View Full Version : Transition helo to fw
I am a swedish helo driver. Flying helos for more than 10 years,considering taking fixed-wing lic. After 5000hrs in helos,want new challenges. To make more £ i have to fly offshore(im thinking"why sit in surviaval suit when you can sit in airliner").My biggest worries: Do i have to fly cessna 172 for a couple of years to gain exp. for airline job.I really dont want to start at the bottom again.Anybody gone same route??
Give me some advise.
To the boyz at Flying Pictures(John,David,Jim and Will)see ya soon, cheers.
barsandstars
9th Oct 1999, 02:16
Mr astar,
If you dress up in a rubber suit over there I hear that the money is pretty damn good, compared to over here.
The price of an oil barrel is the same basically around the world, but of course the lifestyle that a helicopter pilot can expect varies from country to country, or company to company.
The oil companies (who still make billions) love this bit of weakness, and so astar, keep a funny suit on in Scandanavia and think yourself lucky that your country has helicopter companies that looked after professional helicopter pilots.
Of course, as you say, you may want to get out of it all and go plank-wing, and there my friend I can't help you.
[This message has been edited by barsandstars (edited 09 October 1999).]
[This message has been edited by barsandstars (edited 09 October 1999).]
[This message has been edited by barsandstars (edited 09 October 1999).]
astar
12th Oct 1999, 20:52
Still Mr:barsandstars,the money seems to be better in stillwings, have a couple of friends flying pumas in the northsea and some friends flying fixedwing. The helo driver makes about £3000/month and hes been there for 3 1/2 years,after tax he pulls about £1900 then i have a friend who flyes an airbus and make about twice that, this make me wonder about the future. I must say that choppers are more fun but a whole lot of the fw drivers all get good jobs these days, and since the boom of the fw industry is on and wont last forever, ive made up my mind and im starting fw training in 2 weeks. As it is right now, its fairly cheap to get fw lic here in scandinavia, but next year come its going to cost 3 times as mutch plus take 3 times as long time to get it.I guess if its no good i can always go back to helos.
If you read this:How mutch £ do they pay you over there?
Thanks for your input.