Would you become a professional helicopter pilot again?
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Hi
I was in a similar position to you, twelve and a bit years in the job and working towards a 2/3rds final salary pension after another 17 years.
I'd been flying privately whilst in the Police and used my salary to pay for my PPL(H). I wasn't enjoying the job as much as I had used to, what with the endless paperwork, lack of support from the courts etc etc.
So I weighed it all up. Carefully. I spoke to my family and my friends both in and out of the job. I resigned. I moved overseas. I did my Commercial Licence. I flew whenever I could.
My main point to you is this: I have lost count of the number of police officers with whom I used to work and who are now approaching retirement age who have said to me since I left " I wish I'd done what you did when I was your age." If it doesnt work out for you at least when you get to 50 or 60 you can be satisfied that you gave it your best shot!
A famous person once said " Far better to regret something you have done than something you haven't"
All the Best and in the meantime
" Be careful out there."
heli_spy
I was in a similar position to you, twelve and a bit years in the job and working towards a 2/3rds final salary pension after another 17 years.
I'd been flying privately whilst in the Police and used my salary to pay for my PPL(H). I wasn't enjoying the job as much as I had used to, what with the endless paperwork, lack of support from the courts etc etc.
So I weighed it all up. Carefully. I spoke to my family and my friends both in and out of the job. I resigned. I moved overseas. I did my Commercial Licence. I flew whenever I could.
My main point to you is this: I have lost count of the number of police officers with whom I used to work and who are now approaching retirement age who have said to me since I left " I wish I'd done what you did when I was your age." If it doesnt work out for you at least when you get to 50 or 60 you can be satisfied that you gave it your best shot!
A famous person once said " Far better to regret something you have done than something you haven't"
All the Best and in the meantime
" Be careful out there."
heli_spy
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Hey man...don't be foolish!!! I left the Air Force after ten years as a pilot and have spent the last 13 years in Commercial Helicopter Ops (from offshore work to EMS to airline work). The industry is probably one of the most difficult to break into because you don't have any experience and the smaller companies and jobs are the only ones that may hire you due to insurance reasons. I regret now not having a military pension like many of my "just retiring buddies" from the Air Force because I did exactly what you are proposing. It will be many years before you get up to a stable salary like the one you have now and unfortunately the risk of losing your medical as you get older (believe it or not it happens) or just never achieving a position that will give you sufficient income so you can retire comfortably is very high! Quite frankly, (some will disagree with me) the industry pays poorly in general and has not kept up with other occupations. Sorry to dampen your dreams...but the love of flying is not worth giving up what you have achieved in your police career or risking your families future for an industry that seems glamorous from the outside. Ten years is nothing- so finish it off!
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TDP is right on the money....Stick with the Police for the paycheck, pension and security. Very few, if not no commercial operator will be able to offer what the Police are offering. If you can put some cash aside and fly for fun, then thats the way to go...I'm personally doing just about OK after 17 years in the industry, but dream of a company that could match you deal right now.
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TDP & VTA are spot on...
I have to agree... don't quit your day job, yet. Your salary should provide you enough income to feed your helicopter habit. Build your time slowly, but pay your mortgage and retain your financial stability. Get your PPL(H) in short order (fly 2-3 times a week until your ready for check ride), and then slowly build hours (2-3 times a month afterward). Keep looking for a flying job within law enforcement... eventually, you will find one and your skills and experience as a street cop will serve you well as a pilot.
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DETFIVEO,
I have read your post, and the replies of those that follow, and can sympathise from where you are coming from. I am 37 years of age, married with 3 little ones and have been a police officer for 17 years. I have faced the same questions as you, and I am still trying to work out exactly where I should focus my direction. I hold Commercial Rotary & Fixed Wing licences, Fixed Wing Instructor rating, Instrument Rating (fixed wing) and have a Degree in Aviation Studies. I am also well paid, and can look forward to a government pension at age 55, so I have a few years left in the job. I have a number of friends who fly for a living and love every minute of it, although none of them enjoy the security of the position that I hold. I would love to fly for my own department, but the 1000 hour minimums that they require seem almost impossible to achieve without throwing away my job. I have decided that the only way it is going to happen is if I do something about if for myself, as lots of people can give you advice, but at the end of the day, you have to do what makes you happy. My Wife is extremely supportive of my goals and that is probably the most important factor in my decisions.
