Are helicopter pilots different?
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Are helicopter pilots different?
Why Helicopter Pilots are Different
The thing is, helicopters are different from planes. An airplane by its nature wants to fly, and if not interfered with too strongly by unusual events or by a deliberately incompetent pilot, it will fly. A helicopter does not want to fly. It is maintained in the air by a variety of forces and controls working in opposition to each, and if there is any disturbance in this delicate balance the helicopter stops flying, immediately and disastrously. There is no such thing as a gliding helicopter.
That is why being a helicopter pilot is so different from being an airplane pilot, and why, in general .......
airplane pilots are open, clear-eyed, bouyant extroverts, and helicopter pilots are brooders, introstpective anticipators of trouble. They know if something bad has not happened, it is about to.
-- Harry Reasoner, February 16, 1971*
The thing is, helicopters are different from planes. An airplane by its nature wants to fly, and if not interfered with too strongly by unusual events or by a deliberately incompetent pilot, it will fly. A helicopter does not want to fly. It is maintained in the air by a variety of forces and controls working in opposition to each, and if there is any disturbance in this delicate balance the helicopter stops flying, immediately and disastrously. There is no such thing as a gliding helicopter.
That is why being a helicopter pilot is so different from being an airplane pilot, and why, in general .......
airplane pilots are open, clear-eyed, bouyant extroverts, and helicopter pilots are brooders, introstpective anticipators of trouble. They know if something bad has not happened, it is about to.
-- Harry Reasoner, February 16, 1971*
Are helicopter pilots different sort of people from aeroplane pilots?
Does each job attract different types of people?
Or do people's personalities change because of the nature of the job?
* Distinguished American broadcaster and writer, 1923-1991.
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Being both, I would agree that they're different - but not for the same reasons.
I think that the type of work and environment that helo pilots operate in attracts a certain type of individual. This type being more realistic about things in general. The exception this is the Northern bush pilots of Alaska and the Yukon, where terrain, wx and type of work leads to perhaps an even more realistic breed than the average helicopter pilot.
The IFR FW world is one of very little danger, real or percieved, and rightly so - therefore those operating in it have a different benchmark with which to measure danger. This attracts a different type of person.
An old friend of mine - IFR FW driver, came to visit me in the Territories a few years ago and after a couple trips in the 185 and Cub said to me, "Holy ####, I didn't know airplanes could do that, and didn't want to either...!!!"
AR
I think that the type of work and environment that helo pilots operate in attracts a certain type of individual. This type being more realistic about things in general. The exception this is the Northern bush pilots of Alaska and the Yukon, where terrain, wx and type of work leads to perhaps an even more realistic breed than the average helicopter pilot.
The IFR FW world is one of very little danger, real or percieved, and rightly so - therefore those operating in it have a different benchmark with which to measure danger. This attracts a different type of person.
An old friend of mine - IFR FW driver, came to visit me in the Territories a few years ago and after a couple trips in the 185 and Cub said to me, "Holy ####, I didn't know airplanes could do that, and didn't want to either...!!!"
AR
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80% of my hours are helicopter, but the other 20% is in business jets, and everytime I fly with some of the business jet pilots what never ceases to amaze me is how reluctant most of them are to take the controls and fly the aircraft, even if they so much more stable and easy to fly than helicopters. I guess is that they get to fly so little since the AP's so most of the work that most have lost the ability to handle the aircraft.
To me flying these corporate planes has become more of a button pushing task than a flying task. It's the differece between being a pilot and a systems operator.
Of course landing a Hawker at Millon Air and getting the red carpet treatment is usually better than landing in the middle of nowhere and have dog come bark at you, and the money is usually better too.
To me flying these corporate planes has become more of a button pushing task than a flying task. It's the differece between being a pilot and a systems operator.
Of course landing a Hawker at Millon Air and getting the red carpet treatment is usually better than landing in the middle of nowhere and have dog come bark at you, and the money is usually better too.
Avoid imitations
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"Are helicopter pilots different sort of people from aeroplane pilots?
Does each job attract different types of people?
Or do people's personalities change because of the nature of the job?"
WHAT?
Yeehaa, ya varmint! I'll ding thee full o' lead fu' suggestin' such a thang! 
Sorry, no , actually I've always been like this, I blame something in the water. Or the vibration, or the flicker vertigo effect
Nurse, Oh, Nurse......
Does each job attract different types of people?
Or do people's personalities change because of the nature of the job?"
WHAT?
Yeehaa, ya varmint! I'll ding thee full o' lead fu' suggestin' such a thang! Sorry, no , actually I've always been like this, I blame something in the water. Or the vibration, or the flicker vertigo effect
Nurse, Oh, Nurse......
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Just had an interesting conversation with our mechanic about this some days ago.
He works on FW and RW and said there is a big difference between the pilots who fly them.
His opinion was that RW pilots had a much higher awarness about what was going on with the machine. From doing better preflights to knowing the components of the machine.
Also the heli pilots seemed more lighthearted, almost like big kids with their toys, but serious when needed, while most FW are all business all the time.
He also said the differences only got more noticable the more hours the pilot has.
Don't know if I agree with all of this, but it is an interesting viewpoint from the outside looking in.
He works on FW and RW and said there is a big difference between the pilots who fly them.
His opinion was that RW pilots had a much higher awarness about what was going on with the machine. From doing better preflights to knowing the components of the machine.
Also the heli pilots seemed more lighthearted, almost like big kids with their toys, but serious when needed, while most FW are all business all the time.
