~ Helicopters to the Rescue
You don’t have to look far to find ways that helicopter
pilots are getting great jobs in all segments of society. Every local news team has at least one if not
several traffic or weather helicopters to help report the news. Every day these pilots whisk a news team off
to the heart of a fast breaking story, often a story that is filmed directly
from the cockpit of their helicopter.
The need for helicopters to assist law enforcement is easy
to witness by just watching any cop or detective show on television or in the
movies. But the way the pilot of the
helicopter becomes a big part of many police situations is not overstated. For law enforcement, the need to get right to
the heart of a crime situation is nothing short of critical. Time makes a big difference when it comes to
solving a crime or stopping a dangerous situation from spiraling out of
control. So many times it is the
helicopter pilot who can take a team of highly skilled police or FBI officers
right into the middle of a trouble situation with pinpoint accuracy. And when those heroes of the police
department can save a life because you got them there fast, there is no way to
estimate how great you will feel about your role in that important job.
Helicopter pilots can find great employment giving rides
around the city during the holidays, flying busy executives to high stakes
business meetings from the top of skyscrapers, whisking rock stars away from
overly adoring fans or working for hospitals getting remote patients to medical
care quickly and saving lives in the process.
This means that the chances are your life as a helicopter pilot will be
exciting, fast paced and always doing something urgent taking you to the most
interesting of places.
But of the many ways that helicopter pilots find great jobs
helping others in society, rescue missions may be the most meaningful. During the hurricane Katrina disaster, it was
a common thing to see helicopter pilots going in and plucking people off of
rooftops to take them to safety and to be reunited with their grateful
families. In forest fire situations,
helicopters are what are used to dump water or chemicals on the fire to try and
stop the burning. And it is the
helicopter that is used to get in the middle of danger and get people out or to
get the injured to medical professionals quickly and save lives. Your skills in handling that complicated
aircraft will never seem more crucial than when you are using them to benefit
your fellow man in trouble.
You should know the demands that will be put on you when you
start on your course to learn to fly a helicopter and get a pilot's license
that says you can be counted on to handle this important vehicle with
skill. Unlike a conventional airplane,
the helicopter and maneuver straight up and side to side with phenomenal
flexibility. It can hover over a
location virtually in one place and be landed with nothing more needed than a
small plot of ground to place it down on rather than a long landing field. The skill to be able to actually do these
maneuvers with this precision flying machine take time and money to gain.
You will work very hard in pilot's school for helicopter
pilots. And this specialization of pilot
training is anywhere from 5-10 times more expensive than conventional pilots
training. But if you can get the
training under your belt and the experience to show you can handle a copter
like pro, the employment opportunities are abundant and the money good for you
to have an exciting and diversified career flying helicopters as your job and
your passion.
How Not to Crash an Airplane
When you enter flight school and start to anticipate those
hands on flight lessons, that's really the exciting part of the program. We all know that the classroom learning and
the technical knowledge are important.
You really cannot expect to be a pilot without knowledge of aerodynamics
and the technical theory about aircraft and how they work both in flight and
during take off and landing.
But it is when you get in the pilots seat and take the
controls of an airplane that things get exciting. The FAA requires that you get 40-50 hours of
airtime actually flying an airplane and getting in flight instruction from a
certified pilot before you are qualified to test for a pilot's license. This makes sense. After all, flying an airplane is a mechanical
and physical skill. Along with the
knowledge of how to read the instruments, how the plane works and the
relationship between the craft and the atmosphere, there is a certain amount of
"seat of the pants" knowledge that can only come from handling an
airplane up in the air, where you wanted to be all along.
There are a lot of aspects to flying to cover during your
time in the air with your instructor.
The take off takes some getting used to and you have to learn to carry
this part of the flight off safely and in cooperation with the tower and other
aircraft in the area. When in the air,
finding your altitude and dealing with different situations that come up while
flying can really only be taught when they happen. And landing the airplane is an area of
particular focus because that is where there is the biggest potential for error
which can be catastrophic.
