Yes, sometimes you can build experience for nothing more than volunteering your time. CAE SimuFlite in Dallas Texas offers what they call the "Right Seat Program". The program is for pilots that can come and sit in the right seat of corporate jet aircraft, act as a copilot and run the checklists for the Captains. If you don't know already CAE SimuFlite is a simulator based company providing simulator training for pilots in multi engine turbine and jet aircraft.
You may ask why does CAE SimuFlite have a "Right Seat Program"? When a flight department sends a pilot to train with CAE SimuFlite, the flight department may not always send a flight crew of two pilots to train together. Many times a flight department can only send one pilot at a time in order to have enough pilots available to fly the company schedule What CAE SimuFlite does is pair up all the single pilots that come to train first. This means that every class could have a single pilot without a training partner. In this case CAE SimuFlite will use a right seat program pilot to fill the copilot position. Also when two paired up pilots have different required training programs a Right Seat Program pilot will be used. One pilot may be required to complete a FAR 135 check ride after completion of the entire training program, while the other pilot training under FAR 91 is allowed to do a progressive check. A progressive check means that once a maneuver or system failure is completed satisfactorily the task is check completed and the pilot does not need to perform this task again. In this case the pilot will complete the FAR 91 evaluation during the normal training sessions. In this case one pilot may leave to return home while the other pilot needs a copilot to complete the FAR 135 checkride.
SimuFlite "Right Seat Program" minimum requirements:
1. 300 Total Flight Time
2. Hold a Commercial Multi Engine Airplane Land rating and an Instrument Airplane Rating.
3. Live within 2 hours of either DFW Airport in Dallas Texas or live within 2 hours of Morris Town New Jersey.
Three Day Right Seat Orientation Program:
Day One – Flight Director, Standard Operations, Jeppesen Chart Review
Day two – Miscellaneous procedures
Day Three – Crew Resource Management
Right Seat Program pilot will sit threw an initial ground school and flight training on the aircraft chosen. The ground school and simulator training will take from between 14 and 21 days to complete.
After completion of the initial ground school and flight training course the pilot will be ready to start the “Right Seat Program”. If the Right Seat Pilot completes within a 24 month period 80 events of acting as a copilot, SimuFlite will complete your services with a type rating in the simulator for free! Some pilots complete this requirement in as little as four months.
How to sign up for the program:
Email a resume meeting the requirements to: scmsimuflite@cae.com
A couple of bad thing about the program is at the time of writing this article SimuFlite had a 120 pilot waiting list in the program. Pilots are selected in the order resumes are received in most cases. The other bad thing is training is conducted 24 hours a day. So you may spend some late night in the simulator.
Robbie Johnson
Chief Pilot
http://www.aviationtraining.us
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Should I train in an airplane if I want to be a helicopter pilot?
Should I train in an Airplane if I want to be a helicopter pilot first?
If you wish to be a Helicopter pilot I would recommend the following. Do your training in both fixed wing aircraft and helicopter.
Advantages
1. Cost
• Helicopter only Training: A helicopter pilot will spend for 250 total hours approximately $65,000 for private, commercial, instrument, CFI and CFII ratings.
• Fixed Wing and Helicopter Training: A fixed wing pilot will spend for 250 hours approximately $40,000 to do a Single Engine (private, commercial, instrument, CFI and CFII) and an Airplane multi engine rating. That leaves you $25,000 extra cash to do you helicopter ratings. You will need at least 50 flight hours in a helicopter to do a commercial rating that will cost about $18,000 to complete. The remaining $7,000 can be used to get an instrument rating in a helicopter.
Commercial Airplane rating requires:
1. 250 total hours unless you are in a 141 school in which case it will be around 205 total hours flown.
Commercial Helicopter rating requires:
1. Requires a total of 150 hours flown in airplanes and helicopters
2. 50 Hours in a helicopter of which 35 hours must be solo or PIC.
Instrument Helicopter ad on rating:
1. Will require a minimum of 15 hours dual.
So ideally you would do your training in this order with approximately this much total flight time under FAR 61:
1. Private pilot Single Engine Airplane - 57 hrs
2. Instrument Pilot Single Engine Airplane - 110 hrs.
3. Commercial Pilot Helicopter 160 hrs.
4. Instrument Helicopter – 175 hrs.
5. Commercial Single Engine Airplane – 250 hrs.
6. (CFI) Certified Flight Instructor Single Engine Airplane – 253 hrs.
