Helicopter Pilot Career Center

By Kyle Garrett

The fast-growing helicopter industry is an attractive goal for many aspiring pilots today. Helicopter pilots perform a huge variety of tasks because helicopters themselves are so specialized. Some common helicopter pilot jobs include flight instruction, law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue, aerial photography, transporting medical patients, and sightseeing tours. However, there are many more tasks helicopter pilots perform, and you could find yourself flying crews to offshore oil rigs, delivering cargo to mountaintops, flying pipeline and power line patrol, dropping off skiers or hikers on mountain peaks, or gathering news for a local television station.

Helicopter Pilot Basics

In a helicopter pilot career, you can expect to work a variety of hours and long days, but most nights, you'll be back at home. Some helicopter pilots fly set schedules as is the case with tour operators, helicopter commuter flights in big cities, and in most oil rig operations, but the majority of helicopter jobs will be less structured. In fact, you may not know exactly what you will be doing from day to day, especially if the company you're working for is contracted for its services.

Is a Helicopter Pilot Career Right For You

If you're looking for an exciting job performing a variety of tasks each day, a helicopter pilot career could be right for you. A "typical" day for a helicopter pilot could be anything but typical. For example, in the morning, you could be flying passengers on aerial tours, in the afternoon, you could be "long-lining" a cargo drop, and in the evening, you could be fighting fires with a bucket, scooping water out of local lakes, ponds, and even swimming pools. Find about more helicopter pilot training.