I am going to try and focus on gaining the next 260 hours that will qualify me for commencing a rotary Instructors Rating, and maybe start building those hours. Good luck with your decision, feel free to PM me as I am interested to hear how it all goes for you.
Benjonat
I have read your post, and the replies of those that follow, and can sympathise from where you are coming from. I am 37 years of age, married with 3 little ones and have been a police officer for 17 years. I have faced the same questions as you, and I am still trying to work out exactly where I should focus my direction. I hold Commercial Rotary & Fixed Wing licences, Fixed Wing Instructor rating, Instrument Rating (fixed wing) and have a Degree in Aviation Studies. I am also well paid, and can look forward to a government pension at age 55, so I have a few years left in the job. I have a number of friends who fly for a living and love every minute of it, although none of them enjoy the security of the position that I hold. I would love to fly for my own department, but the 1000 hour minimums that they require seem almost impossible to achieve without throwing away my job. I have decided that the only way it is going to happen is if I do something about if for myself, as lots of people can give you advice, but at the end of the day, you have to do what makes you happy. My Wife is extremely supportive of my goals and that is probably the most important factor in my decisions.
I am going to try and focus on gaining the next 260 hours that will qualify me for commencing a rotary Instructors Rating, and maybe start building those hours. Good luck with your decision, feel free to PM me as I am interested to hear how it all goes for you.
Benjonat
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Stick with the force.......until pay day
Im a married pilot who has been in this game for 7yrs after leaving a government job of 12 yrs. My advice would be to get the pension then either thow your self into the helicopter game hammer and tong or do seasonal work to feed the heli drug habit . Reason being there is very little job security, pay is proportional to instability/risk (mostly) and even if you have support from the one who is to be loved a piece of string is only so long.
As a great man once said "use the force luke"
As a great man once said "use the force luke"
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I've been wrestling with this one for awhile. I've got a great career and make decent money. I fly commercial and private on the side when I can.
Bottom Line
=================
I've decided that having money and being able to fly is better than not having and being able to fly.
It's true that I have to give up some jobs that I'd love to do and would be a great experience. But at the same time, I'm not as worried that I'm going to be old and poor.
My 2 cents.
Bottom Line
=================
I've decided that having money and being able to fly is better than not having and being able to fly.
It's true that I have to give up some jobs that I'd love to do and would be a great experience. But at the same time, I'm not as worried that I'm going to be old and poor.
My 2 cents.
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I would stay on the job. Find a better position that you like better. Keep that civil service retirement. I have 21 years on the department, and looking back, I do not know where it went. But if I wanted, I "could" retire and still have another 20+ years flying, with the knowledge of that retirement waiting for me. And if I somehow lost my medical, I still have a good paying job.
I was lucky and fly for my department. If your department has an aviation unit, try and get into it. Or transfer to another one that does and work your way to it (some departments will transfer your years to them for retirement consideration).
Otherwise, like several people I know, do your ratings, and fly on the side. A little hard work and after awhile you may have a job waiting for you. Satisfy that flying need with 10-20 hours a week on the side teaching or charters, and still get that retirement. Good chance you will be flying turbines in a short time. Remember, lots of employers like cops in responsible jobs
.
I was lucky and fly for my department. If your department has an aviation unit, try and get into it. Or transfer to another one that does and work your way to it (some departments will transfer your years to them for retirement consideration).
Otherwise, like several people I know, do your ratings, and fly on the side. A little hard work and after awhile you may have a job waiting for you. Satisfy that flying need with 10-20 hours a week on the side teaching or charters, and still get that retirement. Good chance you will be flying turbines in a short time. Remember, lots of employers like cops in responsible jobs
.
