Any heli pilots?
 

Flying as a career has always been on my mind. I've always had a fascination with helicopters and wanted to see if there were any pilots here? I've done the training research and it seems like there are jobs out there, but the expected wage spread is very large (50k-110k/yr avr.). What could one be expected to make as a commercial heli pilot these days?

it all has to do with experience. I know one helicopter pilot, he works for Transport Canada now as an investigator. Its easy to crash a helicopter, but if you are good, the rewards are excellent. It costs a lot to learn to fly. You have to find someplace to start from the ground up.

I am looking in to getting my heli license at the moment.

It's around 50k.... a lot more expensive than fixed wing flying.

I'm sure you've come across AVCanada already, but if you haven't, read through there too

AVCANADA • Index page

I don't follow the rotary side of things, it seems quiet there too. AVCANADA • View topic - Helicopter Training Links

I have my CPL for Heli. Got it in '07, cant say id recommend the path to others to be honest. Its a tough line to find work, pay is Bad until you have high hours. Most jobs are seasonal, leaving you out of work for 8 months a year. But yea, flying itself, is fun.

I'd work at Mcdonalds on the off season if I had the opportunity to fly even 3 months of the year. I'm in the process of fixed wing PPL and then soon CPL so I can get some financial aid. I knew on my first lesson that I wanted to fly for a living.

I've worked enough crap jobs for crap wage to finally realized I want to do what I love not what I hate just for some extra cash. I've also made a lot of money with crap jobs, just not my thing being unhappy for 12 hours of my day.
Everyones time will come and if you stick with flying then the compensation will follow with time.

/rant

A little bit off topic but,

Is it true that you must be 20/20 vision without corrected lenses (contacts/glasses) or its fine if you wear glasses that correct your vision?

corrected is fine, a few instructors at the flying club here have glasses although you need to pass a class 1 medical

Heli is gonna be more than 50k. All flying jobs you make shit money right out of flight school, that's just the reality of it. Heli flying is some of the coolest flying you can do, I'm still considering going the heli route with the Air Force.

No. I had glasses and have gotten laser surgery and I got into the Air Force.

Must be nice to "consider" any flying with the Air Force. Only way possible for me is upgrading, but hey, they said I'd make a good AME LOL
Try hard in high school, kids ;)

I'm not sure what your definition is of a Shit load of money right outta school. But that's not how it is in reality unfortunately.
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This is where I'm at. I've had the jobs that pay lots of money for my age/exp. and yeah it was nice but not what I want to do. I know it's alot of money to get a license and will take time to build hours and get experience. I'd love to work in the interior somewhere at a heli-ski operation in the winter and maybe fly offshore in the summer. Who knows. Right now I'm saving money as I don't want to go the student loan route. Prob won't qualify for much anyways given my past earnings.

No, to get your basic commercial lic. is right around 50k with various schools. That only gives you 100 hours though, and not any rotary experience. Only piston. But it's a start.

I wouldn't look at it as a job, unless you have hookups in the private touring/heli taxi industry.

Its crazy fun though.

He said shit money, not a shit load.