Career in helicopter flying - Easier than fixed wing

workaccount

Hi,
I read or heard somewhere that it is easier to get jobs flying helicopters. Is there any truth in this?

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Its more expensive and more difficult to learn to fly them.

However, Ireland apparently has the greatest ratio of helicopter owners to citizens than anywhere else in the world.

pclancy

No way is it easier to get jobs flying choppers! As said its way more expensive to learn to fly them and to operate them and there are far fewer helicopters in the world then fixed wing aircraft. Maybe in certain parts of the world where there happen to be more helicopters in use it might be easier to get jobs but as a whole I would be sure there are more fixed wing jobbies.

WexCan

I would imagine definitely more fixed wing jobs going. Flight instructor, cargo, pax, etc. Loads of fixed wing aircraft out there.

highlydebased

Not exactly easier to fly, either. No autopilot or the likes

cp251

I believe it's easier to get instructor jobs. It also pays slightly better than fixed wing. However as there is no airline type organisation. The career structure is more haphazard. You could fly for some rich guy, or the likes of Irish helicopters or the Coastguard but you are up against ex mil guys both from the Air Corps and British military. Airline pilots get paid a lot more. Many heli pilots convert to fixed wing eventually just to get a decent career and pension.

jmayo

cp251 wrote: »

I believe it's easier to get instructor jobs. It also pays slightly better than fixed wing. However as there is no airline type organisation. The career structure is more haphazard. You could fly for some rich guy, or the likes of Irish helicopters or the Coastguard but you are up against ex mil guys both from the Air Corps and British military. Airline pilots get paid a lot more. Many heli pilots convert to fixed wing eventually just to get a decent career and pension.

Yep Ireland would still not be good for helicopter jobs.
There is no real huge commerical work done here, apart from maybe flying some rich property tycoon about.
The UK would offer more work, where you have air ambulances, multiple police helicopters, oil rig transfers, coast guard and training organisations but you would be competing against ex RN, RAF and Army pilots.

Compare the use of helis here to Canada where they are used by mining and drilling companies, by power companies, by firefighters, by helisking companies, and by loggers.
Even if you look at New Zealand (similar population) there are big number used by hunters and tour/leisure companies.
Here there are the domain of the rich to go to the races.

I have known good few ex British military with large number of hours on Lynx, Gazelles, even Chinooks that were training on fixed wing since it offered more structured career with chance of joining large organisation, be it freight or passenger.