AW139 or Mi17
 

Let's say you as a pilot are willing to pay for Type Rating in one of these two helicopters.
Which one would you obtain and why?

I would go for the AW139 as they are in high demand for several companies, and many companies are growing rapidly with this type, especially in the offshore market.

Depends what kind of job you have on your mind, and where...

If had US citizenship Mi-17, otherwise A139

PS how much is A139 type rating?

Outside of Siberia/Russia is there any Mil operating offshore?
Regardless of recent T/R problems which we now hope are sorted the 139 will reign superior in the medium lift category. :cool:

Bring on the EC 175 :ok:

i don't think so. maybe south america.

Mi-17 is victim of its own strengths: simplicity, reliability in hard conditions, and enormous power.

it is in high demand in war thorn areas like Afghanistan and Africa, so neither Mil Moscow neither two production plants (Kazan and Ulan Ude) don't feel a need to certifie it under FAR29 (it would require change in hydraulic system, and some minor changes). also it would be direct competition to their new Mi-38.

for pilot point of view it is a job which one can hardly get.
options:
various cargo outfits, if it has western name, that means only that helicopters are wet leased from some ex USSR country, or as ex military USA pilot (well it is not a job for everybody, and if one is qualified to do it, he would be called by somebody)

http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/1877/smimg0230.jpg
Mi 171 A2, close enough to FAR 29 :ok:

Type Rating is about 70-80,000 usd for either, someone can please post more specific info regarding cost if this is inaccurate.
Looking at the very broad picture the 139 seems to be used mainly offshore with the exception of some SAR or Medevac ops.
The Mi17 rating may take you into places that are a bit more interesting I'm guessing, I don't think they fly offshore much these days.

Thanks for the replies, please keep them coming.

Mmmmm ....

Carsick .... get a grip on reality .... Mil 17 if your life is going to revolve around warzones .... for a REAL working career the 139 is the way to go ...

ALSO the 139 systems will be transferring to the 189 which most likely will be the machine of choice for so many operators into the future.

IMO ... Its a no brainer!

:E

If you are doing that get A139, more job for that.
Mi-17 world is very closed, almost all companies that operate them are exUSSR and they hire only from their own country. I guess it is the very similar with other countries (South American hire only South American pilots, Indian probably same). Also it is used almost exclusevly in world worst places.
With A139 you have entire world open.

I believe the offshore companies cost an AW139 rating at £30k, but that presumably is a cost price (since they train internally).

Just to put a different spin on it... I say, if you want to drive a bus for the rest of your career, go the 139. If you want to do something more interesting, Mi17.

There are plenty of people using them outside of Russia, and Africa, you just have to look around. While you will probably not be in the flashiest places to live, the flying would certainly be more interesting.

There again, a lot of people don't particularly like the Middle East, North Western Australia, Scotland, wild coastal Canada, London, USA, New Zealand, wherever, as places to live, but they live there because that is where they can fly a 139, or whatever...

:E am bit wierdo, love them both, and work around both too,
By all means, it is different worlds and philosophy, in maintenance and operations.
Be aware, TR on 139 cost bit more....
Almost all Mi17(1) are used and equipped in VFR config only, but de ice working well,
FIPS on AW139 performing yet?! Except that, AW 139 is serious IFR ship.

So in case you like to go off shore, go on 139
and if you like to eat sand and dust, go for Mi171...
Bus driver you will be on both except if you are "masochist"
to fly low level bad meteo night winter flights w/o radar in between
Adriatic islands, after that hilly Afgan can be nice vacation :}

:O

um... well maybe, probably...

TV crew and team on humanitarian flight, possible tail rotor strike on landing. Sometimes Mi8 MTV bus bite :}

New birthday for all on board :ok:

.... standard left rotation, and buuum!:eek:

hmmm...but nice, everyody OK.

I will say what others have... want to feel Rambo in a heli? Go for the Mi17! Otherwise the 139 is always the best bit! Just do a walkaround through job sites and companies in the career section, and you will note that if you have a 139, you will have that job!! I have 109, only, and i am flying in the left side, hems of course, and i feel that i am stuck in my career, because its not a value heli, unless your a captain!

Only Bus driving in the 139?
Hardly so SuperF, there are companies with much more intersting a varied activities out there and the 139 can do it all very well.

If I had the choice, I wouldn't hesitate to go to the Mi17!!!! :ok:A real helicopter, operating in places for real helicopter pilots....not the white shirt "systems supervisors" we seem so proud to have become now.:confused:

I wasn't having a go at the 139, just the type of ops that it's currently being used for, aren't my cup of tea...

Regarding the bus, I guess the mil is a bigger bus! However I thought that there were more of them doing more than pax transport, and you don't have to go to a war zone to fly them, there are quite a few on logging, heavy lifting and fire fighting ops around the world.

If you want to look down instead of straight ahead, then give the Mil a go.

Are there 139's not hauling pax around? I hadn't heard of any of them, and yes sorry I group, SAR, EMS, Offshore, VIP and charter all into pax flying, ie your load for 99.9% of the time is inside the heli, as opposed to lifting operations.

Well, Mi 8 is not excluded from VVIP / PAX ops

One old example, but from operational point of view in today's world almost impossible :E
1990. in Sofia, Bulgaria, ex YU famous singer...