To become a commercial helicopter pilot, you need a private pilot license, at least 150 hours of flight time, and a second-class medical certificate. Look for flight schools and ask about instructors’ credentials and helicopter types. Consider obtaining a pilot teaching certificate for more flight hours. Employers may require higher education and physical fitness.
Commercial uses for helicopters include flying passengers on tourist trips, assisting in search and rescue operations, and patrolling pipelines, to name just a few examples. If you want to become a commercial helicopter pilot then you need to get your private pilot license first and then fly additional hours to become a commercial helicopter pilot. You must be at least 18 years old to obtain a commercial helicopter pilot’s license.
If you have made the decision to become a commercial helicopter pilot, you must first find a flight school where you can learn helicopter piloting lessons. Flight schools can be found at local airports, online and in the phone book. Before committing to a full program of lessons, it might be a good idea to take a trial lesson in a helicopter to make sure you enjoy flying the rotor-powered vehicles. When selecting a school, ask about the instructors’ credentials, what types of helicopters they fly, how many helicopters the school has, and how long the school has been in operation.
Once you start pilot training, it’s not about being in the air. You’ll have to take courses on safety and other topics before you get off the ground. A minimum of 40 hours of helicopter flight time and a student pilot certificate – needed to fly solo during the test – is required if you want to test a private pilot license. To fly solo, you must be at least 16 years old. You can get your private pilot license when you are at least 17 years old.
Once you obtain a private pilot license, you will need at least 150 hours of flight time before you can test a commercial helicopter pilot license. In the United States, it is also necessary to obtain a second-class medical certificate from a Federal Aeronautics Administration (FAA) medical examiner. Looking for work in the field can be difficult at first, because for the highest paying jobs, you’ll need even more flight time. To gain additional flight hours as an entry-level commercial helicopter pilot, consider obtaining a pilot teaching certificate.
With enough hours and experience, you can look for jobs with charter companies, tour and tourism organizations, and other places that use helicopters in their operations. Some employers may also expect their pilots to have some level of higher education. Classes in aeronautics, physics, and related fields can be helpful if you want to become a commercial helicopter pilot. Other qualities that will help you become a commercial helicopter pilot include the ability to stay calm under pressure, the ability to resolve issues quickly, and a tendency to put safety first. Some employers may have weight restrictions for commercial helicopter pilots, so being physically fit can also help.
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