7. (CFII) Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Single Engine Airplane – 255 hrs.
2. Marketability of the Pilot
• The Helicopter only pilot will finish training with:
o Commercial Helicopter rating
o Instrument Helicopter rating
o CFI Helicopter
o CFII Helicopter ratings
o 250 Total flight Time
• The Fixed Wing and Helicopter Pilot will finish training with:
o Commercial Helicopter rating
o Instrument Helicopter rating
o Commercial Airplane Single Engine rating
o Instrument Airplane Single Engine rating
o Certified Flight Instructor Single Engine Airplane
o Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane
o 65 hours helicopter
o 190 hours in an airplane
o 255 Total Flight Time.
o You could also be ready to take the Airplane Multi Engine rating if planned into flying schedule up to 250 total hours.
Note: For an additional 10 to 15 hours in a helicopter you should be able obtain a helicopter flight instructor rating for an additional $5,500
3. Corporate Advantage:
• The fact that you are qualified in both aircraft and Helicopter will open more doors sooner in the corporate would because you are dual qualified. In my best estimation about 10 % or less of the population of commercial rated pilots are commercially rated in a helicopter.
4. Economy:
• In bad economic times the pilot with the most in demand skills will stay employed. Over the last 10 years or so helicopters pilots have been in bigger demand. This will likely change with the economic times and you should try to stay as marketable as possible during your career.
Disadvantages:
1. Insurance: You will not have a lot of helicopter time to start out with and will need a good helicopter instruction job to build your time. Insurance will be an issue no matter what you do in aviation for many years after you start working. It seem what you have is never good enough. Even when you fly larger jets and have thousands of hours the insurance will want even more or specifically time in type of aircraft. So try to get in as many types of aircraft as you can. Turbine time for helicopters and aircraft will be hard to get. Pay for some training if it will get you into a turbine aircraft.
2. You will need to spend another $5,500 to get your helicopter CFI.
Final point
Plan ahead how you are going to do your training. In some cases a 141 flight school will make sense to do your training. However, you can partner up with someone and achieve a lot more experience, save money and achieve many of the ratings I have talked about here for even less. That of course will be another log so stay tuned for the next posting.
Robbie Johnson
Chief Pilot
http://www.aviationtraining.us
If you wish to be a Helicopter pilot I would recommend the following. Do your training in both fixed wing aircraft and helicopter.
Advantages
1. Cost
• Helicopter only Training: A helicopter pilot will spend for 250 total hours approximately $65,000 for private, commercial, instrument, CFI and CFII ratings.
• Fixed Wing and Helicopter Training: A fixed wing pilot will spend for 250 hours approximately $40,000 to do a Single Engine (private, commercial, instrument, CFI and CFII) and an Airplane multi engine rating. That leaves you $25,000 extra cash to do you helicopter ratings. You will need at least 50 flight hours in a helicopter to do a commercial rating that will cost about $18,000 to complete. The remaining $7,000 can be used to get an instrument rating in a helicopter.
Commercial Airplane rating requires:
1. 250 total hours unless you are in a 141 school in which case it will be around 205 total hours flown.
Commercial Helicopter rating requires:
1. Requires a total of 150 hours flown in airplanes and helicopters
2. 50 Hours in a helicopter of which 35 hours must be solo or PIC.
Instrument Helicopter ad on rating:
1. Will require a minimum of 15 hours dual.
So ideally you would do your training in this order with approximately this much total flight time under FAR 61:
1. Private pilot Single Engine Airplane - 57 hrs
2. Instrument Pilot Single Engine Airplane - 110 hrs.
3. Commercial Pilot Helicopter 160 hrs.
4. Instrument Helicopter – 175 hrs.
5. Commercial Single Engine Airplane – 250 hrs.
6. (CFI) Certified Flight Instructor Single Engine Airplane – 253 hrs.
7. (CFII) Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Single Engine Airplane – 255 hrs.
2. Marketability of the Pilot
• The Helicopter only pilot will finish training with:
o Commercial Helicopter rating
o Instrument Helicopter rating
o CFI Helicopter
o CFII Helicopter ratings
o 250 Total flight Time
• The Fixed Wing and Helicopter Pilot will finish training with:
o Commercial Helicopter rating
o Instrument Helicopter rating
o Commercial Airplane Single Engine rating
o Instrument Airplane Single Engine rating
o Certified Flight Instructor Single Engine Airplane
o Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane
o 65 hours helicopter
o 190 hours in an airplane
o 255 Total Flight Time.
o You could also be ready to take the Airplane Multi Engine rating if planned into flying schedule up to 250 total hours.