One area of flying that must be part of your training that
maybe wasn’t part of your thoughts when you daydreamed of becoming a pilot is
disaster recovery. You know that when
you drive a car, there are dozens of "situations" you might get into
that require that you make corrections or have the wherewithal to handle a
crisis situation and get through it with as little damage and injury as
possible. While flying an airplane does
not put you in the same kind proximity of other aircraft as driving does, you
have more dimensions to flying (up and down) as well as wind, weather and
airborne hazards to be concerned with. In addition you may face equipment
malfunction while in the air and you must have some knowledge and experience in
how to handle this kind of crisis to get through it alive.
If your flight training doesn’t include crisis training, you
should get it at all costs before you even consider taking other people up in
your airplane and you are responsible for their lives. You should have an instructor who will
intentionally cut the engines and teach you how to handle the aircraft without
the aid of power and to glide it safely to the ground. You should also get what they call
"spin" training which is what you will need if you suddenly find the
aircraft spiraling to the ground "spinning" while you frantically try
to figure out how to pull out and save your life and the airplane as well.
This part of your training will be a bit frightening. But your instructor will be able to put you
into the situations you need to understand and talk you through them so you
have the knowledge you need to recover from disasters if they happen to you
while flying. You will be glad you are
prepared even if you never experience problems flying and it will give you self
confidence to know that you were taught how to respond to crisis rather than
having to figure it out when it happens.
How to Pay for Your Dream
Having a dream of becoming a pilot and getting behind the
controls of an aircraft to guide it into the clouds is the start of a great
life reaching for the stars. But that
first step of getting your pilot's license is a big one. Not only is flight school challenging and
something that will take significant effort and time, it's quite an expense as
well.
Flight schools are not cheap. Offering instruction in getting a pilot's
license means employing highly trained and skilled instructors who are skilled
pilots. In addition to the expenses of running classrooms, flight schools must
be able to help you complete 40-50 hours of actual flight time which involves
one on one time with that instructor. So
flight schools must provide the airplanes along with the mechanics to keep
those planes in good repair. All of that
is expensive and that is built into the cost of your training.
So to make your dream a reality, sometimes you have to get a
student loan or some financial aid to get where you want to go in the airline
industry. Like any other form of
education, there is assistance available if you know how to get it. So you are determined not to give up on your
dream, you will have to make finding financial backing as much of a project as
getting through flight school and getting that pilot's license.
One often untapped resource are grants from organizations or
companies that benefit from a fresh supply of good pilots. You can find out at your nearest airport the
types of organizations out there that have grants for students who need help
with flight school. Pilot fraternal
organizations as well as men's clubs like the Boy Scouts, the Lions Club or the
Shriners often have scholarships for deserving students. If you have an adult relative in one of these
groups or you are a member or an alumni of one of these groups, check out any
grants they might have before you go to strangers.
Another clever way to get financial aid is to look for
colleges that offer a full degree in aviation and flying. Often these schools operate a fully funded
flight school as part of that curriculum.
And if you enroll in an accredited college or university, the
scholarship and federal student loan program through FAFSA is always there to
be of help. Another "back
door" trick to get free tuition and even some funding from the school is
to go to work for the school or have a parent do so. Often colleges give free schooling to
employees and their kids as part of their employee benefits.
But even if you are working with a school that is only about
training pilots, talk to the administration because they may know of more
grants or student loans you may qualify for.
Before you start on this quest, make sure you have your financial
documentation in order. That means have
your tax documents all gathered up as well as bank records, pay stubs or
anything else that document your financial status and can be used to
demonstrate financial need for assistance.
