@ hobomike
You don't mind the offshore work, eh? Well that's good! Hopefully you don't mind the work that comes before that neither.
FYI, to qualify for the FAA ATPL the aeronautical experience requirements are:
1,200 hours total time as a pilot of which 200 hours are in helicopters, including 75 hours PIC
500 hours cross-country flight time which must be longer than 25nm in a helicopter or 50nm in a fixed-wing
100 hours night flight time of which 15 hours are in helicopters. The night time must be unaided (without the use of NVG)
75 hours of instrument flight time of which 25 hours are in helicopters, and not more than 25 hours are in a simulator
I know how much your butt hurts after all that in R22's cause I did it.
Too bad your flight school doesn't provide reality checks! Did they show you some nice pictures and the success stories?
I suggest that before you even start thinking about jobs in the offshore part of our industry, you actually get your CFII. Then you should actually get hired as a CFI, and then you better not crash during your first 1000 hours.
Here's an example of the requirements for one of the more recent offshore co-pilots jobs:
Current CPL(H)
AW139 Type Rating
Class One Medical
Min 1000 hours total time
Min 100 hours on type
Min 20 hours night flight
Min 20 hours instrument
Oh pardon me, of course you are going for the captain position right away. Here we go:
Current ATPL (H)
Sikorsky 92 Type Rating
3000 hours pilot in command on rotorcraft,
1500 hours in medium/heavy rotorcraft category
1500 hours pilot in command on multi-engine helicopters
250 hours instrument flight time
Search and Rescue background
Good luck to you ... and I mean that!
Btw … most of us consider ourselves professional helicopter pilots rather than jobbing heli pilots.
Last edited by hammerhead70; 4th Feb 2012 at 22:45.