Helicopter vs Fixed Wing

[Alltheway]

I have been saving for my training for many months and am now ready to pursue my dream.

I am toying with the idea of taking my PPL in Helicopter rather than fixed wing and am wondering about career oppurtunities after CPL with both. My aim is to join air sea rescue/ Air ambulance/ police but am unsure on conversion courses for these type of carrier. How easy it would be to get into that industry

If anyone also knows of sponsorship schemes for either, I would be most gratefull.


Thankyou to anyone who has a spare moment.

[Check 6]

A few thoughts

In the U.S., it is cheaper to obtain f/w ratings first, and then obtain an "add-on" helicopter rating later. This is because airplanes are cheaper to hire than helicopters. I do not know if this would also apply in the U.K.

Additionally in the U.S., law enforcement agencies fly both helicopters and airplanes.

Good luck with your goals.

[no sponsor]

Under the JAA PPL, if you want to convert from fixed wing to rotary, then you have to do the majority of the rotary PPL. I think you get something like a 5 hour dispensation, but that's it. Of course, you won't have to do the RT exam again.

From a commercial perspective, people have tended to move from rotary to fixed wing, since the requirement, at ATPL level, is straightforward, and not unduly expensive. I suspect fixed to rotary is more difficult (and expensive). Rotary to fixed moves are normally done for more money, rather than the joy of flying. Most rotary people would prefer the flying skills required to hand-fly, rather than be concerned that your coffee has the correct amount of sugar: the rotary man's view of an airliner pilot.

[FlyingForFun]

If you're interested in converting from fixed to rotary, then have a chat to Whirlybird, who started off on fixed wings, and got her CPL(H) late in 2001.

But the original question was not about converting, it was about the different job prospects for fixed vs rotary! Sorry, cmvidini, I have no idea... but since the two types of flying are (apparently) quite different, why not have a trial lesson in each, and see which you prefer?

FFF
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[Pielander]

I'm no expert on the subject, but I get the impression that most RW jobs go to ex-military types with vast amounts of experience and training. I know that military RW experience is a requirement for flying our local Pork-Chopper (Police helicopter), so I would seriously look into what job prospects for newly qualified RW CPLs are before spending any money.

[TheDream]

You need to be sure exactly what you want in the long term. Do as much research as possible. I spent 9 months looking at the various options available and getting background info.

Good starting point for rotary would be
http://www.bhab.org and http://www.plh.co.uk I found the latter to be very helpful although you have to pay for in depth advice.
For Fixed Wing besides internet searchs of Flight Training orgs try http://www.pilotassist.com They do a Saturday seminar for £10, very good no hard sell, just facts. I went along and then found Training orgs to suit me. Also http://www.becomeapilot.co.uk and there is also a book on becoming a commercial pilot.

Go through flyer and the other mags and surf the sites in the back pages.

Remember one thing many flight training organisations won't tell you when you walk through the door with your cheque book open is that it is a very long slog, and generally there is no assurance of a job at the end of it.

Hope this is of help

[Whirlybird]

If you browse through the Rotorheads forum one thing will become completely clear: people fly helicopters for a living for one reason only - they love flying helicopters. To paraphrase someone-or-other, for those who feel that way no explanation is needed; for those who don't no explanation will ever be enough. But to get to the point, most helicopter jobs are not that well paid and work is not that reliable. If what you want is a secure(ish) job that's well paid, then fly for the airlines. If you want to fly helicopters, then do that. You CAN do SAR and police work from a non-military background, but you'll need a lot of hours, and with the North Sea companies not taking on people unless they pay for their own instrument ratings, that means a lot of dosh. OHOH, f/w training is hardly cheap, so you might as well do what you want to do. In fact, it's all so expensive and insecure anyway, that's there's no point in doing any of it unless you absolutely HAVE to fly!

And I'm not saying that to put you off, honest!

[nosefirsteverytime]

What I'd like to know is what sort of market is there for a jack-of-all-trades?(i.e. both fixed and rotary, although I have my doubts whether there is one or not)

[batty]

The market isnt good for fixed wing and not that hot for rotary either from what I can see. You would be better plumping for one or the other and then when you have a job and are established try the other.

To do both straight off might cause you some confusion ( manking you poor at both)and would be hugely expensive...£100,000 ish I would have thought!

[Whirlybird]

I fly both: PPL(A), 200 hours, fairly rusty but safe. CPL(H), nearly 300 hours, about to do instructors course. If there was a market for a "jack-of-all-trades" I think I'd have heard about it, and I haven't. Though I'm not a real expert, I hasten to add.

On the confusion aspect...this is purely personal, and I daresay people are different. When starting my PPL(H) I had around 140 hours f/w, and at first I did find it very confusing. Once I had learned to fly helicopters the two seemed to sort themselves out, and now I'd no more confuse flying them than I would mix up driving and flying. But keeping current on both is difficult...and of course expensive since I'm still paying for all my flying (hence the occasional lurking on Wannabes).

I plan to (hopefully) get paid to fly helos, and then do a bit of f/w flying for fun, with friends, to tour, that sort of thing. The other way round is fine too, and probably a better idea economically unless you're addicted to helicopters. Having said that, there are people who fly both professionally, or have done at different times, so I suppose it's not impossible. But I don't know if any of them browse on this forum to tell us about it.

[LRdriver]

There are some corporate flight departments in the US that run both helis and planes.. i have heard that some of these have guys that fly both.
But its like hiring somebody who has an A/P certificate and a pilots license , twice the work for the chap for not anymore pay..