Deanspoors Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 I've been working offshore for several years now, at the moment the industry is on a downward spiral, what was once a very prosperous career is, momentarily at least, taken a sharp nose dive. I've just had my rotation changed to 5/5 weeks from 4/6 along with a pay cut and the loss of work mates due to redundancies across the board. It looks like now might be a good time to plan a way out. Something that I am rather interested in would be self funding my Helicopter Private and Commercial Pilot Licences in the hope of finding a job at the end of it (I'm already a paramotorist, so a big fan of the sky). Training is going to cost upwards of £60k so it's a rather large investment in myself. My question is; are there any helicopter pilots out there, how would you rate it as a career, are there jobs out there and can you give my any pointers, etc. Cheers,Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Ashcroft Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 I looked at doing this myself years ago and was told that the chances of future employment was slim due to the market bring full of ex forces guys coming out with 1000s of hours in the bag as opposed to a new pilot with very few hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Not sure if it's any better now, but a friend of mine had the same issue going back some years or so. He reckoned the problem had always been bad for the high profile helicopter flying jobs, air ambulance, police, rigs etc with ex military pilots having way more hours, but the various recent wars had sent the hours insane with all the combat sorties, and that at that point, there were so many heavily experienced pilots coming out of the system that they were working their way right down the food chain. He ended up moving to Africa, and doing the rounds their for a while with different companies, building hours up, he came back here four years ago, and flew, but ironically, missed Africa and went back! That said, and I don't know how comparable it is, but another friend of mine did make it work years ago, fixed wing though. He was working for Astra Zeneca as a chemist, when he got the urge for a career change in his late thirties. Put himself through all the courses to become a civil aviation pilot, and spent ten years plus with the major air lines on good routes. The turn down in aviation in the late nineties saw him having to move to smaller air lines, mainly doing the European holiday routes, not the big money, but not too bad, he flew with a variety of them, till taking early (semi) retirement. So it can be done. Though I know competition for seats from the late nineties onwards has been intense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 There has been a recent spate of Apache pilots leaving the forces due to unbelievable short-sightedness. They were accidentally overpaid by several thousand pounds over a period of a few years, and the Army tried to claw it all back in one hit, about £125,000. A dozen disgruntled pilots promptly resigned and left. Training an Apache pilot costs £3.5m, and training a trainer costs over £8m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAFKARM Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Dean, Im in aviation and work closely with the likes of Bond, CHC, Bristow, NPAS. The trouble is, with the issues offshore and the drive toward efficiency people are flying rotary much less than the good old days. Even NPAS are starting to switch some aircraft to fixed wing. It sounds great in theory, but in practice, I think the job market at the end of it would be incredibly tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanspoors Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 Dean, Im in aviation and work closely with the likes of Bond, CHC, Bristow, NPAS. The trouble is, with the issues offshore and the drive toward efficiency people are flying rotary much less than the good old days. Even NPAS are starting to switch some aircraft to fixed wing. It sounds great in theory, but in practice, I think the job market at the end of it would be incredibly tough. Russ, would a fixed wing licence be a more viable option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAFKARM Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Better than rotary IMO, but even then jobs are limited...IIRC its £80k to get your commercial license with no guarantee of a job at the end... One of my customers is an aerial survey company and the number of applications they get a week is daft. I don't know what you do offshore currently, but for me the big 'growth' area is HSE. Could be worth exploring that with a view to consultancy...? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanspoors Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 I'm a Systems Engineer at the moment. I enjoy the job, but not the part being stranded on an oil rig. The idea of training to become a helicopter pilot was that it something that I think I would really enjoy with a half decent salary. HSE plays a big part in what I do now, but to he honest, I find it mind numbingly boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAFKARM Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 agreed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tisme Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 There has been a recent spate of Apache pilots leaving the forces due to unbelievable short-sightedness. Now I have to ask .... is that "short sightedness" as in "poor planning" or as in "I can't see what I'm about to wipe out with my M230 chain gun ...." Hopefully the former Shall I get my coat now ............... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dommo Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 I've seen Wings of the Apache. They know how to fix eyesight problems... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarmanUK Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I have a friend who is ex RAF and worked for many years after that as a commercial pilot for Monarch. He has just qualified as a helecopter instructor but spends most of his days working for his partners mortgage brokerage. He would love to fly for a living but just can't find the work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooch Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 The same oil industry down turn is affecting the helicopter fleet. My nephew was training captain for Bond and currently flies out of Humberside but they are being flogged to death because so many pilots are laid off and he's having to pick up the slack. He's a gifted pilot having got his PHL at 17 and was flying super Pumas to the rigs in his early 20s. He built up his hours by doing basic work sweeping hangars in exchange for flying hours in the early days. The police and air ambulance flying is the one they all want to do as it's exciting and skilful work, but there is a massive queue (unless you are a Royal!) As for fixed wing, an RAF officer mate of mine ( a fellow ground pounder) retrained as a flying instructor but found it really hard to make money for the first 5 years because there were so many young newly qualified and good pilots who were prepared to work as basic instructors in exchange for hours - i.e. for free. The glut of pilots and the number of rotary guys leaving the forces with high hours would make it nigh on impossible to break in to the business as a rookie so I'd say you'd be wasting your money if you were looking for commercial work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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