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Helicopter pilot

Helicopter pilots fly single- and multi-engined helicopters for business, leisure or emergency response.

Average salary (a year)

£25,000 Starter

to

£45,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

39 to 41 variable

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays as customers demand

How to become a helicopter pilot

You can get into this job through:

  • specialist courses run by private training organisations

Other routes

To fly a helicopter for a living, you'll need to hold a Commercial Pilot Licence CPL(H) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

To get onto the training course, you'll need to:

  • have 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English, maths, and science
  • pass skills tests and a thorough medical assessment
  • have a minimum of 155 hours' flying time

The number of flying hours needed may be lower for trained aeroplane pilots.

As a first step, you could train for a Private Pilot's Licence PPL(H) which allows you to fly for personal use and build up your flying hours. The flight training school would assess your skills, and could ask you to take some pre-course training to prove that you have the level of ability and skills needed for commercial training.

Training is expensive and you'll usually have to fund it yourself.

You could also join the army, Royal Navy or Royal Air Force as a trainee pilot.

More information

Registration

Career tips

If you're thinking of a career as a helicopter pilot, it's strongly recommended that you consider taking a pilot Aptitude Assessment before you start training.

You could also take a trial lesson with a flight school to make sure this is the right career for you.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the The Honourable Company of Air Pilots, for professional development, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a helicopter pilot from:

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • knowledge of transport methods, costs and benefits
  • the ability to operate and control equipment
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • customer service skills
  • thinking and reasoning skills
  • the ability to work well with others
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and requirements

You'll need to:

You'll need to meet certain nationality rules to apply. All jobs are open to British nationals and many are also open to Commonwealth citizens.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

On a day-to-day basis your duties would include:

  • checking weather conditions and airspace restrictions along your planned route
  • filing flight plans with authorities
  • working out fuel requirements and maximum load
  • checking the helicopter's equipment and instruments
  • carrying out safety checks
  • gaining clearance from air traffic control
  • during flights, using instruments to navigate, control height and speed, and communicate with air traffic controllers.
  • after landing, completing paperwork before preparing for the next flight

Working environment

You could work on an aircraft or at an airport building.

Your working environment may be at height and you'll travel often.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could combine flying with ground duties, recruitment or training.

You could also start your own business providing recreational flights or freight services, or become a flying instructor.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a helicopter pilot right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Pilot Training

  • Provider: Tyne Coast College T/A South Tyneside College and Tyne Metropolitan College
  • Start date: 03 September 2019
  • Location: South Shields

Pilot Training

  • Provider: Tyne Coast College T/A South Tyneside College and Tyne Metropolitan College
  • Start date: 08 May 2020
  • Location: South Shields
Find courses near you

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