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Job Market for an ATPL (H)
Having realised that there's little point in trying to get an ATPL (A) followed by a job I was wondering what the prospects are like for commercial rotary wing pilots in terms of gaining sponsorship and or getting a reasonable job (not instructing).
Thanks in advance
Rupert
Thanks in advance
Rupert
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Sorry, I should know better. I've always been interested in rotary wing flying but as you can imagine the cost has always been an option.
On a side note, Mr Selfish, I found your user name quite amusing considering the nature of your post.
On a side note, Mr Selfish, I found your user name quite amusing considering the nature of your post.
Hovering AND talking
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Now, now, guys. Rupert is a reasonably seasoned Ppruner but, as he tends to hang out in Private Flying where, as the name implies, they are not professionals but amatuers, he is probably not used to the level of imformation that IS available on Rotorheads.
Basically, Rupert, if you think the job market in fixed wing is bad, you ain't seen the rotary market - many are going the other way. In some job sectors, the rotary market lags behind fixed wing and the pay is NOWHERE near as good.
But yes, do a search please because chapter and verse on worldwide employment prospects are here. Essentially not much has changed in the last few years.
Cheers
Whirlygig
Basically, Rupert, if you think the job market in fixed wing is bad, you ain't seen the rotary market - many are going the other way. In some job sectors, the rotary market lags behind fixed wing and the pay is NOWHERE near as good.
But yes, do a search please because chapter and verse on worldwide employment prospects are here. Essentially not much has changed in the last few years.
Cheers
Whirlygig
The Original Whirly
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My friend Whirlygig beat me to it! Be nice to Rupe, guys, or.........................the Whirlies will get you!!!!!
Rupe,
Whirlygig tells it like it is. There is far LESS work around in rotary aviation. Having said that, there is a huge amount of info available here, both by doing a search, and from individuals. But if you ask general questions, without doing a search....well, as you'll have gathered, this lot aren't gentle and don't mince their words.
It's just that there are so many questions on here like yours, and people get fed up with it. If you're seriously interested in rotary aviation as a career, read recent threads, do a search, then come back and ask anything else you need to know. But seriously, do NOT go into it looking for an easy option or one with plenty of employment prospects!! !
Rupe,
Whirlygig tells it like it is. There is far LESS work around in rotary aviation. Having said that, there is a huge amount of info available here, both by doing a search, and from individuals. But if you ask general questions, without doing a search....well, as you'll have gathered, this lot aren't gentle and don't mince their words.
It's just that there are so many questions on here like yours, and people get fed up with it. If you're seriously interested in rotary aviation as a career, read recent threads, do a search, then come back and ask anything else you need to know. But seriously, do NOT go into it looking for an easy option or one with plenty of employment prospects!! !
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Don't say we didn't try to warn you. Your post should be a lesson to every pie-eyed dreamer who thinks he/she can get their ratings and then get a job and hit the big time.
Heh.
Heh.
Hovering AND talking
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consider a PPL(H), do your 12 hours a year
Did you do integrated or modular? Some of us would be interested in your tales of woe since it is a path quite a few here are considering. Were your expectations too high? Or were you lead to believe that you would have work after qualification by your flight school? Did you train in a different country? Can you accept part-time work. Are you prepared to move around the country/globe?
Please tell us more and perhaps what you might have done differently. From my reading of past posts:-
1. Have a fall-back position; another job/income on which you can rely.
2. Don't get into debt for your training.
If you followed the above, then hopefully you just maintain your hours, I am sure the rotary job market will pick up but could be a few years off.
But, please don't get bitter.
