Helicopter guys at majors?
04-09-2015, 07:22 AM
#11
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IMO it's all about landing skills/instincts...everything else should transfer. Of course RW is more challenging stick&rudder wise, but FW is different. It would make more sense to require X amount of total time in FW and/or RW plus Y number of FW landings. I think a military helo guy who had 200 hours FW would be good if 50-100 of that was spent in the pattern doing T&Gs.
04-09-2015, 09:22 AM
#12
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Was hoping my ATP Multi Engine Land (Fixed Wing) would pull me through. Had enough time flying King Air's in the Navy and training to make the mins a few years back. Most of my total time though was with H-60's, and the H-3. Have a commercial instrument rotorcraft as well but not sure that's the route I want to go.
04-09-2015, 09:58 AM
#13
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I fly for a major airline and I've known several pilots who had more rotary-wing than fixed wing when they got hired, but they seem to be the exception rather than the rule. However, I agree with the previous postings that your fixed wing time is probably not even close to minimums for most major airlines today.
That being said, have you considered just staying with rotary-wing? Sure, the top pay is probably nowhere close to what you'd make flying for a major airline but there are a lot of helicopter gigs out there that pay a LOT more than regional airline FO, from my understanding. Taking a job like that, while building total time with both rotary and supplementing with fixed wing when you can on your own time (or as a part-time job) would help you to get more competitive without having to put in so much time at the regional airline.
Heck, you might even find you appreciate the schedule a lot more because I would imagine for many of those rotary-wing jobs, you'd be home much more often than flying multi-day trips for an airline. I know a lot of major airline pilots who bid more for lifestyle and Quality-of-Life than for pay alone.
Something to consider.
That being said, have you considered just staying with rotary-wing? Sure, the top pay is probably nowhere close to what you'd make flying for a major airline but there are a lot of helicopter gigs out there that pay a LOT more than regional airline FO, from my understanding. Taking a job like that, while building total time with both rotary and supplementing with fixed wing when you can on your own time (or as a part-time job) would help you to get more competitive without having to put in so much time at the regional airline.
Heck, you might even find you appreciate the schedule a lot more because I would imagine for many of those rotary-wing jobs, you'd be home much more often than flying multi-day trips for an airline. I know a lot of major airline pilots who bid more for lifestyle and Quality-of-Life than for pay alone.
Something to consider.
04-09-2015, 06:53 PM
#14
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Posts: 462
The schedule is probably what's gonna pain me the most when/if I jump to 121 world. I love the 7/7 that I have flying hems, but i feel like I'm leaving a huge opportunity on the table if I don't give the 121 thing a shot. Your like me, we have more than enough hours for a helo job, so if the 121 doesn't work out we can always go back to rw.
04-10-2015, 08:24 AM
#16
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Originally Posted by badtransam97
The schedule is probably what's gonna pain me the most when/if I jump to 121 world. I love the 7/7 that I have flying hems, but i feel like I'm leaving a huge opportunity on the table if I don't give the 121 thing a shot. Your like me, we have more than enough hours for a helo job, so if the 121 doesn't work out we can always go back to rw.
04-10-2015, 10:58 AM
#17
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Yeah I feel like if I can sustain life for a couple years at a regional until I am upgrade, then I will at least be back to the same or slightly more per year as what I'm making now. With the potential to make SEVERAL times my current salary once at a major. I know money isn't everything, but it sure helps! And if I can hold 14 or more days off per month, that's essentially the same amt I have now...
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