f-plate
4th Jan 2002, 12:06
Just wondering if any current or (recent) past helo pilots with the Australian Army can advise me on pros/cons of said life. I am currently driving multi pistons (fixed wing) around FNQ, and have been debating the army chopper deal for a while now, have spoken to recruiting a couple of times and need a few opinions from those in the game. I enjoy the fixed wing flying, but it seems that the further you move up the ranks, the less interesting the flying becomes, e.g. trading dirt strips for 4000' runways. I'd be hoping to go in as an SSO, and was wondering whether being 28 would pose much of a problem once accepted, i.e. what chance of finding myself behind a desk when I'm in my early 30's? And what sort of hours are the pilots doing per year on Blackhawks/Hueys/Kiowas. How marketable are you for flying positions outside the army? Otherwise, any general info on training, ops and lifestyle would be much appreciated.