Helicopter Career Paths

You'll be surprised to know how possible it is to become a helicopter pilot thanks to low cost training helicopters. Some people become doctors, others lawyers. You'll be happy to hear that for less than half the cost of most Medical and Law schools, you can become a professional helicopter pilot!

Helicopters are increasingly the aircraft of choice for widely diverse tasks. Consider some of these options, and see examples of the ships used in such missions.

Start by imagining what kind of flying you would like to do, and we'll help you build a plan to get there..

Flight Instruction Flight instruction is frequently the new commercial pilot's first job. You will cement your understanding of flight as you teach others. Many pilots use this opportunity to obtain the flight hours required for other types of operations.
Aerial Fire Fighting Airborne fire-fighters are highly experienced pilots of complex helicopters. These ships must fly reliably in smoke, dust, and high altitudes with changing centers of gravity as they drop ground-based fire-fighters and dump loads of water and fire retardant.
Airborne Law Enforcement Traditionally, law enforcement officers apply within their own agencies for transfer to the aviation division, which use special role-equipped aircraft. Their flight missions include aerial patrol, reconnaissance, emergency services details, and search-and-rescue (SAR), the latter includes swift-water rescues.
Electronic News Gathering L.A.'s electronic-news-gathering (ENG) pilots are world-famous. Flying in aircraft-dense airspace over the city, they deliver breaking news to their TV and radio stations in helicopters specially equipped with stabilized cameras and broadcast equipment.
Charters/Executive Transport This type of job may include flying tours in the Grand Canyon, Alaska or Hawaii, or as captain of a corporate ship carrying business passengers. The executive transport helicopter is the way to move your clients, in comfort and professional style.
Tours & Sightseeing Flights Get paid to fly around the most beautiful places in the world! Fly around the Grand Canyon, Hawaii or the Alaskan Glaciers.
E.M.S. (Emergency Medical Services) Highly experienced pilots fly life-saving medical evacuation flights, frequently in adverse weather. Patients and medical staff alike depend on these pilots to exercise sound judgment, based on many years of experience.
S.A.R ( Search and Rescue) Services like the Coast Guard, Sheriffs Department and military use different type of helicopters for there search and rescue missions.
Humanitarian Missions Organizations such as the United Nations use helicopters to supply food and equipment to needy populations.
Heavy Lift Powerful helicopters lift the heaviest loads. Using vertical-reference flying skills, they remove logs, position equipment atop buildings, and place electrical towers.
Agricultural Work Crop spraying and dusting, frost patrol and insect eradication are well-known uses of helicopters.
Aerial Photography / Movies Real estate companies, movie production houses, and sporting-event sponsors all use helicopters for aerial photography.
Aerial Survey Governmental departments use helicopters for aerial surveys that help to record, measure, and plan.
Powerline / Pipeline Patrol Electrical power companies use helicopters to check the condition of there power lines as well as use helicopters as platforms to repair electrical towers, and so forth.
Tuna Boats Fishing companies use helicopters to spot schools of tuna for their fishing boats.
Offshore / Oil & Gas Platforms Helicopters are widely used to supply offshore platforms with personnel and equipment.