The school can be an important partner to you in finding the
funding you need. There may be existing
federal programs like the Pell Grant or the Stafford
or Perkins loan programs that will work to get you the money you need to get
through flight school. Again, getting
logged in with the FAFSA program is essential to go after any government
funding but once you are approved by FAFSA, the government will most likely
guarantee any student loan you need.
That means banks and credit unions will welcome you with open arms when
you come to them for a student loan.
You may actually be surprised how much financial aid is out
there to help you realize your dream. If
you must pay for your schooling with a student loan, don't despair going into
debt. Once you get your pilot's license,
your market value will skyrocket and you can pay the loan off from the good job
you get in the aviation industry. And
it's worth going through that loan process because in the end when you have
realized your dream of becoming a pilot, you will be able to sour above the
clouds piloting an airplane and you will be grateful for anyone who helped you
along the way.
Insider Tips on Preparing to get Your Pilot’s License
When I was growing up, probably the one piece of “sage
advice” I heard from an elder relative was simply, “Always know what you are
getting into.” And when it comes to
getting your pilot’s license and becoming one of those select few who are
allowed to take aircraft off the face of planet earth, you should be well
prepared to get through what is by any estimation a pretty tough training
period.
They say that anything worth having is worth waiting for. And getting your pilot’s license is
definitely worth going for. So not only
should you go into it with a good supply of determination and patience, you
should go in dead set on working as hard as you need to. Then not only do you come away with the license,
you come way fully prepared for anything once you get in the pilots seat of an
airplane. And some of the things you
should be prepared for are…
. Lots of study. You will
have to know your aircraft inside and out.
Don’t settle for anything less.
. Making an investment.
Quality flight training is not something you should cut costs on. Be prepared to pay for the best training you
can get. It will pay off many times over
when you are totally confident in your training.
. Sticking with it. It will
be up to you to keep scheduling lessons one after the other so you progress
through the training until you are ready for that first test flight. Don’t let grass grow under your feet between
classes. Make getting your pilot’s
license a high priority in your life and you will get to your goal before you
know it.
. Test flights. You won’t
be flying an aircraft in the first week of class. You are going to have to learn a lot before
the instructor lets you have the controls.
But be determined to demonstrate your knowledge and air worthiness so
when he or she does turn over the craft to you, you are ready for that
responsibility.
You are entering an entirely new world and a new skill where
you must have a combination of a high level of knowledge and plenty of
experience to be able to handle the many situations you will face in the
air. The first level of competency is
your knowledge of the airplane you are about to fly.
While you are not going to become an airplane mechanic,
there should be nothing unfamiliar about your plane. Study the mechanics, the design and the
operation of the aircraft until you eat, drink and sleep airplanes. That knowledge will be a lifeline for you
once you are the captain of that craft.
Do your homework up front about not only the reputation of
the school you choose to teach you to fly an airplane but whether the
individual instructors are acceptable.
Not only should your teachers be experts in flying, they should be
outstanding at passing that knowledge along to you. If you are not comfortable with a teacher or
you and that teacher just don’t hit it off, make changes early. You will be in the air with that instructor
as your training moves along so you want to be sure you are on the same
wavelength with him or her.
By making it your ambition and even your mission in life to
get the best, the toughest and the most thorough flight training you can get,
you are starting off on the right foot toward a great career in the airline
industry. Your training should be
difficult, uncompromising and if you don’t cut it the first time, they should
have no qualms about making you go around for that lesson again.
You will be responsible for the lives of others when you
reach your goal of piloting an aircraft.
You should accept no shortcuts and insist on nothing but the best so you
come out of that training the best of the best as well. You will be glad you had high standards when
it comes to the pilots training you get.
It All Starts with Desire
That first inner prompting that tells you that part of your
destiny is to fly an airplane might just come when you watch airplanes take off
and you can only think, "It would be so cool if I could do
that." Sometimes we talk ourselves
out of going for that dream thinking that only Air Force pilots or people who
are on the path to fly jumbo jets can get a pilot's license. But really anybody can do it, even you!
