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Airline consideration/credit of Helo flight hours?
- Thread starter JayPull85
- Start date
Agreed.....and what is worse than that is wanting to fly for the military so as to be set up for the airlines. That is sort of like wanting to be a Nascar driver so you can pad your resume for a cush public transportation driver job.....plus you are doing it for the wrong reasons.
I have to disagree.. Some of us were not in it for the career so why not choose something that helps the Navy and builds a resume... NOT EVERYBODY CAN STAY IN OR THERE WOULD BE NO PROMOTION AND NO JOBS... Sorry but some of us wanted to serve our country while working towards other jobs, desires down the road... That "Your Navy Career" argument was old when I was in the Nav and it is old now...
In case you think I don't 'get it'-- My Father did 32 years, my bro is still on active duty and I did 12 years active and still in the Reserves... If you ask my pops, all have HONORABLY served their country..
To each his own... But unless you've "been there and done that," (with regards to multi-engine flying) you might want to reserve judgement. I absolutely love flying the P-3... And I'm sure most others who fly it will agree.
I didn't mean to put down P-3 guys. It was a personal decision. I was going to go with P-3 for the airlines, not because I thought it was a better fit.
I haven't BTDT, but based on hearing sea stories, learning all I could before selection, I decided that helo was where I belonged (between the two choices) so I put helos, even though it may preclude a future airline career. I decided to do what is best for myself in the Navy first since that is the next 8+ years of my life and the airlines are a POSSIBILITY later on, and not a definite.
FTR, I love fixed wing flying. I haven't even been a passenger in a helo before, so we'll see where that goes. I hear the P-3 is a blast to fly. The community, however.....
HEY!!! I came into the NAV planning on flyin' P-3's ... and then a whole bunch of things took place and I went jets ... and never looked back ...
But if I had gone P-3's, I would have considered it a good career -- both "in" and "out" of the game ...
PHI is probably the "cream of the crop" when it comes to Gulf operations.
I recently left active duty and looked at a number of operations. You can go to www.helicoptersalaries.com and get a pretty good idea of what they are paying. I opted to stay in the government sector because the pay was better.
I was recently fighting fires in Redding Ca and had a chance to talk with a few of the contract guys that Stearman had mentioned. They have a pretty good gig and are payed well. They live a nomadic life style but they like it. Most seemd to be a little bit older, but there were a few youger bubbas. I wouldn't mind tooling a round in an S-61( H-3) wearning shorts and a t-shirt droping buckets.
If youy really want to make the big cash you have to fly out of country. The Evergreen guys have the U.A.E. SAR contract and they make good coin. And then there's Blackwater and a few of the other contractors.
Like Stearman said the flying hours requirements for these companies is pretty high. Most are due to insurance. Out west you're looking at 3000 as the minimum to get hired on with EMS. In the south it seemed like 2000 was the number. Not sure for the PHI and Air Logistic guys flying oil rigs. Correct me if I'm wrong A4's but aren't they also part 135 operations.
I was recently fighting fires in Redding Ca and had a chance to talk with a few of the contract guys that Stearman had mentioned. They have a pretty good gig and are payed well. They live a nomadic life style but they like it. Most seemd to be a little bit older, but there were a few youger bubbas. I wouldn't mind tooling a round in an S-61( H-3) wearning shorts and a t-shirt droping buckets.
If youy really want to make the big cash you have to fly out of country. The Evergreen guys have the U.A.E. SAR contract and they make good coin. And then there's Blackwater and a few of the other contractors.
Like Stearman said the flying hours requirements for these companies is pretty high. Most are due to insurance. Out west you're looking at 3000 as the minimum to get hired on with EMS. In the south it seemed like 2000 was the number. Not sure for the PHI and Air Logistic guys flying oil rigs. Correct me if I'm wrong A4's but aren't they also part 135 operations.
They WERE Part 135 in the late '70's and early '80's ... as for their type of ops it worked and was all that was required. I'm sure it still does -- and they still are ....
Yes, if accepted by the squadron, however someone with only helo time (excluding the little bit of SNA T-34 time) is going to have a hard time convincing them.
In my opinion, it's all about the mindset/attitude. There's obviously nothing wrong with not making a career out of the military but still taking the time to serve your country. What I see a problem with is people who use the military only as a stepping stone to something else. It comes down to being there to serve vs. being there to be served (and the vast majority of people I've come across are unquestionably there for the former).
That's my $0.01 (I'm just a dumb ensign, I don't think my opinions warrant 2 cents yet...even .01 is probably pushing it, but given how weak the dollar is right now, I'll roll with it).
And ... not everybody "wants" to stay in ... yet we still do the job and put our lives on the line when asked.
Absolutely correct, Boom.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
For civ helo flying, here is my take:
I was making good money for a 22 year old kid, but lucked into a job that paid well. I could not maintain anything resembling my current state of living on that money, even banking on raises if I stayed.
The market to me seemed to be saturated by either retired military, who made good coin when combined with their retirement, or relatively young Army WOs (I am guessing w/o degrees) who saw more money there than other prospects.
Looking back, it's basically regional airline money, for guys with a lot more experience, without a chance to "make it to the majors". I think a senior pilot at a good outfit makes MAYBE what a 2nd year FO makes at the majors.
I see no future for myself flying Comm Helos again unless maybe as a retired gig.
I was making good money for a 22 year old kid, but lucked into a job that paid well. I could not maintain anything resembling my current state of living on that money, even banking on raises if I stayed.
The market to me seemed to be saturated by either retired military, who made good coin when combined with their retirement, or relatively young Army WOs (I am guessing w/o degrees) who saw more money there than other prospects.
Looking back, it's basically regional airline money, for guys with a lot more experience, without a chance to "make it to the majors". I think a senior pilot at a good outfit makes MAYBE what a 2nd year FO makes at the majors.
I see no future for myself flying Comm Helos again unless maybe as a retired gig.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
We knocked him off the seawall. Therefore, salty.