Kootenay Valley Helicopters Ltd.
Creston, B.C. V0B-1G0
Telephone: (250)-428-4915
Let me introduce you to the life of a pilot
Ten years after getting my helicopter license, I still stop to watch one take-off and fly away. Even knowing the aerodynamics of helicopter flight, I gaze entranced as they fly through the sky.
I think this is true for most people in the helicopter business. It is an industry full of people with a passion for their job. A passion that goes beyond normal, how else would you explain spending six weeks in a tent in the Arctic tundra in the middle of winter, or two months in a mosquito invested camp in Northern Alberta.
The helicopter business becomes more than a job, it becomes your life, at least for the first few years. A new pilot may be asked and should be willing to go anywhere and do anything, and I mean anything; mow lawns, build fences, clean toilets, paint hangers, the list is endless. Often, this just gets you the job interview, never mind the tasks you may encounter once you have landed a job.
If you don't know anyone in the helicopter business, I suggest you contact a helicopter pilot, or base manager and befriend him. (coffee and donuts often do the trick) Pilots, being the type of people they are will be glad to tell you all the good and bad of the business. The view from your office window usually changes every day and is spectacular. You're doing something challenging, and something you enjoy. The people you meet are as enamored of helicopters as you are, and willing to chat about it. The pay, once you are established is not bad either. On the bad side however, is the time spent away from family and friends. You can expect to work all summer with very little time off. As often occurs, your tour will finish the day after your best friends wedding, and you will unexpectedly get called back to work just after you started the kitchen renovations your significant other has been wanting for two years.
You can expect to spend a great deal of your career in isolated small towns or in camps. If you don't have a sense of humor and an appreciation of the outdoors you may want to reconsider your choice of careers.
And what about employment opportunities?
I am sure you have already heard how difficult it can be, as a low time pilot, to get a start in helicopter aviation. If you look at it from an employers point of view, you'll begin to understand why. Let's consider the aircraft, a new light helicopter costs about $750 000.00 US. Since all light and medium helicopters are single pilot, you as a new pilot are on your own, captain of a million dollar aircraft with 4 or 5 passengers on board. The helicopter operator has to pay very high insurance rates that only get higher if an inexperienced pilot is at the controls. The cost for a mistake, even a small one can be hundreds of thousands of dollars, not to mention human life.
So why do operators take the chance on inexperienced pilots at all? There are not enough experienced pilots to meet the demand, so the operators take the chance and hire you. For any given year since the mid sixties, more helicopter pilots have been trained than have gotten jobs. A cold hard truth. Currently, the demand for experienced pilots is higher than it has ever been, so I would assume that more inexperienced pilots than ever are getting jobs. But not everyone.
Working at a number of different companies as a pilot and check pilot over the last ten years has given me a good idea as to what kind of employee companies are looking for and what qualities make up a good pilot. In my experience, those students who found employment possess the following qualities:
- A positive upbeat attitude
- Above average flying skills
- The ability to learn new skills quickly
- The ability to spend extended periods of time away from home
- The ability to work without supervision
- Personal Skills (when you are flying your customer is usually sitting beside you, a little salesmanship can go a long way)
Kootenay Valley Helicopters will accept into it's Commercial Helicopter Pilot Program only those students that we feel have the aptitude and attitude to excel in the helicopter business.
We can not guarantee our students jobs. However, in an effort to give our students the maximum exposure to a work like environment, we have developed a course curriculum that is very demanding. We feel that the exceptional student will be able to handle advanced flight training such as long line work and mountain flight in the normal 100 hour curriculum. This will give our students an advantage in the job market, while keeping the cost of flight training reasonable.
We will be honest and direct in our evaluation of your pilot skills early in the course. You will then be able to make an informed decision about the future of your flight training.
Obtaining a pilot's license is a challenging experience, one I found greatly rewarding. I enjoy my career and wish for you only the same. Please contact me if you have further questions, especially if they can be answered while devouring donuts.
Wendell J Maki
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