Looking for information on becoming an IRCG pilot

Radiation

Sorry if this is the wrong section..

Basically what it says in the title. I swear they have hidden any information regarding the subject as all I can find is the info about where they operate and their range of operation during a Search & Rescue mission.

A friend and I would just like to know the process involved in becoming a pilot for the IRCG, the training involved, whether or not you need to go through standard training before moving on to the specific training to become a pilot.. anything really that's helpful in that sense.

Please don't link me to their volunteer's application form either. It's not what I'm looking for =/


Thanks in advance =]

punchdrunk

in short,it's fúcking hard!

here's the place where any jobs would be advertised
http://www.chc.ca/Careers/ViewCareerOpportunities/Pages/default.aspx
either here or in flight magazine

Unfortunately they don't train people to fly from start to finish as it would cost them too much money they hire people who are already helicopter pilots

basically you haven't a snowballs chance without type rating on the Sikorsky used by IRCG or otherwise extensive SAR experience on another type (it used to be 250 hours on the S-61 minimum requirement) the vast majority of those flying the S-61 for the IRCG are ex-military SAR from the UK and Ireland with years flying under their belts

not that there's no hope at all...some people have come in the civie route by getting a private license first,then managing to get in as a co-pilot and then spending a couple of years building up hours;working the Oil rigs in the north sea or middle east to get the experience on the S-61 needed

even then there wouldn't be any guarantee of a job at the end of it because they are very likely going to take somebody with previous SAR experience on the CV over you

but if your really serious,start working on your PPL first and take it from there!

xflyer

Klunk might have a better insight but there is no easy way to become an IRCG pilot. Generally they are either ex military helicopter pilots or pilots who have come the long hard offshore route.

If you want to become an IRCG pilot you either get yourself into the Irish Air Corps or the RN/RAF or British army helicopter pilot career.

The alternative is to learn to fly choppers and somehow or other get into the offshore helicopter scene whether in the North sea or somewhere further away.

Once you establish yourself in either of the above, keep applying until they give in and hire you.

Essentially you have to prove yourself with a successful career then top it by getting into the IRCG.

Years ago when Irish helicopters ran the SAR service there was a short lived cadet scheme but even then they were experienced pilots. I know because a friend of mine got one. But that isn't happening anymore.

To get in you must be very experienced. Not impossible but a long haul.

Edit: Punchdrunk beat me to it and is absolutely right.

Edit 2: If we the comments we have made this seem impossible, don't think like that. When you look at anything from the start it seems unattainable at times. But once you've paid your dues, sometimes it's almost inevitable. For example I've just been offered, no told I'm getting a job I often wished for. It took a long time but it just fell into my lap with a phone call. So if you really, really want something enough you will make it happen. In fact so inevitable was it, that I still don't appreciate how lucky I am.

That goes for anyone out there who wished to make a career in aviation.

punchdrunk

as xflyer says,chase after your dreams if that's what you want to do

I'm sure the average Nasa astronaut couldn't even have begun to image they'd one day fly a space shuttle on that first day they sat into a little Cessna with an instructor

if it's genuinely what you want,go for it!

Radiation

Thanks a lot, both of you =] That was very helpful

Topper Harley01

You are probably going to need about 70k to get you from zero to hero, and that's even if you train in America, where it is much cheaper than here.

Here's the general plan:

[*] Private Pilot's Licence

[*] Commercial Pilot's Licence

[*] Night Rating

[*] Instrument Rating

[*] Mountain Course

[*] Instructor's Rating

Then, after a year or two instructing, you'll be looking to move back to this side of the pond, and study for your JAA (European) Licence.

Then onto:

[*] Multi Engine Type Rating (S-92)

[*] Multi Engine Instrument Rating

Spend another year or two in the North Sea, then you should have the right qualifications for IRCG. The S-92 rating will stand to you, as they plan to switch to that machine next year.