He also said the differences only got more noticable the more hours the pilot has.
Don't know if I agree with all of this, but it is an interesting viewpoint from the outside looking in.
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Heliport,
One small correction to that quote. Although it has been credited to Harry Reasoner it was actually penned by Andy Rooney, who was a CBS writer at the time. I had lunch with Rooney one time and he brought that up when we bagan to talk about helicopters.
Rooney is perhaps the funniest human I have ever met in person!
One small correction to that quote. Although it has been credited to Harry Reasoner it was actually penned by Andy Rooney, who was a CBS writer at the time. I had lunch with Rooney one time and he brought that up when we bagan to talk about helicopters.
Rooney is perhaps the funniest human I have ever met in person!
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The biggest difference? If your in a bar, you'll immediately know the helicopter pilot... because he'll tell you!!! 
People fly airplanes... pilots fly helicopters.
(so the theory goes - TIMTS answer makes more sense... about the toys, that is)
People fly airplanes... pilots fly helicopters.
(so the theory goes - TIMTS answer makes more sense... about the toys, that is)
Senis Semper Fidelis
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Of course we are different,
anyone present at any take off will stand and watch, and again when landing, we can hover, do 360's and loiter with gay abandon(strike out the gay)
I have never yet told anyone I am a Heli pilot, I think however the scrambled egg on my hat, the vintage green Ray-Bans and the white silk scarf might actually give the game away though
Vfr
anyone present at any take off will stand and watch, and again when landing, we can hover, do 360's and loiter with gay abandon(strike out the gay)
I have never yet told anyone I am a Heli pilot, I think however the scrambled egg on my hat, the vintage green Ray-Bans and the white silk scarf might actually give the game away though
Vfr
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From doing better preflights to knowing the components of the machine.
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Taking a slight tangent on this thread, apologies, but Mr. Lappos was crediting the article to Andy Rooney. Nick, were you one of the pilots that flew Rooney across the country in an S-76? I vaguely remember a TV special of his trip. I asked our Sikorsky sales rep if she might have a copy of it and she didn’t know what I was talking about. I always thought that video would be a nice little marketing tool.
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Mmmmmmm
Just the word says it all. Refering to my handy dictionary......
Plain = ordinary, nothing special, predictable, boring
Plane = refer above
Or
Helicopter= Opposite of above
Why fly in the air thats thin when you can get down and dirty with the wings that fling!!
Plain = ordinary, nothing special, predictable, boring
Plane = refer above
Or
Helicopter= Opposite of above
Why fly in the air thats thin when you can get down and dirty with the wings that fling!!
We are different. No question
Look at a FW pilot:
shiny shoes, clean hands, nice shirt with shoulder stripes, cool sun glasses and often those fancy military leather jackets with several pens in those special pockets on the left arm and an expression of a hero on the face - the dream of any mother in law.
RW pilot: Heavy shoes - you never know where you end up, dirty hands from the preflight, warm shirts - the lucky one, cheap sun glasses, heavy wests in signal colors and an expression of a nervous weasel because we are able to scan at the same time with one eye three engine instruments and with the other either do an IFR instrument scan or a VFR scan for traffic, cables and other things in our flight path. A haircut we get....
... when the forest fire is out
... when the concrete is dry
... whenever we get out of the bush
... next winter
As long as we know, that we are just a bunch of nice guys, I don't mind.
Look at a FW pilot:
shiny shoes, clean hands, nice shirt with shoulder stripes, cool sun glasses and often those fancy military leather jackets with several pens in those special pockets on the left arm and an expression of a hero on the face - the dream of any mother in law.
RW pilot: Heavy shoes - you never know where you end up, dirty hands from the preflight, warm shirts - the lucky one, cheap sun glasses, heavy wests in signal colors and an expression of a nervous weasel because we are able to scan at the same time with one eye three engine instruments and with the other either do an IFR instrument scan or a VFR scan for traffic, cables and other things in our flight path. A haircut we get....
... when the forest fire is out
... when the concrete is dry
... whenever we get out of the bush
... next winter
As long as we know, that we are just a bunch of nice guys, I don't mind.
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One of the first European Rotorcraft forums (1979?) had a paper by the shrink that Schriener used for interviewing their pilots. I'll have to see if I can dig up my copy - basically he said that helicopter pilots were different because they operated away from the normally available support structure - air traffic control, runways, weather services etc. They had to make more independent decisions, were often the sole representatives of the company, etc.
Fascinating paper that helped to make why were are different a little more clear.
Fascinating paper that helped to make why were are different a little more clear.
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Yes with some exceptions we're different than airplane pilots.
Airplane pilots usually work as part of a team or they're employed by a big company with other pilots.
Helo pilots spend a lotta time working on their own.
Airplane pilots seem to enjoy the company of other people.
Helo pilots are often 'loner' types who enjoy their own company.
Airplane pilots usually work as part of a team or they're employed by a big company with other pilots.
Helo pilots spend a lotta time working on their own.
Airplane pilots seem to enjoy the company of other people.
Helo pilots are often 'loner' types who enjoy their own company.
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We know how to impress the ladies with our large, powerful, vibrating choppers 
Helicopter pilots are more laid-back and much more observant - we have to be with all those fixedwing b s flying around reading the paper! I need to go and photocopy some more airmiss forms 
Helicopter pilots are more laid-back and much more observant - we have to be with all those fixedwing b
s flying around reading the paper! I need to go and photocopy some more airmiss forms