Coast Helicopter College
1541B Kittyhawk Road
Sidney, BC
V8L 5V6
Tel: (250) 655-0416
Tel: 1-800-409-9270
Fax: (250) 655-6210
Cell: (250) 888-0171
fly@coasthelicoptercollege.com
More Information
Scenic Flights
Introductory Flights
Training Guide
Career Guide
Courses & Costs
Important Notes
Training Available
Commercial Helicopter
Private Helicopter
JetRanger 206B Rating
Recurrent Training
ATPL Helicopter
Useful Links
Vancouver Island Helicopters
Transport Canada
Victoria Airport
Victoria Flying Club
Juan Air
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Helicopter Career Guide
Commercial helicopter operators are continually demanding higher and higher levels of pilot experience. This has the effect of leaving the newly-qualified commercial pilot often well short of the number of hours required to gain employement at most commercial helicopter operators.
You must be prepared to begin your flying career not as a pilot, but as someone who helps with the helicopter operation by working with maintenance staff, assisting other pilots with their job by being part of a ground crew, working in the hangar or maybe just sweeping the floor! Personally visit as many helicopter operators as you can before you train to determine the type of work they do, and to get an idea of employment prospects upon course completion.
Employment as a pilot in the helicopter operating industry usually means working in remote areas, sometimes for extended periods of time. Expect at least two or three years of this type of flying before other opportunities may come your way. Again, check into the realities with prospective employers.
When a new pilot has successfully gained employment they will most likely receive relatively low pay. Normally you will not make as much as it cost you for your training in the first year. Earnings go up after that.
On a brighter note, helicopters are very versatile aircraft and great to fly. They can be flown to and land at places which would otherwise be inaccessible or very difficult to reach. They can hover motionless in the air, fly backwards or sideways and, unique among powered aircraft, they can carry a sling load. Flying a helicopter is a very satisfying experience.
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