Helicopter pilot Job Information | National Careers Service

Job profiles

Helicopter pilot

Hours

Variable
Starting salary

£25,000 + per year

If you have excellent hand-to-eye coordination and want a flying job, this job could suit you well.

As a helicopter pilot you would fly single- and multi-engined helicopters for business, leisure or emergency response purposes. For example, you might transfer oil rig workers to an offshore platform, or ferry business clients between cities as part of a charter service.

In this job you would need to be able to concentrate well for long periods. You would need to lead the crew. You would also need to keep calm and be decisive.

To fly a helicopter you must be over 18 and licensed by the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA). There are different types of licence, depending on which type of helicopter you are flying and whether you are charging fees. Another way to gain flying experience is to sign up for pilot training with the armed forces.

The work

Your main responsibilities before a flight would include:

checking weather conditions and airspace restrictions along your planned route
filing flight plans
working out fuel requirements and maximum loads
checking the helicopter's equipment and instruments
carrying out safety checks
gaining clearance from air traffic control to take off.

During the flight, you would use a range of instruments to navigate, control height and speed, and communicate with air traffic controllers. After landing, you would complete all post-flight paperwork, including a duty hours log, before preparing for the next flight. You may work alone or in a captain and co-pilot team on a larger helicopter.

Hours

There are strict rules governing maximum flying hours, but your flight duties could include working days, nights or weekends. Some jobs over longer distances could involve overnight stays away from home.

Most of your time would be spent in the helicopter's cockpit, where conditions can be cramped and noisy. If you work as an offshore pilot, you would be expected to wear a survival suit.

Income

There is no set income for helicopter pilots and it will usually depend upon your area of work.

Newly qualified helicopter pilots in a commercial role can earn in the region of £25,000 a year. Helicopter pilots on passenger-carrying craft may earn between £45,000 and £60,000 a year.

You may be paid allowances for overnight stays or visits to inhospitable areas.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

To fly a helicopter you must be over 18 and licensed by the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA). JAA licences are issued and enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). You could train for a:

Private Pilot's Licence – PPL(H) – which you can use as a first step to commercial flying but does not allow you to charge for services
Commercial Pilot Licence – CPL(H) – the standard licence needed to fly for a living
Advanced Airline Transport Pilot Licence – ATPL(H) – the senior licence which is required for piloting two-crew helicopters.

For entry on to a CPL(H) training course you would normally need five GCSEs (A-C), including English, maths and physics, or equivalent qualifications. You will also have to pass aptitude and medical tests before you can start training.

Training for a commercial licence is expensive and you will normally have to fund it yourself. Occasionally, company sponsorships are offered but these are quite rare. You could take a trial lesson with a flight school to make sure this is the right career for you before making the financial commitment to a full course.

If you have a Private Pilot's Licence you could apply for commercial training to gain the CPL(H). The flight school would assess your skills, and could ask you to take some pre-course training to prove that you have the ability.

Another way to gain flying experience is to sign up for pilot training with the armed forces (see the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Airforce job profiles).

See the British Helicopter Association (BHA) website for more details about careers and flight training centres.

British Helicopter Association

Training and development

You could choose to take either an integrated or modular training route.

Integrated course

The aim of this course is to train you to the level of proficiency needed for a CPL(H), but not the Instrument Rating or any further specialisation like aerial work activities. The key features are:

a minimum of 135 hours' flight training
500 hours' theoretical knowledge (including aviation law, communications and meteorology)
it takes around 12 months to complete full-time.

Modular training

If you already have a Private Pilot's Licence, you could take this route to reach the level needed to obtain a CPL(H). It requires:

a minimum of 155 hours' flying experience
a 35-hour commercial flying course
500 hours of theoretical knowledge
passes in nine written exams and a skill test.

You could do this course on a flexible basis and at your own pace. As a guide, the full-time option normally takes at least nine months.

ATPL(H) licence

This advanced licence certifies that you have reached the level of skill needed to operate as a co-pilot on multi-pilot, multi-engine helicopters in commercial air transport. You will need:

a minimum of 1,000 hours' total flying experience (including 350 hours on multi-crew, multi-engined aircraft)
passes in Instrument Rating tests.

See the BHA website or contact the CAA for a copy of the publication, 'Licensing Administration and Standardisation Operating Requirements and Safety (LASORS)' for more details about the licence training requirements and approved training providers.

Skills and knowledge

To be a helicopter pilot you should have:

excellent hand-to-eye co-ordination and spatial awareness
the ability to take responsibility for the helicopter, crew and passengers
good concentration skills
the ability to remain calm in a crisis and act decisively
clear written and spoken communication skills
the ability to work alone and as part of a team
sound judgement.

More information

Civil Aviation Authority (Opens new window)
Personnel Licensing Department – Flight Crew
Aviation House
Gatwick Airport South
West Sussex
RH6 0YR
www.caa.co.uk

British Helicopter Association (Opens new window)
Fairoaks Airport
Chobham
Woking
Surrey
GU24 8HU
Tel: 01276 856100
www.britishhelicopterassociation.org

Opportunities

You would normally join a helicopter company as a co-pilot. You should contact companies directly for information about vacancies on offer. For a list of companies see the Royal Aeronautical Society website.