Think long and hard before you commit.......my advice is save up and get your private licence in America first, and see if you like it. Also, try not to take out a loan, the interest will kill you. Try and save up/get some from your parents.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

Klunk001

Crew Experience - aircrew are to have had the following minimum helicopter experience and qualifications:

(i) Captains:

Total helicopter hours 2500 hours

Hours in command of multi-engined helicopters 1000 hours

Hours on type 250 hours

Hours in command on type 100 hours

Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence

Instrument Rating held for at least 2 years

Minimum of 1 year’s experience on a dedicated civil or military SAR unit

(ii) Co-Pilots

Total helicopter hours 750 hours

Hours on multi-engined helicopters 350 hours

Hours on type 50 hours

Commercial Pilot’s Licence

Instrument Rating

ATPL theory credit

(Previous SAR experience is not mandatory)


Just to add as the guys here have given you good info. As you can see from above, this is the minimum req for pilot flight crew.This is taken from the invite to tender document from a couple of years back and is in the public domain.

The req haven't changed much. Flight crew are a mix of military and civie, some joining with SAR experience, others without. Many come from a civilian background believe it or not, having done time in the North sea, gulf of Mexico, Persion gulf and the likes. Others have joined with none of the above experience and made the jump from flying the likes of Jetrangers, Enstroms, Hughes 300's on to the S-61, a steep learning curve some would say, but do able all the same....

Arriving with the minimun req and been accepted, you convert onto type (S-61) followed by SAR conversion, this is going to take around six months roughly, everything going well.

Just remember that the boys and girls who fly these machines all started their careers with a big zero hours in their log book,:D hope this has helped.

Steyr

Hi OP, everything the lads have posted here is pretty much spot on, but IRCG/CHC will more than likely go for someone with some type of Heli service with the Military in an SAR Role, you cant just apply, those great people have years of experience with the IAC/RAF/RN et al.

savagecabbages

This thread pretty much answers everything I've been thinking about asking lately!

I know this has been asked before on other threads, and deviating/developing from the topic a little, but does anyone have any other advice on financing training, particularly in the current economic climate?

I'm in my mid-20s now.
Back in the (celtic tiger) days I was told it was relatively easy to secure finance to train to become a commercial pilot, but unfortunately I've come of age at a particularly bad time for someone with this life path in mind.


I applied for the Air Corps cadetship one year, passed the interview and then the aptitude tests but didn't make it into the final selection that year. About 30 of us did the fitness testing, but only five or six were inducted. I didn't apply again as i had started a degree and had other career aspirations on my mind. Now i'm thinking about it again. There were basically zero jobs in the field into which i qualified(industrial design), and now i'm doing a masters in something a little more specific. Is having pursued a third level education an advantage to me?
Are there any airlines or organisations offering cadetship/scholarship type schemes? or is it a bad idea to tie yourself down to a contract with an airline if they finance you?

xflyer

Are there any airlines or organisations offering cadetship/scholarship type schemes? or is it a bad idea to tie yourself down to a contract with an airline if they finance you?

It wouldn't be a bad idea if you could only find an airline willing to sponsor you. There are a couple of sponsorship schemes, Ethiad being one but competition is fierce much like the Air Corps.

There are schemes where airlines work with flight schools, so called mentored schemes. Where a flying school cooperates with an airline. If chosen you are guaranteed an interview but not a job. But you still have to pay. FlyBe for example offer part sponsorship or mentored schemes. Even with part sponsorship the cost is still large.

So there's no easy answer.

BTW there was never an easy time to start training to be a pilot. When I first prised money out of a bank for flight training. I didn't tell them what it was for. Back then we were in permanent receccsion. I had a low paid job and you would be laughed out of the bank if you said it was to be a pilot.

Essentially unless you have the money now, you have to get it. The best way to get the money was to work for it in a successful career and save like mad. You say you are in your twenties. That's young enough. Set a target to be working as a pilot by your mid thirties.

But a lottery ticket too, you never know.

