Part Time Work post Forces

[Flare_Level_Cushion]

I am a currently serving pilot in the Armed Forces with approx 700 hours on a twin turbine helicopter.

I am looking to change my career and leave the forces and study another degree in order to achieve this.

Is it realistic to imagine that I could complete my licenses with a CPL and a frozen ATPL(H) and work at weekends / part time for heli aeromed or a private firm on an ad hoc basis to pay for my studies?

Or is my experience / availability likely to minimise my chances?

If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate them.

I have 19 months left approximately.

Thanks,

M

[helopat]

I am a currently serving pilot in the Armed Forces with approx 700 hours on a twin turbine helicopter.
I am looking to change my career and leave the forces and study another degree in order to achieve this.
Is it realistic to imagine that I could complete my licenses with a CPL and a frozen ATPL(H) and work at weekends / part time for heli aeromed or a private firm on an ad hoc basis to pay for my studies?
Or is my experience / availability likely to minimise my chances?
If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate them.
I have 19 months left approximately.
Thanks,
M

Mate,

You've asked a lot and we don't have much info on you. Is your total time 700, or just multi helo? Good that you've got the ATPL done. What is this new career you're studying for?

It may not matter, but here in Australia I don't think you've got much of a chance financing your further education on a part time flying gig. With 700 hours multi helo (if that is your total?) you haven't got much of a chance in the EMS business (mostly they're looking for full time flyers)...not sure what your chances would be in other types of rotary flying, but the multi time won't ammount to much if you don't have a bigger total. This, of course, is my opinion (and I'm here to be proven wrong).

To be honest, if you're not flying corporate or EMS then your chances of financing your ongoing education are pretty slim.

Sorry to pour on the negative vibes, but I'm happy to discuss further.

HP

[MINself]

Hi FLC,
I've got to agree with helopat, the UK part-time helicopter job market is a very difficult one to get into. Firstly you'll already need a CPL to work, which in itself will take most of the your time left in the military to get as you don't have 2000+hrs for the bridging package. Also, unless you know someone who already works in the charter area and understands your situation then your an unknown looking for part-time work who is still serving in the military and can't be completely flexible and might not have an accurate forecast of their availability to suit an employers needs.

The police/air amb. operators in the Uk don't often employ weekend/part-time pilots that haven't already worked in this sector in some capacity and generally not those with less than 2000hrs.

I'm not saying that you won't get someone who might be willing to take a risk on a part-time pilot who may or may not be available to them due to their commitments but this I suspect will put most employers off as they might have part-time work but they want their pilots to be available on a full-time standby basis!

This is a competitive industry, especially the part-time sector with many available more experienced pilots out there, I'm not trying to put you off but give you IMHO what lies beyond the wire. In some ways part-time work is harder to come by than full-time work, so you might be better of just getting a loan to finance your studies and try and build as many more hours before you leave and then look for work as a qualified commercial pilot who is flexible and available.

I hope this sheds some light

Cheers MS :ok:

[jayteeto]

Its a bit of a pilots market at the moment in the police world, but only just. Helicopter pilots with 1500 hours and the low level requirements are in short supply. Contact your local police unit to get some steers on different companies and give them a whirl. Floater pilots are thin on the ground in our company

[Flare_Level_Cushion]

Thanks for all the comments guys.

I have 700 total and about 450 on type with 19 months left to go.

In that time I expect to fly another 100 hours or so, leaving me at 800 total.

The plan then is to use the Army resettlement to get my CPL(H) and do licenses for a frozen ATPL(H).

I was hoping that I could work weekends to build hours but mainly to provide an income for my next degree assuming I get accepted on the course.

Aeromed is not something that is exclusive - I would fly any job really and have heard of civilians with 200 hrs R-22 getting reasonable jobs - not beating on civilians or R-22s but I would venture that the military and the types are more challenging, especially on Ops. To that end I thought the market for EMS, police or charter might be quite good? Perhaps not....

I would be available most weekends if not all and am wondering how best to advertise my abilities. It seems a shame that after 5 years in the military I would not be able to use my flying experience to my advantage.

I appreciate all the input you guys have given me and will continue to research though it does seem a bit unlikely that I will be able to do what I had hoped to.

regards,

M

[Whirlygig]

and have heard of civilians with 200 hrs R-22 getting reasonable jobs

Really? Who told you that! :}

I think someone's yanking your chain there and possibly giving you a false optimism.

Cheers

Whirls




PS - You can't give me to Jayteeto's mob - they wouldn't have me! :D

[Camp Freddie]

Dear Mr Flare_Level_Cushion.

I concur with above, I know that you have 700 good quailty hours, but I think you need to have a minimum of 1500 and preferably 2000 hours, to do what you are suggesting.

In the civilian world 700 just aint that much :(

In a former life when I flew VFR charter in R44 and B206, and the ops manual for that company specifically stated 1000 P1 absolute minimum for all company pilots, and most people I knew got those hours through flight instructing.

its a bit of a problem really

regards

CF

[HillerBee]

Hours are hours. 200 hr R-22 pilots getting decent (pilot) jobs is a fairy tale.

[Flare_Level_Cushion]

Guess I have a lot more digging to do but it does sound as though you guys are right.

I was skeptical myself, but having heard it from more than a couple of sources I gave it some credence.

Where would i stand with 1400 hours including 600 on Bell 212? Just in case I get the next job ;)

M

[MINself]

In a disproportionately better position than before, take the next job if you can! :E

[sanddancer]

Ah...the possibility of 600 hrs on the 212 - this couldn't perhaps be the famous 'if you stay we'll post you to 7 Flt' scenario could it?!

[MightyGem]

FLC, unless you have a reall pressing need to leave, I'd stay in if I were you.

[212man]

FLC, come on down: the water's warm,;)

[helopat]

Guess I have a lot more digging to do but it does sound as though you guys are right.
I was skeptical myself, but having heard it from more than a couple of sources I gave it some credence.
Where would i stand with 1400 hours including 600 on Bell 212? Just in case I get the next job ;)
M

Yeah,

Better to stay in the military and continue flying whilst doing the advanced education on the side that to get out and study whilst trying to fly on the side to pay the bills (not likely). If flying is what you want to do as a career thats the way to go (get enough mil hours to be competetive in the civ marketplace)...if you're really dead keen on something else, do it and keep the aviation as a hobby...ultimately, you're choice...if it were me (actually, it sounds EXACTLY like me) I'd stick with the security of the full time military flying and do the other things you want to on the side, including all your exams, licenses, that astrophysics degree you've always wanted, etc, etc, bla, bla, bla.

Good luck my man...you'll make the right choice for you

HP

[cyclicmick]

FLC
The minimum hours requirement for employment at our Police AOU (regular or floater) is 1500 hours total time, of which at least 500 hours will be PIC VMC overland operations, which must include a significant proportion of low flying. In addition there is a requirement for 50 hours PIC night.
My advise would be stay in, get the B212 hours if you can and look at it again then.
Good luck

[wde]

Come to Canada when you get out. Lots of work. PM if you want more info.

WDE