Help becoming a hello pilot

Copied from the Midwest site....



Two Alternative Routes to Go: Military or Civilian

In general, there are two routes to go: the military route or the civilian route. If your goal is to become a career military helicopter pilot, your first step is to visit with recruiters for the Armed Forces to explore the opportunities available at this time. The Services have restrictive educational, age, height, eyesight, and physical requirements that often do not apply to civilian helicopter pilots.

Military training is excellent, but getting into one of the military's flight training programs is not easy, simply because there are a lot of applicants competing for a small number of flight training slots. Many of the Armed Forces require you to have a 4-year college degree to be admitted to flight training. In any case, some people have found that earning a civilian helicopter pilot rating FIRST is often a major advantage in being accepted into a military flight school, as long as they can meet the other requirements. It certainly puts one way ahead of those aspirants with NO flight training. But check with the recruiters about this route. Policies and rules for admission change constantly. Of course, there is no free lunch. In exchange for your training, all of the Armed Services will require a commitment on your part to serve for some number of years after you complete their flight training programs, even if you don't intend to make the military your lifetime career.

For most, civilian helicopter pilot training is the fastest and most logical option, but not the least expensive. In the United States, there are many excellent helicopter schools like Midwest Helicopter. In order to become a professional pilot, you must first earn your Rotorcraft-Helicopter Private Pilot Rating (or license) and then your Commercial Pilot Rating. (Please carefully study this Website at for the minimum requirements and costs to obtain those ratings). If you start helicopter pilot training "from scratch", you need a minimum of 150 hours of helicopter flying time and you will invest about $40,000 to $45,000 in your education and training for that Commercial license. (For just about the same investment and in the same 150-180 hours of training, you can also earn your Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Rating, which we strongly recommend that you do). If you also earn your Instrument and Instrument Instructor (CFII) ratings, you will spend in the neighborhood of $55,000-$60,000 for all those ratings.

See the link on our home page on "Training Programs and Rates." Midwest Helicopter offers a "Professional Pilot Program" for those seeking all the ratings we recommend to be the most employable you can be. (See more information under our 'Training' page on our site.

 

I know a few of these guys and am around the evac helicopters quite a bit. Everyone of them around here is prior military. They get ungodly amounts of hours flying in the military and beat out everyone else that applies with their hours. In fact I don't think I've ever met one for Air Evac, Air Methods or any of the other services they have absorbed around here that isn't prior military.

 

Does that include turbine too Mike?

 

Dreams don't materialize without sacrifice. You can bust your ass for Uncle Sam and earn a GI Bill or you can bust your ass in the civilian world and pay your own way through flight school.

 

Ok so they have training for 60'000 plus financial . These guy I am talking to is want 70 plus and don't have that kinda of financial help . Thanks again for the info . I to know a few pilots there is one that isn't military so I am shooting for no army
And just financing it

 

Have fun

 

One of the 4 Air Evac pilots at my airport came from a civilian background. It is pretty rare from what I understand.

 

Yea I know it's rare but I just want to fly to be honest . Just to make good money doing it . If they won't accept me at evac I will just offer my
Flying abilities to some other group .

 

I have thought about the oil rigs I have friends in there and it takes 1 year and your making 100'000 so I thought about that

 

The R44 and the Ravens are piston helis, their Eurocopters are turbines at $950 per hour.

I'm guessing a big no for the inclusion of a turbine for thier prices.

OP, either way you slice it, military or civilian, it's no cake walk. This career step requires 100% devotion and commitment. If you give up part way through, you don't get the money back you spent.

If you're smart, healthy and not colorblind, go military and let Uncle Sam pay your way.

 

It may come out I have to go military .

 

There's a waiting list a mile long for commercial heli jobs.

If you just want to fly (for personal pleasure), earn a basic private rotary cert. and enjoy the weekend flying helis.... you'll save tens of thousands of dollars and still have fun.

 

Do you fly a lot for a company Or pleasure

 

The best option I can tell you is join the military.

 

I would stay away from the services unless you like having someone mandate what clothes you wear, how you cut your hair, inspecting your car for safety issues every weekend, moving every few years to places you dont get to pick, etc...

There are ways to become a pilot. I know several guys who started with their private pilots license and became commercial airline pilots without joining the service. it required a lot of work and money but they paid their own way one certification at a time.

Go for it but be careful running to the services as a cheap way to get where you want to go. They will take back their investment plus interest...

if you absolutely must join the service to get the license, go into the air force. They have the highest quality of life out of all of them....

 

Army warrant officer. I'm Airforce and that's what I want to switch over to. In the Air Force I'm a damn plumber.

Btw the Air Force has very few rotary wing pilots, and competition is tough from what I understand.

 

Speaking of.... You going to sign up?

 

Join the service. I have a friend that payed to become a helo pilot. He makes $12 an hour doing tours when he can. He simply couldn't/can't afford to fly the number of hours it takes to get a good job doing it.

Army/Navy/Airforce will pay for your education and more importantly pay for the hours necessary to get a good job flying helo's.

 

Bad experience huh?

The Military is a hustle, either you get hustled or you control the hustle. Either way the Military will get theirs from you so you better get yours. If you don't, your fault.

Don't pick stupid jobs.

 

My brother is a heli pilot here on Kauai, Hi. He flys tours here, with the most beautiful scenery in the world-Napali Coast, Mt. Waialeale, etc. He makes very good money. This is where he started, check it out-Mauna Loa helicopters.com