Cheers
Whirlygig
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If anyone told you there were 'jobs for all' after you qualify, then they were lying to you. I'd be very interested to hear where you trained. PM the name if you like. I always tell people the truth. I've been there (and am still there) struggling to build hours to my first 1000. I'm not far off now and having spent over 72k on training and ratings etc, I realise this, for me, has been more of a hobby than anything else. Until I can give up my present job and fly full time, I suppose i'll be disillusioned! I won't give up the dream though.
Good luck in the job hunt.
Good luck in the job hunt.
Hovering AND talking
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leaving a grand a week job to fly for bugger all does not make sense
Cheers
Whirlygig
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Hey Mr Squirrel,
What research did you actually do before you set forth on your quest for the shiny licence ?
as far as the UK is concerned the most superficial meagre research will tell you that a 200 hour CPL(H) has no chance of work.
many many times on this board it has been stated that the low risk option is to build the cost of the additional hourbuilding and an instructor rating into your projections. i.e in your case 50 more hours to build plus the 30 hour course, then at least you have a good chance of becoming high time via flight instruction.
on the other hand if you are another of those guys who wants to straight to the "good stuff" without doing instructing because you consider it "crap " or " boring" then I have no sympathy.
I am suspicous of your research because you made that comment about "12 hours" to keep your rating current.
like whirlygig I am interested to find out the full story of how you found yourself where you are. will you tell us ?
regards
CF
What research did you actually do before you set forth on your quest for the shiny licence ?
as far as the UK is concerned the most superficial meagre research will tell you that a 200 hour CPL(H) has no chance of work.
many many times on this board it has been stated that the low risk option is to build the cost of the additional hourbuilding and an instructor rating into your projections. i.e in your case 50 more hours to build plus the 30 hour course, then at least you have a good chance of becoming high time via flight instruction.
on the other hand if you are another of those guys who wants to straight to the "good stuff" without doing instructing because you consider it "crap " or " boring" then I have no sympathy.
I am suspicous of your research because you made that comment about "12 hours" to keep your rating current.
like whirlygig I am interested to find out the full story of how you found yourself where you are. will you tell us ?
regards
CF
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Rupert,
do you really want to do it?
be aware that you're choosing a very difficult route i know of ten times as many who have gone home with empty pockets and a useless licence rather than stay, fly and have a ball.
Basically the prospects are terrible.
The reward like nothing else.
Mr Selfish is quite unselfishly donating his time to point out you need to be dedicated.
The girls said the same thing but lots nicer.
here's how your prospects look. Which one of these do you reckon you can be?
do you really want to do it?
be aware that you're choosing a very difficult route i know of ten times as many who have gone home with empty pockets and a useless licence rather than stay, fly and have a ball.
Basically the prospects are terrible.
The reward like nothing else.
Mr Selfish is quite unselfishly donating his time to point out you need to be dedicated.
The girls said the same thing but lots nicer.
here's how your prospects look. Which one of these do you reckon you can be?
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Another naive wannabe seeking advice (sorry)..
Greetings to all,
Yes, this is the usual wannabe enquiry, but I promise you I've scoured the whole forum for every tidbit of info before writing this post!
First a little background:
I'm currently 33 years old and have been fascinated by helicopters for the last 31 of them. Been around aircraft all my life (dad in RAF), have some PPL(A) training (15 hrs a few years back in Canada while working) and have reached a point where financially I can give up my hard earned home and follow my dream and re-train to fly.
It's taken me six months hard research and thinking to get to this point, I've done aptitude tests (scored highly), trial flight, spoken to folks from several UK and US training schools, and read everything I can find on the net. I'm well aware of the pitfalls of the industry, and that I'm going to need to budget a good deal more than the CPL money alone to give myself even the slightest chance of success.
So, here's what I currently plan on doing. Any insights as to what I might do differently to give myself a better chance are welcome. I've accumulated all the best advice and wisdom I could find but I still really don't have any clue as to whether I'm being realistic or whether my plans are naive pie in the sky material:
I aim to do the joint JAA/FAA course at Heli Adventures in Florida including the FAA CFI course, (I have a provisional booking for Sept '05.) Then instruct for the remaining year of the J1 visa (relocating nationally in US as required). During that time I'm going to get myself a single-engine turbine rating and self fund another 10 or 20 hours on it, or spend that money on a dual-turbine rating as well.
