FAQs and Forms

Refilling a Bambi Bucket with water to help supress wildfires. Firefighting uses a variety of skills and is among the more demanding jobs in the helicopter industry.

Career Outlook
Like any industry, the helicopter pilot profession has been affected by the national economy. However, there are more helicopters today than there are pilots who are qualified to fly them, and the companies who own the helicopters need them to fly to produce revenue. And while production and sales of helicopters may have slowed this past year, the fact remains that helicopters are still being manufactured and still being placed into the workfield. The future looks promising for safe helicopter pilots

Some keys to succeeding in the industry are: quality training; acquiring flight hours in the appropriate aircraft; and networking with your peers. At Silverhawk Aviation Academy, we are committed to providing you with the highest quality instruction designed for your individual needs. We will work with you to make your training experience as safe, convenient, and productive as possible. Training in Idaho offers many unique opportunities for flying in high altitude mountainous conditions. The remarkable topography of Southern Idaho is replete with deep canyons, pinnacles, steep slopes, and other natural formations and elevation to challenge student helicopter pilots for the “real world”. This will all weigh positively in your favor when you are looking for professional work in the industry. Our graduates are also spread throughout the industry, helping provide important points of contact as you strive to move up professionally.

The Mean annual Salary for Helicopter Pilots is $66,720 (2006, Bureau Labor and Statistics)

(graph: HR reported data as of June 2010, Salary.com)

Helicopter Career Opportunities

	Hours Required	Salary Range
Flight Instruction	200 – 300	$15 – 35 / hour
Tours	400 – 3000	$ 25K – 60K / year
Pipeline Patrol	200 – 500	$20 – 45 / hour
Offshore Support	1000 –1500	$ 50K – 85K / year
Agricultural Support	1000 – 2000	$ 50K – ??? / year
Law Enforcement	1000 – 2000	$ 45K – 80K / year
Firefighting / Forestry	2000 – 3000	$ 45K – 100K / year

There are also other opportunities, such as seismic and mining support, helicopter skiing, and corporate pilot.

Some of these positions require experience in turbine helicopters, sometimes specific models, and many require you to have an instrument certificate. While a few companies may require you to obtain your ATP rating within a year of employment, it is a huge advantage to acquire this rating prior to applying for any job in the helicopter industry.

Visit this site to see a slideshow of some of the career paths one could take as a helicopter pilot ...
http://www.slideshare.net/helicopterpilotcareers/helicopter-pilot-career-opportunities