It might surprise you to learn that tens of thousands of
people start out on the path to get a pilot's license each year and most of
them do it not to become a professional pilot but just to pursue the dream. But
it really all starts with that desire and that inner urging to at least try it. Once you get a pilot's license, there are a
lot of practical ways you can put your love of flying to use. Sales people use it to get to more
customers. Being able to fly your own
airplane also opens up new ways to go see friends and loved ones. But even if you just want to fly for the
sheer fun of it, it's still worth your while to look into how to get your
pilot's license.
All you have to do to start your path toward becoming a
pilot is head out to the airport where there are hundreds of people who know
the ropes of the airline industry. But
for better results, don’t go to the biggest airport in the region. In almost any major or medium sized city,
there are small local airports that provide service to private pilots, business
aircraft, helicopters and other specialized flying needs. It is there you find the true flying
enthusiasts and it is there that you will find flying instructors mixing with
mechanics and other airline industry professionals in a relatively relaxed
setting.
The first milestone of your search is to meet a few flying
instructors who can give you specifics on how to find out if you really have
that inner drive to become a pilot.
These small regional airports are often the homes of a number of flight
schools who are always looking for customers and you can often find an
instructor with an hour to kill who will give you a tour and help you get a
basic understanding of the process you should plan to go through to get your
pilot's license.
Once you make contact with a mentor who can guide you in how
to go forward with your flight training, he will get to know you and your
goals. Many flight schools have the
flexibility to design a program around what you want to do with your pilot's
license. There are several levels of
pilot's certification so you don’t necessarily have to aim for the highest and
most expensive license which would make you able to fly for American
Airlines. If you just want to take some
short flights around for fun, a sports or recreational license is a perfect fit
for you and the flight school can get you there efficiently.
Even on that first interview with your instructor and the
school, you may get offered a chance to go up in one of the school's planes and
even to sit in the pilot's seat. These
aircraft are designed so the instructor can control the plane from his seat too
so you can hold the controls and put your feet on the pedals that control
acceleration and lift and as they move in reaction to the instructors
movements, it will feel like you are flying that plane.
If that first experience permanently hooks you and confirms
in your heart that flying an airplane yourself is a must do priority, then you
are on your way to getting your pilot's license. You can get started the next time the school
has a class scheduled and step by step move through the process of getting that
license and becoming a pilot. Just take
it on as an adventure, even a lark because even if sometime along the way, you
change your mind, you can always come back later and pick up where you left
off.
Living and Breathing Your Desire to Fly
When you first go to a flight school and spend some time
with one of the instructors to find out if learning to fly is for you, he or
she will commonly take you up on a demo flight where you get to sit in the
pilots seat for take off, during the flight and landing. And while the expert is doing all the work,
you get the feel for being in the pilot's seat of an airplane, maybe for the
first time. For many of us, that first
flight is a transformation that will take you from someone curious about flying
to a true believer with that deep inner drive to learn to fly whatever it
takes.
If the flight instructor who took you on that first flight
knows what he is doing, you will walk away from that first experience with an armload
of information including the curriculum for ground school, the costs of
training for your pilot's license and a layout of the time commitment
involved. It might be a little
overwhelming when you get home and start looking over all of that material. But if that inner drive to become a certified
pilot has birthed the love of flying in you, you will then and there determine
that you are going to put in the time and conquer the knowledge so you too can
become part of that special society of people who can fly an airplane.
You should make that moment when you are filled with
determination to learn to fly and make it one of those big memories you often
go back to. That is because if you
really want to be a great pilot and to get there as quickly as you responsibly
can, you should be prepared to make getting through flight training and
learning this amazing new skill the absolute top priority in your life for the
weeks ahead as you go through the learning process.