Upon return to the UK, I would fund a JAA CFI qualification and seek work here for another 1000 hours or so. All the qualifications and ratings at this point I can afford to do self-funded.
So, I'm hoping that by then I'd have taken 3 to 4 years since starting the CPL, have accrued 2000 hours and have at least an additional low-use turbine rating. (I really don't think I could stretch to an IR as well but I could if I tightened my belt somewhat as well as forgoing the JAA CFI, but then I'd loose the hours I could earn with it..)
Is this realistic? Would I at this point stand a reasonable chance of finding work? I'm seeing this as a no compromise life-changing journey and one that I'm prepared to follow anywhere around the world to do. (No dependents, lucky me.)
I'm well aware it's still a huge risk. I'm trying to mitigate against that by investing some of my equity from my vastly over-enflated Oxfordshire house value into rental property.
I understand that there's no certainties, but have I considered everything I should have and devised a workable plan? (And I could always go back to software if it didn't work out, I lost the medical, etc. I'd just have spent my house..)
Thanks for any and every piece of advice.
Si
No need to apologise Simon. Yours is one of the best wannabe posts for a long time. Nobody minds being asked questions by someone who's done some research of their own before asking.
Heliport
Yes, this is the usual wannabe enquiry, but I promise you I've scoured the whole forum for every tidbit of info before writing this post!
First a little background:
I'm currently 33 years old and have been fascinated by helicopters for the last 31 of them. Been around aircraft all my life (dad in RAF), have some PPL(A) training (15 hrs a few years back in Canada while working) and have reached a point where financially I can give up my hard earned home and follow my dream and re-train to fly.
It's taken me six months hard research and thinking to get to this point, I've done aptitude tests (scored highly), trial flight, spoken to folks from several UK and US training schools, and read everything I can find on the net. I'm well aware of the pitfalls of the industry, and that I'm going to need to budget a good deal more than the CPL money alone to give myself even the slightest chance of success.
So, here's what I currently plan on doing. Any insights as to what I might do differently to give myself a better chance are welcome. I've accumulated all the best advice and wisdom I could find but I still really don't have any clue as to whether I'm being realistic or whether my plans are naive pie in the sky material:
I aim to do the joint JAA/FAA course at Heli Adventures in Florida including the FAA CFI course, (I have a provisional booking for Sept '05.) Then instruct for the remaining year of the J1 visa (relocating nationally in US as required). During that time I'm going to get myself a single-engine turbine rating and self fund another 10 or 20 hours on it, or spend that money on a dual-turbine rating as well.
Upon return to the UK, I would fund a JAA CFI qualification and seek work here for another 1000 hours or so. All the qualifications and ratings at this point I can afford to do self-funded.
So, I'm hoping that by then I'd have taken 3 to 4 years since starting the CPL, have accrued 2000 hours and have at least an additional low-use turbine rating. (I really don't think I could stretch to an IR as well but I could if I tightened my belt somewhat as well as forgoing the JAA CFI, but then I'd loose the hours I could earn with it..)
Is this realistic? Would I at this point stand a reasonable chance of finding work? I'm seeing this as a no compromise life-changing journey and one that I'm prepared to follow anywhere around the world to do. (No dependents, lucky me.)
I'm well aware it's still a huge risk. I'm trying to mitigate against that by investing some of my equity from my vastly over-enflated Oxfordshire house value into rental property.
I understand that there's no certainties, but have I considered everything I should have and devised a workable plan? (And I could always go back to software if it didn't work out, I lost the medical, etc. I'd just have spent my house..)
Thanks for any and every piece of advice.
Si
No need to apologise Simon. Yours is one of the best wannabe posts for a long time. Nobody minds being asked questions by someone who's done some research of their own before asking.
Heliport