Note: For an additional 10 to 15 hours in a helicopter you should be able obtain a helicopter flight instructor rating for an additional $5,500
3. Corporate Advantage:
• The fact that you are qualified in both aircraft and Helicopter will open more doors sooner in the corporate would because you are dual qualified. In my best estimation about 10 % or less of the population of commercial rated pilots are commercially rated in a helicopter.
4. Economy:
• In bad economic times the pilot with the most in demand skills will stay employed. Over the last 10 years or so helicopters pilots have been in bigger demand. This will likely change with the economic times and you should try to stay as marketable as possible during your career.
Disadvantages:
1. Insurance: You will not have a lot of helicopter time to start out with and will need a good helicopter instruction job to build your time. Insurance will be an issue no matter what you do in aviation for many years after you start working. It seem what you have is never good enough. Even when you fly larger jets and have thousands of hours the insurance will want even more or specifically time in type of aircraft. So try to get in as many types of aircraft as you can. Turbine time for helicopters and aircraft will be hard to get. Pay for some training if it will get you into a turbine aircraft.
2. You will need to spend another $5,500 to get your helicopter CFI.
Final point
Plan ahead how you are going to do your training. In some cases a 141 flight school will make sense to do your training. However, you can partner up with someone and achieve a lot more experience, save money and achieve many of the ratings I have talked about here for even less. That of course will be another log so stay tuned for the next posting.
Robbie Johnson
Chief Pilot
http://www.aviationtraining.us
What are my career choices in aviation as a pilot?
What are my career choices in aviation as a pilot?
Aviation has changed a great deal over the last 20 years along with the scales of pay. So let’s start with the various directions a pilot can take as to a career in aviation. The following is a list a civilian pilot career choices
1. Flight Instructor
2. Corporate Pilot
3. Charter Pilot
4. Contract Pilot
5. Commuter Pilot
6. Airline Pilot
7. Helicopter Pilot
Flight Instructor
The flight instructor depending on the locations in the United States is paid from $15.00 to $45.00 per hour. The areas with the high cost of living like California would pay better. Annual Salary will be approximately $ 15,000 to $45,000 for someone flying nearly 1,000 hours a year which is a very heavy schedule. Most Flight Instructor will fly from 450 to 800 hours annually. Hourly pay will also be based on the rating the instructor may hold. A person can obtain all the required rating for a single engine airplane to be a CFI and CFII with approximately 250 total flying hours. In an accelerated program this can be done in six to eight months.
Flight Instructor:
Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)
Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII)
Certified Flight Instructor Multi-Engine (CFIIME)
Ground Instructor Only
Ground Instructor (GI)
Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI
Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI)
FAA - Gold Seal See FAA order 8710.3C or Advisory Circular AC61-65D.
NAFI – National Association of Flight Instructors - Master Instructor
For more information on the various pilot rating go to or do a search for AC61-65D:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/01BD2AD02302CA9F862569B90070939B?OpenDocument (Click on AC61-65D)
Flight instruction is normally very busy on the weekends and either early in the morning or late afternoon during week days. If you work for a college program you can expect to work most of the week days and also on the weekend. Limited benefits can be expected if any at all in most instructional jobs.
Crop Sprayer
This is a seasonal job in most cases unless you move with the seasonal spraying from the north to south of our borders. The days can be very long when the weather is right for spraying you fly dusk to dawn. Starting out as an Ag pilot can be difficult do to the experience you have and insurance requirements. Until you have 500 hours of crop spraying time insurance and jobs are difficult to get. The same can be said for all the aviation fields, as you get more experience you become more desirable do to the costs to employ the pilot become less. Income can range from $40,000 to over $100,000 during a year from just the seasonal spraying to the pilot that can follow the spaying season further south. Spraying, dusting and fertilizing will include forest land, crop land and other possible miscellaneous jobs. Some of the chemicals can be quite toxic to work around and spray. Low level operations over trees and land require some skills. The job will require GPS navigation, evaluation of the area to be spayed, flying under power lines in some cases, and turns at very slow airspeeds and heavy weights. Most Ag pilots spend some time working in the ground crews to learn how to handle chemicals and work in the field evaluating the sprayer and guiding pilots in some cases. Many Ag Pilots will hold another job during the winter months or the off season.
