Afternoon all!
An interesting post which has generated some mixed responses..
I think that there maybe different job prospects in different parts of Europe. Although, I would say confidently that 2006 was a buoyant year for helicopter charter in the U.K and it would appear that 2007 is going to be the same. (Touch wood) However, there are a number of experienced pilots with and without IRs that have retired or are about to retire. It is very difficult to find well presented, capable and confident pilots that will be able to launch off on a charter and operate to the standard that is now required / expected. 2006 has proven that and there really was a shortage of pilots throughout the year.
The helicopter charter market has / is becoming more sophisticated and aircraft are more reliable now. The stigma that has been attached to helicopter charter historically was that if the weather is bad the passengers will assume that they may not get there. That is not so true anymore. Whilst it is not essential that a pilot should havean IR – I would suggest that most, if not all, IFR Operators in the U.K would have to ponder over offering a non IR pilot a salaried position within the company. There is no benefit in sending a VFR pilot flying in an IFR aircraft…
I’m not suggesting that we all have a ‘like it or lump it’ attitude, far from it! However, there are huge costs related to running an AOC and it maybe that we would require some financial input from a future IR Pilot to get the wheels in motion. As vertical hold says, if we can ‘do a deal’, it makes the future a little more promising.
I agree with Verticleholds sentiments entirely – it really is a question of attitude and ability, not one or the other.
I hope that sounds like a reasonably balanced point of view?
XD