PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Fixed-wing or Rotary career? (incl Changing licence to Rotary)
Old 14th Feb 2005, 16:05
  #119 (permalink)  
chopperpilot47
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
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I did much the same. I had nearly 3,000 hours fixed wing before I went rotary. I obtained the commercial with 50 hours but really did not expect a job of any kind. I owned a helicopter so built up 200 hours fairly quickly and took the flight instructor rating to find I was uninsurable as a flight instructor! I could fly photographers, rides, sightseeing etc until I had 250 in a helo. I bought a helicopter school so that was my job sorted out.

The instructors I employ seem to need the golden 1,000 hours in helicopters before they get a sniff of a job. It does not seem to matter how much fixed wing time they have, if you want to fly helicopters you need rotary time.

I don't think there is any short cut. You need to build up helicopter time and the traditional route is through instructing. It is not a bad job in itself, you will learn a lot and get to fly different types of machine and you actually get paid as well!

Good luck,

Chopperpilot47
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