Corporate Pilots
Corporate pilots can be ranked in three categories.
1. Those pilots flying aircraft with gross takeoff weight of 12,500 pounds or less. The corporate pilot transports company executives on from one to three hour flight normally within a region of maybe four or five states. An average corporate pilot will fly around 250 to 500 hours annually and can earn from $25,000 to $90,000. Again pay fluctuates with the size of aircraft, size of company, and the cost of living in the region flown. The flight operation may have from one pilot to several pilots and the pilot that manages the flight department can expect the higher end of the pay scale in the larger multi engine turbo props. The experience level ranges from pilots with 500 total flight hours to pilots with many thousands of hours of experience.
2. In the second category the pilot is flying aircraft with takeoff weights in excess of 12,500 lbs. The aircraft in this category require the pilot to have a type rating in each aircraft flown. The annual pay scale depends again on size of the aircraft, size of the company and the pilots position whether a copilot, captain or chief pilot. They range from light jets and turbo propeller aircraft.
3. Heavy Jet and International operations: This category may require operation or aircraft that require a Captain, Copilot, Engineer and flight attendants. Crews may fly long range trips to various places in the world and due to the distances flown may require the positioning of flight crews to relieve a tired crew in order to continue a flight to its final destination. Co-pilot pay can be expected to start around $45,000 up to around $80,000 and Captain Pay will start around $55,000 up to over $130,000 annually. The Chief pilot can expect depending on the size of the flight operation a salary from $80,000 to over $200,000.
Expect to work on holidays and weekends during period when people would travel on vacations. Some flight department will fly with almost exclusive business usage and will fly most of the time on week days, gone from 8:00 am to 5:00pm for three to five days a week. Other flight department will have a great deal of overnight travel and can range from 5 to 17 days a month. Flight departments with low business usage will fly mostly on weekends and during the holidays. Perks of the jobs can range from the owner allowing a pilot spouse to join on a trip and staying in very nice hotels around the country or world. Disadvantages are long days, international trips are normally flown during the night and being gone from home for long periods. Benefits vary quite greatly from company to company. You can expect some basic health care and some vacation pay. In some cases benefits may include health, dental, vacation, disability and a retirement plan.
Charter Pilot
The charter pilot would also follow the three categories used for Corporate Pilot. Charter Pilots are more regulated and required to train more often. They also tend to be paid a little less than an equal position in the corporate world. Many charter pilots are half corporate pilot and half charter pilot. The pilot works for a specific airplane and owner but the airplane is managed by a charter company and the pilot is paid by the management company. Expect a lot of overnights, and being on call most of the week.
Contract Pilot
The contract pilot is a self employed pilot that may fly in many positions. They could be trained to fly charter and also fly for a corporation. In some cases the pilot may fly as many as four different aircraft. Income and benefits rely on the pilot’s ability to get along and work with various flight departments. It will also depend on the state of the economy. When times are tough contract work is very scarce and in times of economic expansion a contract pilot can make exceptional money. Pay for a contract pilot will vary from $250/ day to $1,500 / day for most aircraft. Income will depend on how hard you would like to work. Contract pilots will typically pay for their own recurrent training and training costs can range from a few thousand to $30,000 per year. Charter companies require the most time devoted to training for company indoctrination, aircraft, extended over water, and RVSM training to name a few.
Commuter Airline
Commuter Airlines generally operate within a 500 hundred mile radius of the hub airport. However, with the rise in regional jets over the last years this range has increased to approximately an 800 mile radius. Pilots average approximately 85 hours a month and work about 18 to 23 days a month. Pay for a copilot will start around $22,000 per year up to $45,000 per year. Captain pay will range from $40,000 to $75,000 per year and in most cases is based on years with the company based on a rising hourly pay scale. Trips are bid on the bases of seniority and you can expect to have 15 to 20 overnights per month.
Major Airline
The major airline can really be classified into two groups passenger and freight. The freight airlines some years back with the exception of Federal Express were not the best paying air carriers to work for. Today that has changed and the freight airlines have some of the better pay in the industry. Passenger Airlines have undergone considerable changes since the 1980’s after deregulation. The pay has scaled back and the hours flown have gone up. Today the major air carrier will require a pilot to fly on average approximately 80 hours per month. Pay is by the hour and based on the position held, size of aircraft and seniority. Benefits will include health, vacation, discounted air travel, retirement, and disability.