Jamesobrady

Hey folks,
I have a little experience with the IRCG heli operation :rolleyes:
To be totally honest, there is no reason for any young irish lad/lass who wishes to become a helicopter pilot to not aim for working for the IRCG contract holders..whoever they may be at whatever time. As far as CHC goes, its been my experience that the majority of copilots have come the civilian route, with the majority of captains ex-uk military. Thats probably an indicator of age/social decisions more than a company hiring profile. It should be said, as encouragement, that almost if not all, the irish copilots and captains have come the civilian route mostly through helicopter adventures(or whatever its called now- Bond something? ) in florida. They have a well proven(and recognised-hint hint) history with training pilots for offshore/sar work.

Everything that has been said previously is correct apart from that IMO...it costs lots of money, there are no guarantees, there are lots of young irish pilots in the usa with 2-300hours, and no job, and no visa time left. And no hope of getting a job in europe. I got approved for a loan to do the 70k ish trainging back in 2005, but couldnt do it for personal reasons. Then I was financially fortunate enough to be able to attempt to do it last year, but failed the class one medical due to an unknown vision "defect"...nothing major, but enough to not pass the medical.
So, a good place to start, if you havent already done so, is to go to the IAA website, or email the medical department, and get the class one medical requirements. Dont "do" the class one medical, that costs 600euro iirc....gah....but get checked out as far as you can by your doctor/specsavers etc. Another tip, is you can do the american class1 medical in dublin for a fraction of the cost of the Iaa one in the matter, for "check" purposes. Most common failures that im aware of, hearing requirements, colour vision, 3d vision, different strength vision in eyes(cant think of the term).... get the info, check it out. Please note, passing the american class one is not a guarantee you will pass the Iaa one-its slightly more forgiving...but it should snag any problems that might arise. Better to spend 200euro now, than 600 euro later...he knows with hinsight...lol.

Other than ALL that....i have many friends that fly for heli operations, and fixed wing airlines/cargo etc. And i have to say, in all honesty, and they will admit it themselves, the ones flying fixed wing have a better standard of life.
The heli guys get more money depending on the job, and have mostly a more stable family life assuming they have a wife and kids near work(as helis never go very far from home...) but the fixed wing guys seem happier with their jobs(ryanair not included). I reckon fixedwing, hostesses, hotels, parties, different countries, airport staff parties etc etc is for the young lads-where flying the bus is secondary to living, and helis is for folks that want a bit more of a kick doing "the job", but it comes at a far higher cost/far more serious by nature and very little changes day to day with the exception of the SAR work....which as said already, is way way out there when it comes to the progression on the career ladder. There is a whole life to live between starting flying training and the goal of a single job/contract....its very easy to trap yourself into a very very hard path from the start without realising it.

Whatever you decide to do in life, have a blast.... and if its what you want to do, dont let anyone tell you not to. Or that you cant, or shouldnt, or that it will be too difficult....they arent you For the record, I know people who have gotten "jobs" with very little resembling the official required minimums....dont let a piece of paper put you off. If your the man for the job, you'll get it. A good approach, whether people like to hear it or not, is to contact/call into any of the existing SAR bases(preferably your nearest) and ask to talk to someone who could advise you on a career path. Now..remember, this happens VERY often, so dont be put off if you arent welcomed in and adopted immediately..lol. You will however-time permitting- find lots of very friendly folks who are more than willing to take 20/30 mins to chat to you and give you advice...it will consist of "go to america and start training"...it will likely not consist of "join the british military, survive whatever wars are ongoing, and then come see us"... military flight time and experience is recognised, but there is still the civilian qualifications/exams to get after it...and that is not necessarily achieveable just because you can fly a helicopter. Never even minding the choice of a military lifestyle for x amount of years in the meantime...

Ok..thats all i can think of to write....hope some of that waffle is useful
Feel free to drop me an email at "myusername" at yahoo.co.uk if there is anything else i can help with on it.
Im currently in costa rica on am irish reg motorbike heading to argentina, but i will reply when i get a chance