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Should have been a helicopter pilot.......

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Flying large, twin turbine helicopters since 1992 and I make nowhere near 100K.

GO FIXED WING!
 
That is a Joke!! As I remember the Army has more aircraft than the Air Force. I could count on one hand the number of Buds with helo jobs now. Most guys, myself included, went regional and then up. Don't give it a second thought.
 
Not trying sound like psysicx here but I really am curious about this.

How much does your average EMS (I guess that is a hospital Medevac pilot) make and what is the schedule? Is it like a 7 on 7 off type schedule?

Is there a big demand for EMS pilots?
 
Helicopter EMS Work

>>How much does your average EMS (I guess that is a hospital Medevac pilot) make and what is the schedule? Is it like a 7 on 7 off type schedule?

Is there a big demand for EMS pilots?<<

EMS pay right now is generally considered lousy. That's because this segment of the industry is just in the first stages of union organization. When CBAs get done, expect the pay to rise, just as it did in the Gulf when the unions succeeded in getting contracts.

Current EMS starting pay runs from the high 30's to the mid 50's. Generally there are periodic COL raises, but not much real movement over the years. Again, the union will change that.

The lower paying jobs tend to be with the small companies, in rural areas. That's not always true though, as one outfit with a well-deserved reputation as a bottom-feeder pays the pilots fairly well to start...it's the only way they can attract pilots. Anyone with any familiarity with the industry knows who I'm talking about.

The majority of people who are able to make a comfortable living on this pay do it by putting in a lot of overtime, working in a rural base area where COL is low, having a part time job or business on the side, or having a military retiree pension coming in....or some combination of these.

There is an identifiable shortage of EMS pilots right now. Most operators have open positions they have trouble filling. This is partly because many of the jobs are in areas people consider undesirable for QOL, but mainly due to a shortage of experienced pilots.

EMS takes quite a bit of experience, judgment, and maturity. People skills and emotional stability are a must due to the nature of this business. It is slow-paced...around 200 hours a year, give or take...yet demands the ability to react rapidly and make sound decisions under stressful flight conditions. These qualities generally take some time to develop in a pilot. And, many otherwise qualified pilots either fly in some other segment of the industry or quit flying altogether because of the low pay and generally high level of stress regarding working conditions that this business seems to generate.

The spotlight is on EMS in many ways nowadays, chiefly due to the high accident rate. The FAA is currently examining all EMS programs nationwide. Probably no effective changes will come of this effort, because the factors leading to the accident rate...although simple and well-known...will be very expensive to correct.
 
It's likely Silverstate Helicopters. They advertise like crazy, set up shop, get a ton of students signed up and financed. They train in R-22's. It's pumping an enormous amount of 500-hour helo pilots into the system, and most are unable to find jobs. They will promise the world at their seminars.......go and listen for yourself, it's a kick! Trust me....I've been!
 
Anais Nin said:
It's likely Silverstate Helicopters. They advertise like crazy, set up shop, get a ton of students signed up and financed. They train in R-22's.

And they're all over the place at IWA. Always flying. Anyone else from Willy on this piece?
 

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