Helicopter Pilot
Helicopter pilots can fly as instructors pilots, crop sprayers, traffic patrol, police, corporate, medivac, firefighting, off shore oil rigs and charter. Helicopters due to the higher cost to operate are used for shorter distances to avoid traffic and to get to more remote area. Helicopter pilots earn comparable pay in the lower paying positions as fixed wing pilots but the pay continues to rise over time. In off shore operations pilots may work 7 days on 7 days off or some variation like this or be on call for charter and corporate flight departments. See the Pro Pilot Magazine annual pilot income edition for more information on helicopter pilots.
A good source of pay information for most of the above categories can be obtained from Pro Pilot Magazine. One issue every year classifies the pay rates for various pilot positions.
http://www.aviationtraining.us
Aviation has changed a great deal over the last 20 years along with the scales of pay. So let’s start with the various directions a pilot can take as to a career in aviation. The following is a list a civilian pilot career choices
1. Flight Instructor
2. Corporate Pilot
3. Charter Pilot
4. Contract Pilot
5. Commuter Pilot
6. Airline Pilot
7. Helicopter Pilot
Flight Instructor
The flight instructor depending on the locations in the United States is paid from $15.00 to $45.00 per hour. The areas with the high cost of living like California would pay better. Annual Salary will be approximately $ 15,000 to $45,000 for someone flying nearly 1,000 hours a year which is a very heavy schedule. Most Flight Instructor will fly from 450 to 800 hours annually. Hourly pay will also be based on the rating the instructor may hold. A person can obtain all the required rating for a single engine airplane to be a CFI and CFII with approximately 250 total flying hours. In an accelerated program this can be done in six to eight months.
Flight Instructor:
Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)
Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII)
Certified Flight Instructor Multi-Engine (CFIIME)
Ground Instructor Only
Ground Instructor (GI)
Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI
Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI)
FAA - Gold Seal See FAA order 8710.3C or Advisory Circular AC61-65D.
NAFI – National Association of Flight Instructors - Master Instructor
For more information on the various pilot rating go to or do a search for AC61-65D:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/01BD2AD02302CA9F862569B90070939B?OpenDocument (Click on AC61-65D)
Flight instruction is normally very busy on the weekends and either early in the morning or late afternoon during week days. If you work for a college program you can expect to work most of the week days and also on the weekend. Limited benefits can be expected if any at all in most instructional jobs.
Crop Sprayer
This is a seasonal job in most cases unless you move with the seasonal spraying from the north to south of our borders. The days can be very long when the weather is right for spraying you fly dusk to dawn. Starting out as an Ag pilot can be difficult do to the experience you have and insurance requirements. Until you have 500 hours of crop spraying time insurance and jobs are difficult to get. The same can be said for all the aviation fields, as you get more experience you become more desirable do to the costs to employ the pilot become less. Income can range from $40,000 to over $100,000 during a year from just the seasonal spraying to the pilot that can follow the spaying season further south. Spraying, dusting and fertilizing will include forest land, crop land and other possible miscellaneous jobs. Some of the chemicals can be quite toxic to work around and spray. Low level operations over trees and land require some skills. The job will require GPS navigation, evaluation of the area to be spayed, flying under power lines in some cases, and turns at very slow airspeeds and heavy weights. Most Ag pilots spend some time working in the ground crews to learn how to handle chemicals and work in the field evaluating the sprayer and guiding pilots in some cases. Many Ag Pilots will hold another job during the winter months or the off season.
Corporate Pilots
Corporate pilots can be ranked in three categories.
1. Those pilots flying aircraft with gross takeoff weight of 12,500 pounds or less. The corporate pilot transports company executives on from one to three hour flight normally within a region of maybe four or five states. An average corporate pilot will fly around 250 to 500 hours annually and can earn from $25,000 to $90,000. Again pay fluctuates with the size of aircraft, size of company, and the cost of living in the region flown. The flight operation may have from one pilot to several pilots and the pilot that manages the flight department can expect the higher end of the pay scale in the larger multi engine turbo props. The experience level ranges from pilots with 500 total flight hours to pilots with many thousands of hours of experience.