Royal Aeronautical Society

Demand for new pilots varies from year to year, so you may need to join a different company or relocate to progress to a captain's position.

With experience, you can combine flying with ground duties, spending some time on administration, recruitment or training. You could start your own business providing recreational flights or freight services. You may also have the opportunity to become a flying instructor.

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

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Related industry information

Industry summary

The aviation industry is represented by People 1st, the Sector Skills Council for hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism. The passenger transport sector incorporates rail, aviation, bus and coach, taxi and private hire, light rail and metro, driver training, and UK waterways. The sector accounts for 735,000 jobs, most of which are within the bus and coach, taxi and private hire, rail, and aviation industries. The passenger transport sector comprises a myriad of roles, from pilots and transport planners, to essential support roles in finance, marketing and human resources.

The aviation industry is a large employer in the UK and includes 30 commercial airports, plus numerous private airports and airfields. It includes people employed in:

highly skilled and technical roles, such as pilots and air traffic control
customer service roles, including passenger check in and support, terminal and airport management and cabin crew
ground services undertaking tasks, such as baggage and cargo handling, aircraft preparation and flight planning

The UK aviation industry is dominated by a small number of companies. The introduction of the low-cost airlines changed the structure of the industry, but growth in this area is expected to slow.

Key facts:

There are 138,000 people working in the aviation industry
Only 4% of companies employ more than 100 people, but this 4% employ 86% of the UK aviation workforce
The average age of an employee is 40
There are female dominated roles in the industry, the main being cabin crew. Male dominated roles include baggage handling and aircraft ramp services
The average working hours for an aviation industry employee are 38 per week.
Just 10% of the workforce is employed part-time
In 2009, more than 218 million passengers were handled by UK airports

Jobs in the industry fall into the following areas:

Ground handling services – such as baggage/ramp handling, aircraft preparation, load planning officer, ramp supervisor, aircraft dispatcher
Airport operations – such as airport duty staff, support officer to team supervisor, airport terminal manager, customer support staff, air traffic control
Airline operations – such as passenger services staff, ground handling, cabin crew, first officer pilot, flight captain, cabin crew officer, aviation operation passenger services

National and regional data

[N.B. Regional data presented are for the aviation industry and the passenger transport sector as a whole. Data derived from the Labour Force Survey, 2007.]

East Midlands – There are 4,900 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 14% of the workforce in the region is female. 14% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 6% of the workforce is under 25 years, 62% is 26-49 years and 32% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; vehicle maintenance and engineering; Welsh language; job related IT; and safety/accident management.

East of England – There are 13,600 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 25% of the workforce in the region is female. 9% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 7% of the workforce is under 25 years, 52% is 26-49 years and 41% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; job related IT; Welsh language; and vehicle maintenance and engineering.

London – There are 25,300 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 20% of the workforce in the region is female. 42% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 4% of the workforce is under 25 years, 70% is 26-49 years and 26% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: job related IT; foreign languages; safety/accident management; booking operations; and logistics and scheduling of services.

North East – There are 2,100 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 17% of the workforce in the region is female. 3% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 8% of the workforce is under 25 years, 51% is 26-49 years and 41% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: job related IT; foreign languages; vehicle maintenance and engineering; Welsh language; and safety/accident management.

North West – There are 13,600 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 16% of the workforce in the region is female. 14% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 6% of the workforce is under 25 years, 61% is 26-49 years and 33% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; disability awareness; Welsh language; and vehicle maintenance and engineering.

South East – There are 49,100 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 25% of the workforce in the region is female. 11% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 6% of the workforce is under 25 years, 48% is 26-49 years and 36% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; vehicle maintenance and engineering; and job related IT.

South West – There are 6,100 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 19% of the workforce in the region is female. 4% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 4% of the workforce is under 25 years, 56% is 26-49 years and 40% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; job related IT; and vehicle maintenance and engineering.

West Midlands – There are 6,500 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 19% of the workforce in the region is female. 27% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 7% of the workforce is under 25 years, 65% is 26-49 years and 28% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: job related IT; safety/accident management; foreign languages; maths/working with numbers; and disability awareness.

Yorkshire and the Humber – There are 2,200 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 13% of the workforce in the region is female. 18% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 8% of the workforce is under 25 years, 62% is 26-49 years and 30% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; vehicle maintenance and engineering; job related IT; and Welsh language.

Northern Ireland – There are 2,200 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 21% of the workforce in the region is female. Data are unavailable on the ethnicity of the workforce. 9% of the workforce is under 25 years, 74% is 26-49 years and 17% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; safety/accident management; job related IT; and disability awareness.

Scotland – There are 10,400 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 16% of the workforce in the region is female. 2% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 8% of the workforce is under 25 years, 56% is 26-49 years and 36% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; vehicle maintenance and engineering; and disability awareness.

Wales – There are 1,800 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 18% of the workforce in the region is female. 4% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 8% of the workforce is under 25 years, 54% is 26-49 years and 38% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: Welsh language; foreign languages; disability awareness; safety/accident management; job related IT; and vehicle maintenance and engineering.