gazoo34

I am a military helicopter pilot that retired in 2013 and flew for "Depressjet." It was the worst experience of my life. The pay was below minimum wage the commute was terrible and the chance of getting a flight violation or letter from the FAA was extremely high. I have decided that staying home and having a great QOL for a couple years and watching the regional industry die a slow agonizing death is better than flying for them.
I learned that my 1400 hours of helicopter time is subtracted from my total time on both AirlineApps and PilotCredentials therefore even with an ATP and 160 hours in the 737 I can't get through the computer filters and have my resume in front of United American Southwest Delta and American.

Good luck but I think I would get the fixed wing ATP and than go back to flying helos with the traffic guys and enjoy the QOL you currently have.

Choppersnplanes

I didn't realize the pay for traffic watch was much better. I made $50 a day when I did it. I was losing my mind while flying up and down the same road 6 hours a day. Year one pay at a regional is now more than most year one EMS jobs. It's funny just different perspectives pilots have. I fly EMS now and can't stand the schedule and QOL. I'm one of the lucky ones because I live an hour from my base, and I very rarely see my family on the weeks I work. I would consider my self gone at least 17 days a month, and I live where I work.

JoPilot

I'm really looking forward to it myself.




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gazoo34

It sounds like you have put some thought into and have made the best decision for you. If the QOL of life is the same in the airlines it will be good for you. I'm in a different position. Where I live my commute starts with a 2 hour drive over a mountain pass and than sitting at SEA for 2 hours waiting for my jumpseat. My QOL of life for the pay that regionals pay is much better sitting at home. I'm also one of those guys that is not going to fly in the same conditions legacy airlines fly in and get half their pay. The regionals are the cancer of the airlines and if pilots as a group would stand up for themselves the "cancer" could be cured. Every time pilots go to the regionals they support the reduced pay to do the same job. For the first time in years airlines, Atlas Air, ABX, Mesa are starting to show solidarity and stand up for themselves. This can only happen when there are more junior pilots than senior pilots. Endeavor and Envoy had to change for this reason. Horizon will soon be in the boat with Mesa PSA due to have a very senior Captains group.
Good luck to you, my experience was extremely bad due to commuting and pay. I'll stay home and teach future pilots and hopefully instill enough pride in them to stand together and make flying airplanes a respectable well paid job like it was 15 years ago.

JoPilot

Yea my office is 30 minutes from home, and there are 24 non-stop 45 minute flights to DFW per day...

Commute isn't even as bad as sitting in Houston traffic during rush hour.

Envoy is an easy commute and "good" pay. When I first really decided I wanted to be a pilot the pay was $20k... so I'm not really complaining.

The fact that the airlines as a whole are moving now, is a plus for all airline pilots, period.

People would find things wrong even if you took FO pay to six figures.

I'm all in.


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Clearedhot28

I'm looking to switch from helos to the airlines too as the OP is. I flew helos for the Marines so I have a little under 125 hours on fixed wings, 1800 hours total, Commercial W/Instruments on ASEL, Rotory, and CFII on the helo side. I'm planning on using the GI bill to get my multi engine rating and fixed wing hour requirements in the next several months

I'm currently flying Helo's commercially and I was planning on going into EMS helos, but since the regional's have raised their salary's switching over to fixed wing looks like a better salary and QOL.

I live in Charlotte, NC and commute to work now out of state so I'm used to being away from the wife and kids for a little bit of time. I've talked to Envoy and Endevor requirters and both said I was the the kind of military helo guy they are looking for and encouraged me to apply. I'm going to brush up on instrument knowledge, get the MEL rating, and fixed wing hours before applying in the spring or summer.

Glad to hear there are others like myself out there that have made the switch successfully.

banana380

Did Envoy mention the Rotary Transition Program? They'll pay for you to get that remaining 125 hrs, knock it out in a little over a month or so.

Best of luck!

Clearedhot28

I did have just a quick call with one of the recruiters and he mentioned the program that's located in San Diego. Not sure if they use the GI bill for that or if they will pay for it. Currently employed flying helos right now so I can't take off the time to go get the 125 hours and will have to do it in my time off. I'm also rusty on my IFR stuff from flying VFR helos for the past couple of years so I'm using the next couple of months to get back up to speed.

Thanks for the info banana. Looking forward to the new career if everything works out.

HighFlight

If you have ANY way of doing it, fly some hood time with another pilot, even if you only have a VFR cockpit. Flying single pilot in a VFR helicopter for a while turns IIMC into an emergency procedure with a quickness!! You'd be surprised how 5 solid hours under a hood will improve your IFR scan, even in VMC.

Clearedhot28

I'm just rusty at IFR. I have 60 hrs actual in a helicopter , 175 simulated, and another 80 or so on full motion sims. I also was a very good instrument flight instructor when I instructed advanced helos with the Marines. Granted this isn't much by airlines industry but for the helo industry it's pretty good. Most instrument rated helo guys have never actually flown a helo in IMC.

My current job is a VFR only helicopter. You're right though, a couple of hours under the hood will get me back on track. I'm planning on getting a couple of hours flying single engine planes first before getting my MEL add on to get back into the fixed wing environment.