2. In the second category the pilot is flying aircraft with takeoff weights in excess of 12,500 lbs. The aircraft in this category require the pilot to have a type rating in each aircraft flown. The annual pay scale depends again on size of the aircraft, size of the company and the pilots position whether a copilot, captain or chief pilot. They range from light jets and turbo propeller aircraft.
3. Heavy Jet and International operations: This category may require operation or aircraft that require a Captain, Copilot, Engineer and flight attendants. Crews may fly long range trips to various places in the world and due to the distances flown may require the positioning of flight crews to relieve a tired crew in order to continue a flight to its final destination. Co-pilot pay can be expected to start around $45,000 up to around $80,000 and Captain Pay will start around $55,000 up to over $130,000 annually. The Chief pilot can expect depending on the size of the flight operation a salary from $80,000 to over $200,000.
Expect to work on holidays and weekends during period when people would travel on vacations. Some flight department will fly with almost exclusive business usage and will fly most of the time on week days, gone from 8:00 am to 5:00pm for three to five days a week. Other flight department will have a great deal of overnight travel and can range from 5 to 17 days a month. Flight departments with low business usage will fly mostly on weekends and during the holidays. Perks of the jobs can range from the owner allowing a pilot spouse to join on a trip and staying in very nice hotels around the country or world. Disadvantages are long days, international trips are normally flown during the night and being gone from home for long periods. Benefits vary quite greatly from company to company. You can expect some basic health care and some vacation pay. In some cases benefits may include health, dental, vacation, disability and a retirement plan.
Charter Pilot
The charter pilot would also follow the three categories used for Corporate Pilot. Charter Pilots are more regulated and required to train more often. They also tend to be paid a little less than an equal position in the corporate world. Many charter pilots are half corporate pilot and half charter pilot. The pilot works for a specific airplane and owner but the airplane is managed by a charter company and the pilot is paid by the management company. Expect a lot of overnights, and being on call most of the week.
Contract Pilot
The contract pilot is a self employed pilot that may fly in many positions. They could be trained to fly charter and also fly for a corporation. In some cases the pilot may fly as many as four different aircraft. Income and benefits rely on the pilot’s ability to get along and work with various flight departments. It will also depend on the state of the economy. When times are tough contract work is very scarce and in times of economic expansion a contract pilot can make exceptional money. Pay for a contract pilot will vary from $250/ day to $1,500 / day for most aircraft. Income will depend on how hard you would like to work. Contract pilots will typically pay for their own recurrent training and training costs can range from a few thousand to $30,000 per year. Charter companies require the most time devoted to training for company indoctrination, aircraft, extended over water, and RVSM training to name a few.
Commuter Airline
Commuter Airlines generally operate within a 500 hundred mile radius of the hub airport. However, with the rise in regional jets over the last years this range has increased to approximately an 800 mile radius. Pilots average approximately 85 hours a month and work about 18 to 23 days a month. Pay for a copilot will start around $22,000 per year up to $45,000 per year. Captain pay will range from $40,000 to $75,000 per year and in most cases is based on years with the company based on a rising hourly pay scale. Trips are bid on the bases of seniority and you can expect to have 15 to 20 overnights per month.
Major Airline
The major airline can really be classified into two groups passenger and freight. The freight airlines some years back with the exception of Federal Express were not the best paying air carriers to work for. Today that has changed and the freight airlines have some of the better pay in the industry. Passenger Airlines have undergone considerable changes since the 1980’s after deregulation. The pay has scaled back and the hours flown have gone up. Today the major air carrier will require a pilot to fly on average approximately 80 hours per month. Pay is by the hour and based on the position held, size of aircraft and seniority. Benefits will include health, vacation, discounted air travel, retirement, and disability.
Helicopter Pilot
Helicopter pilots can fly as instructors pilots, crop sprayers, traffic patrol, police, corporate, medivac, firefighting, off shore oil rigs and charter. Helicopters due to the higher cost to operate are used for shorter distances to avoid traffic and to get to more remote area. Helicopter pilots earn comparable pay in the lower paying positions as fixed wing pilots but the pay continues to rise over time. In off shore operations pilots may work 7 days on 7 days off or some variation like this or be on call for charter and corporate flight departments. See the Pro Pilot Magazine annual pilot income edition for more information on helicopter pilots.
A good source of pay information for most of the above categories can be obtained from Pro Pilot Magazine. One issue every year classifies the pay rates for various pilot positions.
http://www.aviationtraining.us
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