Commercial helicopter add-on

R

Radu38J

Well-Known Member
I passed my commercial helo add-on ride last Friday with Barry Lloyd. Such an awesome DPE, and the chief pilot for Calfire.

I'm now at 800+h fixed wing and 130h helicopters, CFI-A/MEI. I can't wait to get started on my CFI-H, although the thought of paying another 70h is not something i look forward to (SFAR 73 requires 200h in Robbies to teach). Any ideas of cheap ways to get there, or even be paid as a commercial helo pilot? Jobs on this side are fewer than on the fixed wing side and insurance requirements are higher. I'm also trying to stick with my regular computers job at the same time, it pays the bills.
 
There is no such thing as cheap in rotor wing aviation. And if you find something....you don't want it!!!

I hate to be the one to rain on your parade but there are very few jobs for low time helicopter pilots. If you don't get hired by the school you train at as a CFI, you have a pretty significant hill to climb to get hired elsewhere. When I left my last job flying a R44 we had 600 resumes for my position. Maybe 30% were qualified for what we did. We weren't looking for a lot of hours, only about 500.

Hiring is way down for higher time pilots too with the loss of value for oil and gas. There are many layoffs in the gulf where a large % of helo pilots go once they hit 1000 hours. So those guys are now going to the next rung down with tours which now has a glut of higher time pilots which means its taking longer to get out of the instructor roles.

My advice is to tread carefully into spending that money for another 70 hours. Its likely not going to be useful for a long time. But it will be fun. Just understand that once you get that CFI-H add on that might be it for a while unless you keep paying to keep current. And the longer you take to find a heli job the harder it will be.

But that doesn't mean it can't happen!
 
No worries, I'm well aware that a fresh commercial certificate is not getting me a job in the helicopter world any time soon. Still, I can dream :). More seriously, I've heard of places that offer training and time building programs in helicopters at a significantly reduced rate. Right now, I'm paying $270 for a R22 and something like $470 for a R44 (staff rate). I've heard of mystical numbers of $220 and $350 respectively, but don't seem to find them. Over 70h, the differences add up.

I plan on using those hours to get my CFI and instrument. The place where I did my training, might have an opening for a CFI-H in a few months. I'm a part time fixed wing CFI there already, so I'm keeping my hopes up. When and if I get that position, I still need another 800h before anyone in the Canyon would look at me, then another 500h turbine, then... That is, unless I go to a regional by that time. I'm not fully committed to either path. I wish there were places looking for a dual rated pilot, I wouldn't want to leave one for the other.
 
Thanks, I might look into boatpix if my hopes with the local school don't work out. The cost savings are not great if I have to move, but if they have a helicopter nearby (SF bay area), that could work. You pay your way to 300h, then get to instruct for 100h or so. Then you're out of a job again...
 
Let me know if you are headed out here and I'll show you around and introduce you to Jerry and Alison. Great group of people. Never heard a negative thing ever said about them which is rare in this business.
 
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