Helicopter Pilot

Helicopter pilots fly single- or multi-engine helicopters for a range of purposes.

Helicopters are used in:

• search and rescue
• police surveillance
• ambulance airlifts
• business and political trips
• leisure and holiday flights
• broadcast media
• construction
• agriculture
• checking overhead power cables
• environmental work.

A helicopter pilot's tasks may include:

• making technical and weather checks before a trip
• explaining safety rules to the passengers
• requesting takeoff clearance
• communicating with air traffic control throughout a journey
• controlling the height, speed and route
• responding to emergencies
• landing and shutting down engines
• keeping records of each flight.

The hours are varied. Pilots may need to be available to fly at short notice.

Helicopter pilots sit in a more confined space than pilots on fixed-wing planes. They may also be more exposed to the environment.

Salaries start from £15,000 to £20,000 a year for newly qualified pilots and rise to £80,000 for the most experienced captains.

A helicopter pilot needs:

• skill in absorbing and applying technical details
• problem-solving ability
• good hand-to-eye co-ordination and spatial awareness
• to be responsible and reliable
• a decisive nature
• to be cool under pressure
• communication skills
• to be comfortable working with numbers and technology
• initiative
• teamworking skills.

Pilots are employed by commercial operators, the emergency services and the armed forces.

Helicopter pilots need to gain a Commercial Pilot's Licence for Helicopters, or CPL(H). They may do this full time at a training school, or train at their own pace, first gaining a Private Pilot's Licence for Helicopters or PPL(H).

Students learn in the classroom and through supervised flying. It can cost over £10,000 to achieve the PPL(H) and around £50,000 to complete CPL(H) training.

Most new pilots begin as co-pilots. After substantial experience and gaining additional licences, they may progress to captain level.

With further training, helicopter pilots may go on to gain a further qualification, allowing them to fly multi-pilot, multi-engine helicopters. Some pilots take on roles in training or management, or set up their own businesses.

Further details