How long did it take - First Job?
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Europe
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It is very difficult to get a job without a FI rating if you have only a CPL with 200 hours. I think the most boring period of time is the transition from 200 to 300 hours. Once you riched 300 hours you can become an instructor. Another possibility could be getting an Instrument Rating and hope to be employed somewhere as a copilot. But, since the result IR is too expensive, I preffer first to become a FI. Then, when you have some experience you can get a Turbine Rating on a AS350 for example. There are a lot of interesting jobs, especially in mountains (look Switzerland).
Good luck!!! Life is full of possibilities...
Good luck!!! Life is full of possibilities...
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Canada
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In Canada you only need 100 hours for a Commercial Helicopter Licence (thats total time, not an add-on to a private, or plank conversion)
I was lucky...it took me 61 days to complete my training and i started work on day number 62. Managed about 250 revenue hours that summer and was at about 1,130 hours by 18 months.
Had some very lucky breaks in the first 3 years
I was lucky...it took me 61 days to complete my training and i started work on day number 62. Managed about 250 revenue hours that summer and was at about 1,130 hours by 18 months.
Had some very lucky breaks in the first 3 years
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: British columbia
Age: 43
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^ I hate you 
3yrs and counting and still hunting my first PIC gig. this will be my last year giving 110%, working 14hr days and getting paid min wage for 8. so fingers are crossed.
3yrs and counting and still hunting my first PIC gig. this will be my last year giving 110%, working 14hr days and getting paid min wage for 8. so fingers are crossed.
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Portugal
Age: 45
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Got my licence since April this year. It's CPL with IR and got logged about 190 hours.
Still with no job, and still searching. I have friends that got the job in after the exams and before get the licence!
I am from Portugal, and it's pretty hard to get a job, even with IR. There are only 3 main helicopter companies, Helisul, Helibravo and Heliportugal.
Helisul's main work is EMS. Right now they are working with only 2 Bell 412.
Helibravo has AS350, R22 ans 44's. This companie get's his money from the summer campains of fire.
And Heliportugal only works outside of Portugal in offshore. To be a co-pilot here you have to start with 1000 hours
So... God help me!
Happy new year!
Still with no job, and still searching. I have friends that got the job in after the exams and before get the licence!
I am from Portugal, and it's pretty hard to get a job, even with IR. There are only 3 main helicopter companies, Helisul, Helibravo and Heliportugal.
Helisul's main work is EMS. Right now they are working with only 2 Bell 412.
Helibravo has AS350, R22 ans 44's. This companie get's his money from the summer campains of fire.
And Heliportugal only works outside of Portugal in offshore. To be a co-pilot here you have to start with 1000 hours
So... God help me!
Happy new year!
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: UK, US, now more ɐıןɐɹʇsn∀
Age: 41
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Amphibious,
I'm just 1/4 way through my training with looong break now, gliding in the meantime, but had I lived in Australia or Canada, I wouldn't do hangar ratting/loading for free or less than min wage in total, just to show my commitment to flying. 3 years??? Working at least 30hrs per week for free for 3 years? What's the current min wage in Canada?
I call it exploiting (young and) keen future pilots. Different world, yes. Why do some consider it OK? You'd have saved some nice money having other, even min wage job, maybe in restaurant, with tips or whatever your career was before if you had one, and be able to spend it on some fun flying/hourbuilding in the meantime or once or twice a year in the USA, where the CAD/USD rate and rental rates work for you.
Breaking into heli industry is ever tougher around the world, but there should be limits.
I'm just 1/4 way through my training with looong break now, gliding in the meantime, but had I lived in Australia or Canada, I wouldn't do hangar ratting/loading for free or less than min wage in total, just to show my commitment to flying. 3 years??? Working at least 30hrs per week for free for 3 years? What's the current min wage in Canada?
I call it exploiting (young and) keen future pilots. Different world, yes. Why do some consider it OK? You'd have saved some nice money having other, even min wage job, maybe in restaurant, with tips or whatever your career was before if you had one, and be able to spend it on some fun flying/hourbuilding in the meantime or once or twice a year in the USA, where the CAD/USD rate and rental rates work for you.
Breaking into heli industry is ever tougher around the world, but there should be limits.
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Darwin
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First job
Being a licenced maintenance engineer, and aeroplane cpl I had 3 job offers even during training. 
Fine for me, I had been in the industry for a long time.
But now semi-retired I have found a way to assist those who are in a similar situation - trying to get into that first flying job. Without my personal background, and I hope that this will help some.
I am close to completing an Experimental helicopter a Mosquito XE. The kit can be purchased for about A$39000. It will make a great mustering helicopter, but my point here is that the new CPL with (what?) 200 hrs is hard pushed to appear better than any other with the same experience.
But if that pilot was to buy - better yet - build - a Mossie, heshe would be able to pick up (say) another 100 or so hours, just finessing the lessons already learned.
A vastly more appropriate background from another pilot who may have a PPL flying a 172 from and to nowhere in particular.
thekite
Fine for me, I had been in the industry for a long time.
But now semi-retired I have found a way to assist those who are in a similar situation - trying to get into that first flying job. Without my personal background, and I hope that this will help some.
I am close to completing an Experimental helicopter a Mosquito XE. The kit can be purchased for about A$39000. It will make a great mustering helicopter, but my point here is that the new CPL with (what?) 200 hrs is hard pushed to appear better than any other with the same experience.
But if that pilot was to buy - better yet - build - a Mossie, heshe would be able to pick up (say) another 100 or so hours, just finessing the lessons already learned.
A vastly more appropriate background from another pilot who may have a PPL flying a 172 from and to nowhere in particular.
thekite
I managed to get my licence just as the economy tanked (back in the day).
After seven years and an AME endorsement I got my first job.
One of the good things about that was I got a lot of time to answer the question - "How bad do I want to do this?"
Be in the right place at the right time with the right qualifications and most of all the right attitude and the doors open up.
After seven years and an AME endorsement I got my first job.
One of the good things about that was I got a lot of time to answer the question - "How bad do I want to do this?"
Be in the right place at the right time with the right qualifications and most of all the right attitude and the doors open up.
