone is interested try your local supermarket and start backward from the tin. Most of the companies have their phone numbers on them!!!. .. .I have heard of low time guys doing seismic work in recip helicopters. Down under all the cattle mustering is done from R22's. Crop spraying has also been know to be done by low time guys. . .. .I will admit hardest part is working a route out to your first 1000 hours. In the UK it is harder than overseas as the weather can be so bad to just stagnate your hour building. The only thing on your side in the UK is that the instructors get so much more money per hour. I did find in the US that weather kept the airplanes on the ground and the helicopter instructors kept working!!!. .. .Then transition into turbine aircraft. Hopefully at someone elses expense. Then deciding which direction to go. Offshore, Heavy Lift, Tours, EMS, Police or any other of the specialized areas that helicopters operate in.. .. .Companies are really struggling to get people with the right kind of experience and are only too willing to give some kind of training but the bean counters are trying to keep it down to as little as possible. But in the time I have been here we have trained 6 other guys with 1000-2000 hours of mostly piston time, each have gone on to become Captains twin engine helicopter.. .. .Nobody said this industry was easy, fixed or rotary and I have seen a huge amount of guys waste large sums of money on training but also have friends around the world working in all sectors of the helicopter industry.. .. .Hope that helps.. .. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Thank you for such a fullsome reply - I shall place this thread in the Wannabes Archive in due course.. .. .Congrats on your endeavours - given a magic wand I think I would become a Police or Air Ambulance pilot myself. I have done some great flying in Gazelles, Wessex, Sea King, Puma and Chinook in my time on famil flights.. .. .I stand by my original assertion though - more expensive, less money, fewer jobs.. .. .WWW

[Rotorbike]

I would say: . .. .Same amount of money to train.. .. .Less money, BUT I don't think I would have been earning as much money as quickly if I had went fixed!!!. .. .Less jobs but with fewer people going for them. .. .And I get bored flying 30 minute legs so I'm real glad I don't do long haul!!!. .. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

[Whirlybird]

I'm not really the best person either, as all I ever intended to do was instruct or do pleasure flights or charter work part time. However, when I got my CPL(H) in November I did look into other options, so some of this may be useful.. .. .Until recently you could get work on the North Sea, with them paying for the instrument rating, and thereby acquire that magic turbine time. When I asked one of their pilots in November, she said they were desperate for pilots, but that changed almost overnight to everyone being told to get an instrument rating first. A few do seem to pick the right day or get lucky, but that's the usual story as of now. But before that, and probably once the repercussions of Sept 11th die down, this could be approximate route/costs:. .. .PPL(H) - 55 hours (could be more or less, obviously) @ £200 - £11,000. .hour building - 100 hours @ £150 - £15,000. .30 hour CPL course plus night rating @ £200 - £7,000. .Total - £33,000. .. .Then go to North Sea and leave after three years, with all jobs being open to you, or so they tell me.. .. .All those costs could be reduced, eg by hour building in the US, or even one or two cheaper places over here.. .. .Where is this more expensive than f/w?

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Hmm, no that is not as expensive as fixed wing. What about the IR though? How much do they cost if no-one sponsors you?. .. .I am amazed that a company can put you flying onto North Sea oil rigs with less than 200hrs!. .. .WWW

[Rotorbike]

Until Pprune I didn't realize that 250 hour people sat in the front of 737's <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> . .. .Until the end of 2002 you can get a CAA instrument with training as required. After that it will be JAA either multi or single engine megga money rating.. .. .Cost now: between 10 and 20K. After Dec look at doubling those figures.. .. .But please remember that most of those Police pilots that you mentioned aren't instrument rated!!!

[RW-1]

RB,. .. .I'm envious !!!!. .. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />