Helicopter pilot shortage?

[Texguy]

Is it true there's a massive helicopter pilot shortage like a local helicopter school says in their radio ad?

[JaceTheAce]

I'm not sure because here UND they love to give live infomercials to incoming aviation freshman about the helicopter program and how there will be a shortage of pilots...so obviously it's biased, but I'd sure love to fly helicopters for a living!...for now I'm going the airplane route......much cheaper.

[Doug Taylor]

We have the same radio ad here in PHX.

"No money down!"

[Timbuff10]

Only if all the tons of military pilots out there decide to give it up.

[Ian J]

Actually there's some merit to this. The gulf of mexico is ever expanding in their search for oil and the need for helicopter pilots is on the rise. Depending on who you talk to, pay is on the rise too (slightly).

Surprisingly there seems to be more straight civilian helo pilots in the industry than military...

But yeah, big flight schools are going to capitalize on this in their marketing and advertising... they probably won't tell you PHI (the biggest helo company in the gulf) is on strike right now which is furthering the shortage, and if you take a job with them now you'll be labeled the big S word.

But actually, compared to the airline industry, the helo world isn't looking too bad.

And doesn't everyone know there's a Helo forum here at JC?? This is like the third helo related post in a week that ended up in General Topics.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by Doug Taylor

We have the same radio ad here in PHX.

"No money down!"

One of the helo schools here was having a "job informational meeting". The radio ad was telling about the shortage and how you defer you payments until you have graduated. I would should have went and compared it to some of the fixed wing ads.

[falconvalley]

My brother was talking about a school in SoCal that offers to pay for professional training. I guess you have to work it off with a multi-year contract by working for companies that have agreements with this school. I don't know the details though.

[C650CPT]

just remember ... skids are for kids ...

I would be hesitant to "trust" any advertisment ... them marketing people are smooooooth. If you really want to know call an operator that you would like to work for and ask them some questions. What is thier hiring minimums, vs what the average applicant has and consider the backgrounds of those applicants. Get your questions answered directly from the horses mouth ... Understand one thing ... things do change, so constanly keep in "touch" to modify your decsions/efforts as you pursue any career goal.

Jim

[vsf]

There is no helicopter pilot shortage. That is absurd.

Silverstate, the company that advertises on the radio, is very aggressive at their marketing. And since a pilot shortage cannot be disproven, they can assert what they want to assert.

I have been a licensed helicopter pilot for 18 years and have flown them professionally in the U.S. and on overseas contracts. Nobody loves choppers more than I do, but the economics of it for the working pilot are never very good. A very season helicopter pilot, thirty years into a career, will often make far less than a fresh college graduate does when taking an entry level "normal" job at the age of 22. That's something to think about.

I bailed out of helicopters in order to work in fixed wing, and there are a LOT more jobs, and far far better pay, in the fixed wing realm. No question about it.

In the meantime, don't lose sight of the fact that the military is cranking out highly experienced chopper pilots who will be flooding the market when the Iraq war ends. Who would YOU hire, a military-trained pilot with gobs of hours of turbine, multi-engine and IFR time, or somebody trained at a rag-tag civilian outfit with Robinson lawnmover time? C'mon, get real.

Of course, pilots being pilots, not all are very clear on the concept of averages and trends, so some bozo will always tell you about his "friend" who got a $120,000 a year job flying an S-76 when he had only six hours of Robinson time...we love urban legends in this industry and we love wishful thinking.

Helicopters are fun. But airplanes are for money.

[C650CPT]

can I get an AMEN!!!!!!

[awacs94]

Amen!

[JaceTheAce]

Nice writeup vsf!

[scoobs]

Well thats not true. There are tons of helo jobs available especially in EMS. I wouldn't call it a shortage but the local recruiter is worried. There will be a shortage in a few years if the pay doesn't go up. Like you said there is more opportunity to make money flying fixed wing.

[C650CPT]

Originally Posted by scoobs

Well thats not true. There are tons of helo jobs available especially in EMS. I wouldn't call it a shortage but the local recruiter is worried. There will be a shortage in a few years if the pay doesn't go up. Like you said there is more opportunity to make money flying fixed wing.

What's not true? Local recruiter for what?

Are we to understand that you at age 21 with no experience in this business know more than myself with 16yrs and 8000+ hrs and vsf with his 18+ years of professional experience?

Please tell me of the tons of jobs you speak of.

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by vsf

There is no helicopter pilot shortage. That is absurd.

Silverstate, the company that advertises on the radio, is very aggressive at their marketing. And since a pilot shortage cannot be disproven, they can assert what they want to assert.

I have been a licensed helicopter pilot for 18 years and have flown them professionally in the U.S. and on overseas contracts. Nobody loves choppers more than I do, but the economics of it for the working pilot are never very good. A very season helicopter pilot, thirty years into a career, will often make far less than a fresh college graduate does when taking an entry level "normal" job at the age of 22. That's something to think about.

I bailed out of helicopters in order to work in fixed wing, and there are a LOT more jobs, and far far better pay, in the fixed wing realm. No question about it.

In the meantime, don't lose sight of the fact that the military is cranking out highly experienced chopper pilots who will be flooding the market when the Iraq war ends. Who would YOU hire, a military-trained pilot with gobs of hours of turbine, multi-engine and IFR time, or somebody trained at a rag-tag civilian outfit with Robinson lawnmover time? C'mon, get real.

Of course, pilots being pilots, not all are very clear on the concept of averages and trends, so some bozo will always tell you about his "friend" who got a $120,000 a year job flying an S-76 when he had only six hours of Robinson time...we love urban legends in this industry and we love wishful thinking.

Helicopters are fun. But airplanes are for money.

Hey VSF... welcome to JC! Could use some more experienced helo pilot perspectives around here... I can really only offer the military perspective. Care to share some of your work experiences or give a day in the life of a civilian helo pilot?

[Texguy]

But Silverstate says I'll make $50-$100K after chopper school!