Learning to be a helicoper pilot

"Simon Robbins" wrote in message
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"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
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It's hard to get hire into ANY new career at 53, much less one that
would
take a few years to build up enough experience to compete with people 20
years your junior.

Having said that, I do know of one woman well into her fifties who is now
recently qualified and earning as a part-time helicopter instructor, but
it's not her primary source of income.

Odd that someone NEWLY QUALIFIED would manage to be an instructor.

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
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"Beav" wrote in message
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"Simon Robbins" wrote in message
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"Beav" wrote in message
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"I"? I thought this was for your friend? :-)) Anyway, the simple
answer
is
"Lots". Over here in the UK, we'd expect to pay around 15,000 GBP
(around
30
grand US) just for starters.

£15k will get you the PPL easily, but bear in mind he's asking about
how
much it would cost before he could start earning from it.

Too right Si, which is why I added the "for starters" bit. At 53, it's
not
a
"career path" I'd be lusting after anyway.

It's hard to get hire into ANY new career at 53, much less one that would
take a few years to build up enough experience to compete with people 20
years your junior.

Agreed, but anyone who's not dipped his feet into aviation could be forgiven
for thinking that it's not a lot different for any other career. They soon
discover the costs are more than the likely rewards and that time really IS
an issue, so age is a barrier.

Those questions do make for a discussion though, and seeing as RAH has been
a bit "light on the skids" of late, that's a good thing

Beav

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...

"Simon Robbins" wrote in message
...
"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...
It's hard to get hire into ANY new career at 53, much less one that
would
take a few years to build up enough experience to compete with people
20
years your junior.

Having said that, I do know of one woman well into her fifties who is now
recently qualified and earning as a part-time helicopter instructor, but
it's not her primary source of income.

Odd that someone NEWLY QUALIFIED would manage to be an instructor.

Maybe that's "Newly qualified as a CFI"?

A friend of mine had never set foot in anything "aerial" before his 40th,
but he learned to fly heli's after I'd taught him to fly RC heli's. He then
bought his own machine (R-22) and pretty soon after was instructing in the
south of England. Now he's got his own operation in Wales teaching heli
flying. I would estimate it took him less than 3 years before he opened up
his own "shop".

Mind you...... he wasn't exactly strapped for cash when he started and
earning a living wasn't high on his "must do today" list, which I'm sure
makes a BIG difference. It was still a great accomplishment though and he's
still a top bloke.

Beav

"Beav" wrote in message
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Mind you...... he wasn't exactly strapped for cash when he started and
earning a living wasn't high on his "must do today" list, which I'm sure
makes a BIG difference. It was still a great accomplishment though and
he's still a top bloke.

Beav

Wow! If only all of us could be in "that" position! The "not exactly
strapped for cash" and "earning a living wasn't high on his 'must do today'
list" parts, that is!

I'm green! ;-)

Fly Safe,
Steve R.

"Steve R." wrote in message
...
"Beav" wrote in message
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Mind you...... he wasn't exactly strapped for cash when he started and
earning a living wasn't high on his "must do today" list, which I'm sure
makes a BIG difference. It was still a great accomplishment though and
he's still a top bloke.

Beav

Wow! If only all of us could be in "that" position! The "not exactly
strapped for cash" and "earning a living wasn't high on his 'must do
today' list" parts, that is!

What, you mean you're not? Pikey bugger you must be


--
Beav

"Beav" wrote in message
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Odd that someone NEWLY QUALIFIED would manage to be an instructor.

Maybe that's "Newly qualified as a CFI"?

Yes, that's exactly what I meant. I thought it went without saying.
Afterall

Si

"Simon Robbins" wrote in message
...
"Beav" wrote in message
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Odd that someone NEWLY QUALIFIED would manage to be an instructor.

Maybe that's "Newly qualified as a CFI"?

Yes, that's exactly what I meant. I thought it went without saying.
Afterall

Well no actually and it still doesn't, but maybe I'm a TC

Beav

"Beav" wrote in message
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Well no actually and it still doesn't, but maybe I'm a TC

Perhaps I should have spelt it out fully, but to my mind being employed to
teach means being licenced to teach, and therefore CFI rated.

Si

"Simon Robbins" wrote in message
...
"Beav" wrote in message
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Well no actually and it still doesn't, but maybe I'm a TC

Perhaps I should have spelt it out fully, but to my mind being employed to
teach means being licenced to teach, and therefore CFI rated.

Si


Unfortunately, that's not always the case. In my active years as a full
size fixed wing pilot, I ran into a couple of folks through the years that
were "teaching" friends how to fly the airplane but were not CFI certified.
For that matter, I could have taught someone to fly the airplane but it
would be a moot point for obvious reasons.

I remember talking to one "student" who was having a great time doing this
and he knew that his "instructor" wasn't a rated CFI. I asked him if he was
serious about earning his pilots license. He said, "yes." I asked him why
he flew with his friend because he couldn't legally log the hours toward his
flight rating. He said, "yeah, but it's still good experience." I told him
that if he's serious about getting the flight rating, it's still a waste of
money. He's still got to log that time under the supervision of a CFI. The
time he had didn't mean anything toward his flight rating and the money he
spent didn't either. He's not saving himself one penny as he'd still have
to re-fly those hours once he got with a real CFI. He either didn't
understand my point or didn't care. As best as I can recall, he never
earned his license either. The thing that scared me at the time was
wondering what kind of bad habits he was getting from a non rated
instructor?

FWIW
Fly Safe,
Steve R.

"Simon Robbins" wrote in message
...
"Beav" wrote in message
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Well no actually and it still doesn't, but maybe I'm a TC

Perhaps I should have spelt it out fully, but to my mind being employed to
teach means being licenced to teach, and therefore CFI rated.

AIR, you said "employed" but didn't say employed "to teach".