hi,
there are basically 3 career paths once you have your shiny new CPL(H)
1) go straight to the north sea as a co-pilot on the super puma, or maybe S76 or dauphine. starting salary approx £30k
very difficult at moment because you also need an instrument rating, IR(H), and they cost maybe £30k, and the offshore companies arent hiring either at the moment they are losing people (CHC), I know bond are hiring but IMO the chances are poor, given the competition.
2) get commercial work onshore with your shiny new CPL, on a jetranger or such like, with less than 200 hours total, the chances of getting this kind of work are low, most companies will not even entertain the thought. starting salary, freelance maybe £150 a day or even for free sometimes
3) build your hours to 300 total, then do a flight instructor course which lasts 30 hours, and then start teaching people for trial lessons and for their PPL(H), then when you have many more hours i.e. 1000+, you hopefully will start to pick up commercial work and maybe go to north sea, the only problem is that the PPL + CPL will cost you at least £40k, and the extra hourbuilding plus instructor course will cost another £20k. starting salary freelance at maybe £35-40 per hour flight time. you will be lucky to get 200 hours in first year, difficult to fly more than about 500 hours per year after that i.e £20k, it is hard work and always have to work weekends
option 3 is the best and lowest risk option and will cost you £60k+
options 1/2 are high risk and less likely to work and will cost you £40k+
when you have got some regular flight instruction, add to your ratings with an R44 and B206 to add more strings to your bow.
this is my opinion as a pilot now working offshore who built experience via instruction and then onshore commercial work first.
anyone care to expand / take issue with the above ?,