Helicopter pilot shortage
 

Hi Guys

I have been turned away from 43 Air School in South Africa due to a recent lack of heli instructors.:{ (no further bookings as they cant fill instructor positions:confused:) This after putting alot of prep into going to Port Alfred in June 2008 and paying a deposit.
Starlite Aviation has been recomended as an alternative however does anyone have any comments?

Cheers

Robbie:)

If you're after a South African licence, I can recommend NAC in Durban; certainly they had a few instructors when I was there a couple fo years ago.

Cheers

Whirls

Tis true, there is a massive shortage of instructors in SA at the moment. Which part of the country do you want to learn in? There are plenty flight schools here, and they are all pretty similar. Just try not to be taught by the fresh 200 hr instructor. Starlite in Durban is fine, probably similar to 43rd, if that is the type of school you want to go to.

and what's wrong with a 200hr instructor? I think they might have to have a bit more than 200hrs to start instructing anyway, but a lot of us had to start out like that and taught to the best of our ability, with less bad habits perhaps? Flown with a lot of high time instructors and they were scary!!

The Royal Navy has a shortage of helicopter pilots.

And the RAF has short pilots....

..and the Army has short-back-and-sides helicopter pilots.

Or should that be 'short, fat and wide' helicopter pilots?

And Civvy Street has Poor, Broke and Bankrupt pilots.....
:)

Howye fellas, so does anyone know exactly what part o the industry is looking for pilots?

Like the army? North sea? Business charter?

Thanks organ donor and whirls for your useful responses...:)
Growing up in Cape Town I would like to train there however I haven't found any schools there with same approach to training or reputation as the likes of 43 Air School. There are a number of schools which seem to come and go however guys like 43, NAC and Starlite seem to have been around for a while.
Just looking for a school with an integrated ab intio to comm flying program and professional,friendly, safe approach to flying. No heroics or cowboys.
I'm quite keen on coastal flying due to exposure to the variant weather conditions and mountain flying is accessible from anywhere along the coast in SA.
I spent 3 years in the SAAF with a short back and side and have special memories of ops trips out to Dragons Peak Park from Bloemspruit so will be contacting the guys in Durban tomorrow as I'm sure everyone will be braaing on this good friday.
Everyone I speak to has being saying it is a great time to start heli flying due to the "global shortage" however I was not expecting to be turned away from a well established reputable flying school due to lack of instructors....
Cant really judge a guy on how good a teacher he is on the amount of flying hours he has however it is a valid point. I think you need to asses what your all your instructors strengths are pick out the best from each of them. All else fails ask for a new one and we all get along.
cant wait to get qualified now:ok:...the future looks bright for heli pilots in SA....although may consider OZ down the line once qualified and built some hours. I've been out of SA for 8 years and like many South Afican's , responding to the "home-coming revolution" call.

Cheers

Robbie

Seems nobody wants to go Military these days, any lads i talk to looking to be pilots are just going to fund it themselves, one or two lads i know have the qualifications to go into the military but just aren't interested!

I know of someone who is CPL (H) with 500 hours including 150 turbine hours and is 35 but Physicaly fit and very active who asked about joining the RAF or Army Air corps for a 3 year (Or negotiated term) and they Just wernt interested. Too old was the reason.
They are paying Pilots extra to stay on and cannot recruit enough suitable candidates......

Hmmmmm

F999

You have hit the nail on the head when you say the Services can't recruit suitable candidates. Your friend is certainly not a suitable candidate as he is too old!!

The Services are looking for young, fit, intelligent, stable extroverts with good motivation who will give a good return on the millions that it will cost to get them to the front line. Not wannabees who think that 150 turbine is of any use for a 3yr stint sandy side:ugh:

HF

Aren't interested... some maybe, not all. I came so so close to joining a few years back; why didn't I? A straightforward refusal by them to guarantee that I'd end up in a flying role BEFORE I signed up and went to Sandhurst.
I'm 22, got 4 good A levels, passed all the aptitude tests at Cranwell, physically fit, love mountaineering, travelling, etc... if they'd just give me a definite 'yes' to flying I'd join up in a heartbeat, despite a civvy CPL/IR.
While I understand the reasoning that they're after officers first, pilots second, they're losing a lot of people like me who'd love to do both but put a priority on getting airborne

I don't think the North Sea has a shortage of self sponsored brand new CPL and IR holders. Although Bond maybe thought otherwise?

There is apparently a shortage when it comes to experienced aircrew.

Interesting to see CHC now have a new ad on their website for Captains in Humberside. And Bristow not too long ago had a big advert in the P&J for pilots. Minimum experience was ATPL, IR and offshore experience!

Don't believe the hype re shortage of pilots. Sitting here as a CPL(H) with IR(H) and Current Class 1 Medical and after twelve months I'm not even able to get beyond the receptionist with any of the big three on the North Sea. I think maybe it's just the marketing message that keeps the training schools open !!!

As for me I've basically blown the lot and failed so it's back to my old job with a very sorry tail between my legs.

To all you newbies who'll ignore the advice just like I did - don't risk any more than you genuinely can afford cos it really smarts when it doesn't work out.

R1tamer

Come on, don't be like that, you're ruining my breakfast. If you've spent that much money and are prepared to walk away, then you've got to ask yourself if you really wanted it anyway.

R1Tamer,

All might not be lost. I'm presuming that it's a JAA CPL(H)/IR. If so, some of the larger onshore operators in the London area have been looking for co-joes recently.

It might be worth asking around. :ok:

Yeah 'dragman' I expected that response because it's exactly what I would have said five years ago when I started out.

What I actually have to ask myself is just how am I going to pay the rent on a house I am now a tenant in because I sold my four bedroom detached to follow my dream. And after I pay the rent how do I feed my wife and four year old son. Maybe I could sell them both and get another hour or two at the local flight school.

I'm serious to all you folks out there - go ahead and follow your dream but just like any gamble make sure you set a limit at which point you'll be happy to walk away without crying. I went way past that line and it seems like everyone around me is crying - the wife, the son, the mother and mother in law. Hell - even the dog is whimpering !!!

R1Tamer

R1Tamer,

I'm guessing that your post crossed with mine.

PM me if you want further details.