For one thing, the training to learn to fly is not
cheap. You are taking training from
specialized experts whose time is not cheap and flight schools provide the
airplanes, gas, supplies and insurance so you can take their airplanes up for
learning flights. You cannot get a
pilot's license without flying several times a week throughout your training
period. So be prepared to pay several
thousand dollars for top notch flight training.
But if you can make that investment, and you put in the time to get the
work done, you are virtually guaranteed that at the end of the curriculum, you
will earn your pilot's license.
And just as you take into account the financial investment,
you should be prepared to make the time investment to learn to fly a top
priority for you. Whether you are taking
classroom lessons or your lesson that day is to take the aircraft up, you
should be prepared to be at the flight school a couple hours for each
session. And to make progress, you
should plan 2-3 lessons a week. In
addition there is the travel time to the school and time to study and prepare
for the next time you are with the instructor.
There are a lot of resources you can use to conquer all of
the new terminology and areas of knowledge you will have to become expert in to
truly "become" a pilot. But
look on that intimidating body of knowledge ahead as the mountain you have to
climb to achieve this lofty goal. Then
charge into that mountain and climb diligently every day. You can conquer that information if you study
and give this passion of yours plenty of time.
And the more you learn at home and during times when not at the school,
the faster you will progress.
Before you know it you will be taking the flight test for
your pilot's license. You will have put
in sufficient hours in the air and your knowledge will be rock solid. And when you walk out of that testing and you
conquered it all, you will look down at that pilot's license and you have every
reason to feel proud. You will have not
only finished a course of study, you will have changed into a completely
different person. You are now and will
forevermore will be - a pilot.
So You Want to be an Airline First Officer
When you are in that long process of getting your pilots
license, its fun to think about the different jobs in the airline industry that
this license might make possible for you.
Obviously, the top echelon of being a full fledged pilot is to pilot one
of those jumbo international jets. But
there is a path between where you are and that job and first officer is a fine
goal to start out with.
Of course, one way to quickly become the head of the team on
a commercial airline is to go to work for an airline where you will be piloting
a smaller craft or to work for a charter airline so you are the only one flying
the plane on each outing. That’s not a
bad option and it’s a respectable job using your pilot’s license. But sometimes nothing will take the place of climbing
the latter in a larger airline so you can enjoy the big rewards of someday
being the chief pilot on a large craft going to some exotic route.
If you get to the position of first officer on a large aircraft,
that is no small position. It is an
“apprentice” position and you are in the position of being an assistant to the
captain while you learn the ropes of operating a large and complex craft. But if you are a young pilot and you want to
get a good flight log of real life cockpit experience, paying your dues as a
first officer is an outstanding time in your career and one you will benefit
from tremendously. It won’t pay as well
as when you make full pilot but look on it as your “internship” and be glad
that by holding down that spot, you are on your way.
Much of the excitement of piloting a major aircraft for one
of the big airlines comes to you even as the first officer. And that major airline flight time on your
resume is nothing short of priceless as you move forward in your career in the
industry. Along with learning the
nuances of the aircraft itself and how to respond to different in flight
situations from a technical point of view, the time you have working as a peer
with an experienced airline captain and crew can help you sort out the culture
of the airline of the industry so you can not only navigate the aircraft but
your career in the industry as well.
By serving some good months or years in the first officer
position, you are putting yourself directly under the scrutiny of the people
who make the decisions about hiring for airline captain jobs and other senior
positions in the airline industry.
Airline captain is not a position that you can just walk off the street
and do. And by doing some good time as a
first officer and getting noticed for your good work in that position, you will
be in great shape when the time comes for you to apply for the top job.
So include a stint as first officer in your career path as
you start your ascent through the positions of authority in your airline
career. And when you make this first
level goal and have a first officer position, don’t be too hasty to rush
through it. This is an outstanding time
to build relationships and to demonstrate competency not only to the people who
might promote you to captain but to the airline staff and your fellow crew
members who may one day say “Yes Captain” to you when you sit down to command a
big aircraft en route to London, Paris or Rome.
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