If you're passionate about flying and air travel and want to secure a potentially lucrative job, obtaining a helicopter pilot license can be worth it. Many career paths in aviation await you as a prospective licensed helicopter pilot, from those that involve tourism to jobs in law enforcement or emergency medical services.
As the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics points out, airline and commercial pilots, including those who navigate and operate helicopters, had an annual median pay of $198,100 in 2024. By getting licensed and meeting other essential requirements, you can be on your way to earning this kind of helicopter pilot salary.
Is It Harder to Get a Helicopter or Plane License?
Getting a helicopter pilot license may be more challenging than getting a plane license, as flying helicopters can be more difficult due to their more complex controls and constant need for precise control and adjustments. Flying a plane, on the other hand, may have a vibe and profile that's closer to driving a car.
Operating a helicopter solo may also take longer to master than flying a plane solo. Unlike planes that offer aerodynamic stability, helicopters are usually inherently less stable. Helicopter pilots, therefore, need to provide more constant input and should be able to maintain simultaneous coordination of the aircraft's controls at all times.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Helicopter Pilot?
The length of time needed for aviation career advancement and becoming a licensed helicopter pilot depends on several factors, from personal progress to training schedule. The helicopter training programs you undergo also influence this timeline.
Graduating from flight school can take 10 to 18 months, according to Higher Ground Helicopters, a helicopter flight training school in Cincinnati. From there, you need to log enough flight hours to meet eligibility requirements that will allow you to apply for licensure. Licensing requirements also involve passing a series of exams.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), anyone applying to get a private pilot license (certificate) for helicopters must have logged at least 40 hours of flight time. The hours must adhere to the following breakdown:
- At least 20 hours: Flight training administered by an authorized instructor
- 10 hours: Solo flight training
- 3 hours: Night flying
- 3 hours: Cross-country flying
- 3 hours: Instrument time
There are more requirements for becoming a commercial helicopter pilot, one of which is having a private pilot license. The FAA also says it requires a minimum of 250 hours of total flight hours. Potential employers (e.g., commercial airlines), however, may need more.
What Are Potential Career Paths for a Licensed Helicopter Pilot?
Once you become a licensed commercial helicopter pilot, you can work in several industries. Just to name a few are:
- Emergency medical services (EMS)
- Firefighting
- Law enforcement
- Search and rescue
- Corporate transport
- Tourism
- News and aerial photography
- Construction
- Agriculture
- Utility work
You can also explore work opportunities as a licensed helicopter pilot trainer or instructor. As you'd be teaching others to become helicopter pilots themselves, you'd need to satisfy more stringent requirements (e.g., more tests administered by the FAA, such as the Certified Flight Instructor and Fundamentals of Instruction exams).
Do Helicopter Pilots Get Paid Well?
Yes, licensed helicopter pilots tend to get paid well, with salaries starting at around $70,000 annually, per FLYING Magazine. The publication also noted that as one gets more experience, they can earn $100,000 to $200,000 a year.
What Are the Benefits of a Pilot License That Make Getting One Worth It?
The primary reason getting a helicopter pilot license is worth it is that without it, you cannot legally fly and maneuver a helicopter. Under the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR Part 61), it's illegal for anyone without the appropriate certification, licensure, and eligibility to operate aircraft, including helicopters.
Therefore, getting a helicopter pilot license is your ticket to lawfully being able to fly a helicopter as a career. Once you become licensed, you can then get more flight experience. The more flight experience you have, the more job opportunities you can get, and the higher your salary can become.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Difference Between a Private and Commercial Helicopter Pilot License?
A private helicopter pilot license lets you fly a helicopter for your own enjoyment (with or without non-paying passengers). You can, for instance, fly a helicopter you own or rent, carrying yourself and family or friends.
A commercial license, on the other hand, is mandatory for flying a helicopter as a career and getting paid for it. Since you'll be earning income with this type of license, you need to meet more stringent requirements.
What Are the Other Requirements to Get Licensed as a Commercial Helicopter Pilot?
In addition to more flight hours, you'd also have to pass a more rigorous exam that tests your theoretical knowledge of flying a helicopter. You must also complete a medical certificate that's more stringent than the one you must pass to get a private helicopter license.
What Can Disqualify Someone From Getting a Helicopter Pilot License?
From medical to professional and legal reasons, these can all be factors that play a role in getting disqualified for a commercial helicopter pilot license.
Examples of medical reasons include having chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Vision and hearing impairments and substance abuse are other health-related reasons.
The primary professional reason for getting disqualified for helicopter pilot licensure is failure to meet ethical and educational standards. Not passing the exam, for instance, can already disqualify someone.
As for legal issues, it can be due to certain criminal violations and convictions. A lack of proper legal status can also disqualify one from getting a helicopter pilot license.
Earn While Traveling by Obtaining a Helicopter Pilot License
Once you hold a commercial helicopter pilot license, you can enjoy traveling in the air and satisfy the aviation buff in you while potentially earning big bucks. You can even save lives, such as if you work as an EMS or search and rescue helicopter pilot.
All that makes the hard work, training, and meeting licensure eligibility requirements worth the time and effort.
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