Post Career, Career.

[FlyOrDie]

I'm 22 with 1200 hours and on the verge of beginning a fixed wing career. Ever since I got a ride in a Bell 47 and then .6 of dual I've known that someday I'll have to fly helis. My question is, how practical is it to fly fixed wing until say retirement at 60 and then fly some sort of seasonal job in helis? Obviously prior to retirement I'll aquire all the proper qualifications. Or would it be better for me to just try and fly them for fun?

What is the general experience level for single engine turbine jobs? Does fixed wing turbine experience help?

Thanks

 

[UH60driver]

I think you should fly anything for fun, just get paid for it.

If you want to fly helicopters, why not get the CFI and instruct? I am sure you will have some down time in between your fixed wing hitches to instruct. You could probably land a job flying both. There are corporations in which the pilot gets off the jet and jumps into the jetranger to continue flying the passengers to the final destination. That's just two examples of what you could do. Your options are countless, especially at your age.

 

[Ian_J]

I'm 22 with 1200 hours and on the verge of beginning a fixed wing career. Ever since I got a ride in a Bell 47 and then .6 of dual I've known that someday I'll have to fly helis. My question is, how practical is it to fly fixed wing until say retirement at 60 and then fly some sort of seasonal job in helis? Obviously prior to retirement I'll aquire all the proper qualifications. Or would it be better for me to just try and fly them for fun?

What is the general experience level for single engine turbine jobs? Does fixed wing turbine experience help?

Thanks

Well, this is pure word of mouth stuff I'm going to answer here, not having been out in the civilian helicopter market myself. "Generally" you have to have 1000 helicopter hours to get a starter job... but that doesn't include CFI-ing of course. And as far as I know turbine multi-engine time means as little to the helo world as helo multi-engine means to the fixed wing world. Nada. However, all ready having your fixed wing ratings would help a lot in terms of less hours to the rotor ratings... you already know most of the book knowledge, etc.

And retirement is a loooong way off, so maybe if you look in the right places you'll get opportunities to pick up rotor experience along the way.