Heliocopter pilot as career change?

I'm sure I've come into this conversation way late, but I have to ask: 400
Hours & Flying in the GoM?? How much luck does this guy have?! (I say all
this with a smile on my face, so don't think I'm being sarcastic)
The lowest I've ever seen is 1,500 + IFR and 135 Check ride already in
place. Most won't even talk to you without an ATP.
I really don't care what or where I fly as long as it is in a safe
environment.
I don't have a CFI, just a normal old Commercial Heli ticket and have
managed to get over 600 hours so far (in two years). I must send out my
thanks to those heli operators who have allowed me to hitch rides over the
years.
When I first decided on this career change (from 10+ years in law
enforcement) the school I attended said there was no good reason to get an
IFR...but when they hired a CFII & purchased an IFR trainer it suddenly
became the most important thing they emphasised, of course by then I had
already blown almost all my $$ and was about 5 hours away from my licence.
Oh, well. We live and hopefully learn, right?
So, if you see someone advertising a job, ANY JOB, flying any heli (other
than R22), with an hour reqirement less than 645.2, you let me know!!!!!
Thanks for taking the time out to let me vent.
-J

wrote in message
...

Its not impossible to make a carreer change to commercial
helicoptering, but it will be difficult. As someone already
mentioned, CFII's and clerks at Home Depot make about the same thing.
The difference is that Home Depot clerks aren't usually having as much
fun. At the same time, they aren't risking their lives either.

I know a CFII that just got a commercial job flying for the oil people
in the gulf (of Mexico) with less than 400 hours. So its not
impossible.



Dennis Hawkins
n4mwd AT amsat DOT org (humans know what to do)

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