THC/The Helicopter Company
Join Date: Nov 2023
Location: Canada
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Amount of flying depends upon where you’re based. Most bases, you’ll be lucky to get a dozen hours a rotation, as most bases are what they call IFT or Inter Facility Transfers, Air Ambulance tasking if you like. Some are REMS/HEMS & at these bases you might get anywhere between 30-60 hrs per rotation. Busiest in Riyadh, where all flying is below 500’ because of airport.
HEMS is much similar to what you’ll find in the UK, apart from the traffic & traffic management. You will almost never close down the aircraft on scene. A 2 lane highway suddenly has cars 7 or 8 abreast as they try to route around each other, or even cross into the opposite carriageway driving into oncoming traffic to minimise their wait.
once you’ve lifted they’re off, they’ll pass within metres beneath the aircraft, stealing any chance for you to reject.
IFT is a joke. You fly to your local airport to wait the arrival of your patient. It’ll be an hour. Get them onboard & fly them to the usual next level hospital & wait another hour for the ambulance to arrive, even when you pre warn the ops cell, they take no advice. You could be sat with a patient dying in your aircraft unable to supply AirCon because it’s too hot to go ground run for longer than 30 mins.
Thing to remember is you’re on duty for 42 days, no days off. Shifts are sunrise to sunset. Some places you’ll have the luxury of a decent hotel some you’ll have much less luxurious accommodation. Aircraft are parked outside all day, every day.
The staff responsible for accommodating you only do so for 2 weeks at a time & you’re therefore locked out of your room every 2 weeks until it’s been rearranged. Your hire car may be in your name, may not, it may be insured, it may not.
Your flights home will be what’s easiest for them not you, even if yours makes much more sense.
When you first get in country you’ll do what they call ‘on boarding’, where you do various medicals for Bupa(only covers you at work), ID & aviation medical. Almost 30 work orientated tests, your ELPT, HUET & a GACA ATP & AIP exams. Supposed to be done in 4 weeks but that rarely happens & however long it does take will then have your line training & first rotation added to the end of it.
6/6 roster ain’t too bad. Medics work 8/4.
The local attitudes are the hardest thing to accept. You can send email after emails & get no reply. They all have massively slopey shoulders & will never accept blame, so will never make a decision. Nothing gets done on Sunday as it’s the first day back to work or Thursday because they’re knocking off for the weekend.
Have a feeling this may be a bit late but hope it helps😜
HEMS is much similar to what you’ll find in the UK, apart from the traffic & traffic management. You will almost never close down the aircraft on scene. A 2 lane highway suddenly has cars 7 or 8 abreast as they try to route around each other, or even cross into the opposite carriageway driving into oncoming traffic to minimise their wait.
once you’ve lifted they’re off, they’ll pass within metres beneath the aircraft, stealing any chance for you to reject.
IFT is a joke. You fly to your local airport to wait the arrival of your patient. It’ll be an hour. Get them onboard & fly them to the usual next level hospital & wait another hour for the ambulance to arrive, even when you pre warn the ops cell, they take no advice. You could be sat with a patient dying in your aircraft unable to supply AirCon because it’s too hot to go ground run for longer than 30 mins.
Thing to remember is you’re on duty for 42 days, no days off. Shifts are sunrise to sunset. Some places you’ll have the luxury of a decent hotel some you’ll have much less luxurious accommodation. Aircraft are parked outside all day, every day.
The staff responsible for accommodating you only do so for 2 weeks at a time & you’re therefore locked out of your room every 2 weeks until it’s been rearranged. Your hire car may be in your name, may not, it may be insured, it may not.
Your flights home will be what’s easiest for them not you, even if yours makes much more sense.
When you first get in country you’ll do what they call ‘on boarding’, where you do various medicals for Bupa(only covers you at work), ID & aviation medical. Almost 30 work orientated tests, your ELPT, HUET & a GACA ATP & AIP exams. Supposed to be done in 4 weeks but that rarely happens & however long it does take will then have your line training & first rotation added to the end of it.
6/6 roster ain’t too bad. Medics work 8/4.
The local attitudes are the hardest thing to accept. You can send email after emails & get no reply. They all have massively slopey shoulders & will never accept blame, so will never make a decision. Nothing gets done on Sunday as it’s the first day back to work or Thursday because they’re knocking off for the weekend.
Have a feeling this may be a bit late but hope it helps😜
On average…around £10k a month.
Consider UK tax & NI, no pension contributions, no loss of licence, no private medical(except while you’re at work) & you’ll be better off with a UK Offshore income, much better off if you include over time.
Consider UK tax & NI, no pension contributions, no loss of licence, no private medical(except while you’re at work) & you’ll be better off with a UK Offshore income, much better off if you include over time.
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Wales
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what sort of salary is paid for UK Offshore work ?
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Wales
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thank you ! Sorry I’m not sure what TRE or LTC are ?
Join Date: Sep 2021
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I pilot (drive) trains does that count ? 
On a serious note, I’m not. Although the aspiration is now that I’m finally earning a really good amount of money I can accelerate my savings significantly and start training. Ultimate aspiration being SAR. Anything that means I’m ‘home’ each day is where I’m looking. HEMS, NPAS, offshore are all appealing.
Money is not the driving factor as I appreciate the majority of jobs won’t match the £71K for 35 hours over 4 days(actually at work more like 25-30 hours and do even less of that actually ‘working’), very good pension, very good conditions job I have.
I just want to fly helicopters and be able to go home at the end of the shift.
it’s just nice to know what conditions are like for jobs in the heli flying industry.
If i had to guess based off similar things in the railway then I’d say something to do with training or examination.
Thank you, Appreciate the info a lot
On a serious note, I’m not. Although the aspiration is now that I’m finally earning a really good amount of money I can accelerate my savings significantly and start training. Ultimate aspiration being SAR. Anything that means I’m ‘home’ each day is where I’m looking. HEMS, NPAS, offshore are all appealing.
Money is not the driving factor as I appreciate the majority of jobs won’t match the £71K for 35 hours over 4 days(actually at work more like 25-30 hours and do even less of that actually ‘working’), very good pension, very good conditions job I have.
I just want to fly helicopters and be able to go home at the end of the shift.
it’s just nice to know what conditions are like for jobs in the heli flying industry.
If i had to guess based off similar things in the railway then I’d say something to do with training or examination.
Thank you, Appreciate the info a lot
Last edited by Lurcheroo; 11th Mar 2024 at 11:05. Reason: Add more info
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Wales
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Don’t think I could forgive myself for not giving it ago as I’ve wanted to fly since I was young.
originally was interested in fast jets with the RAF, that started to turn towards rotary at some point but that never worked out anyway.
I could be swayed in going fixed wing if it was just for fun (no more than a PPL) as I’m not interested in the airlines.
Thank you, appreciate your insight.
I suppose we shall see what life brings. If it doesn’t pan out so well then I can just stick to the railway I suppose
