Will airline pilot shortage help Rotorheads?
 

Hello Rotorheads!

I have seen in the last weeks some big national airline companies looking for a big number of pilot.

Some of this companies had lowered their minimum requirements to almost "out of school" pilots.
And some other, at least one in the USA, had created an rotor to fixed wing transition program.

In the rotorhead world, it's the opposite. Big companies still making pilots redundant and the better future is still in the shadow...

Do you think that this urge for airline pilots will help us?

In my opinion, it may help us a bit. I know a lot of rotorheads that also have a CPL(A), some from the air force and others with a money enough to have 2 licenses, and some of them are willing to change the rotorhead world for the fixed wing world.

This may help to "clean" a bit the queue.

What you thing?

Good question and one that I've pondered. I can only speak for the UK but the market shows little signs of picking up at present. I'm not sure how the N Sea is going to pan out in the future - there has been a significant change there and would need a big upturn in exploration to drive a higher demand for helicopters and pilots. The oil companies are shying away from deep sea exploration for the time being although reduced exploration during the downturn does mean that the companies will need to start replenishing their long term reserves at some point. Not surprisingly this will be driven by oil price and hence demand, which is dependant on many factors - your guess is as good as mine.

What may drive the market in our favour is a combination of demographics, the airline pull and hence fewer people undertaking training and a vastly reduced number of ex military pilots available. Give it another 2 years I'd say....

Many of my friends was CPL H and turn to fixed wings. They work now as Captain on A 340 or B 777.....And when they are off, they play with rotor wings ;) Not so bad...

I notice that the price of photo-voltaic cells has been falling consistently for decades and is predicted to fall further for the foreseeable future. Elon Musk and Samsung (probably others) are both I believe rapidly increasing the production rate for solar cells and have been for some time. They are made from sand and the price depends on the efficiency of production which in turn depends on the production volume. Volumes are rising rapidly.

https://arstechnica.co.uk/science/20...-solar-energy/
https://cleantechnica.com/2017/06/28...r-prices-2022/

Various countries have set dates for the end of petroleum powered car sales.

I am sorry to say for North Sea people that I do not see much prospect of an Oil Price recovery anytime soon.

I am however not an oil industry expert so what do I know?

Good luck to you all.

Go airline, for now!
 

I was considering NS after a friend in Stavanger recommended me to switch.
This was sometime around 2002. I should have looked into it then, but now I am happy I did not switch.

Mind you I am stuck in a rather monotones " shuttle".

I would recommend to go to Your Airline of choice and make a deal.
I would be absolutely delighted to have any of you rotorheads in the rightseat for a few hundred hrs until Cpt upgrade.

We need pilots that can fly, so go for it.
I think a transition from Heli to Fixedwing is a easy, the other way , not so much.
Lots to learn of course , for example we sometimes land at 150kts.
Mind u the "pad" usually is rather long.
Good luck to all.

Oh , almost forgot: We also have Trolly Dollys!

Very interesting thread.
Keep on posting your ideas!
Just my two cents worth is: I’m not Willing to change from helicoter to fixed wing even though it can be hard to find jobs.
I love to hand fly, hover oge and do toe in or one skid only landings and stuff like that too much.
I think if you are prepared to live in remote (sometimes hostile ) environments ( and you already have a few thousand hours) you can still get Helicopter jobs.

"Lots to learn of course , for example we sometimes land at 150kts."

Yeah, it's different from stopping, then landing.... :)

I think even if the N.Sea stays at it's current rate of work, just through general attrition of retirements eventually the companies will need to hire. There are lots of old timers out there, and virtually no ex mil available like there used to be. I know of a few guys going fixed wing from rotary, this will obviously make some more room, and it would only take a small increase in work (one aircraft on contract usually requires around 9 pilots on average) and hiring would begin. However, IF I were young and wanted a more stable life/future for my family I would invest and go myself! Lots of the guys let go in the vicious cull last year have moved house and home and made new lives away from the n.sea, and will not be coming back!
There are jobs onshore being advertised but these are for experienced pilots (Actual P1 and overland experience), which does not help N.Sea P2's much, but some P1's with the requirements and absolutely fed up with being treated like ryanscare pilots, might have had enough and move on for a nicer way of life?
Good luck to all looking for work.
B.