Sorry for jumping into this conversation so late but here is my opinion only.... I started my dream of flying airplanes at 16 years old 34 years ago. My plan was to go into the military and fly then go to the airlines. Fast forward and neither one of those dreams came true. Life usually throws us a curve ball and our big plans are sacrificed because of it. I never gave up my dream of being a professional pilot and eventually that dream came true. Funny part is I ended up a professional helicopter pilot for a law enforcement agency. Crazy thing is I never had a dream early on of flying helicopters, my dream was always airplanes. I am the unit CFI right now and 2 years ago I took over the airplane job. So my dream of flying has come true and it has been a great career. I always wondered what would have happened if I had actually gone into the military or the airlines, but you know what..... It doesn't matter now. I fly for a living and have the best of both worlds. I'll Fly a helicopter today and fly an airplane tomorrow. Never give up on your dreams.... If you want to fly helicopters, then get out there and do it. If you want to fly airplanes, then do that. Just be happy with what you are doing and you will not regret it. Good luck to everyone!

I've looked at those airline payscales and been tempted from time to time. Ultimately I keep grinding away at my RW ratings for two reasons. 1) I want to pilot my aircraft. Long legs of autopilot at FL320 every day for the rest of my life sounds mind-numbing. 2) I want to fly fires and scoop water out of people's pools.

working 3 jobs trying to save to pay for my flight training, can't wait to become a pilot 🤗✌

There is so much more fixed wing work. Even if the pilot shortage goes bust there is always pick up fixed wing work available. Heck if your medical goes bust there is still fixed wing instruction that can be given. I regret switching from fixed to rotor 25 years ago(since out of flying for a living) and may pick up my sport airplane CFI soon to do a little side work. Go fixed wing get work as a fixed wing pilot then if you still want to fly rotor pick away at the rotor ratings while flying fixed wing. Or just rent a helicopter occasionally and get your fix that way. Much greater chance of success.

My two cents... I’m a captain at a major airline, the one with the same initials as Alcoholics Anonymous. I earn enough to pay cash for a mid time piston helicopter, and also afford its care & feeding. I have a family of five, a mortgage, and about 18 days a month off. Having said that, here I am watching helicopter training videos, and reading rotary wing ground school books. Since part 121 (airline) pilots have mandated retirement at age 65, I chose fixed wing as a first career, and while I’m building hours in helicopters, plan to make rotary wing a second career. I’m 47 now, and if opportunity knocked on my helicopter door, I may take that road before 65. More thoughts... The pretty uniform charm wears off quickly. Passengers are rarely not awful. Flying a thing priced a 9 figures eventually gets unexciting. The airports all seem the same. Hotels too. Looking forward to a retirement job of something different every day, such as the case in many helicopter positions. Lastly, when building multi engine time in a fixed wing, it was (maybe not anymore) common to buy a light twin, fly the crap out of it & then sell when you had hundreds of hours. Usually for nearly the same, sometimes more than you had paid for it. Groups of guys would sometimes chip in together, making ownership even cheaper. Could this be true in the rotary wing world as well? Buy a Hiller for 60K, maybe with a partner or two if finances necessitate it. Then once you’ve put several hundred hours on resell at nearly the purchase price? That has to be cheaper than $200/hr for a rental helicopter. Even more so if you’re zero time, and going all the way through Commercial/CFI etc. From perusing trade-a-plane for years, it seems somewhat ‘vintage’ and affordable flying machinery of any type rarely deprecates, but the opposite. Especially well taken care of examples. Just a thought. .

I'm a paramedic just switching over to HEMS now, and stumbled into your videos. You make so many great points that I think are applicable across many industries. Medics often feel like the "red headed stepchild" in both medical and first response circles. We don't always get much credit from either, and we're worked harder and paid less (with some regional variation). Many medics suffer from believing the grass is greener everywhere else, and bounce around trying to find their pasture... myself included. But truth be told, I'm not really built for anything else. I could never survive in an office/hospital. I'd get bored just spraying wet stuff on hot stuff or wrestling meth heads all day. EMS was my dream, and someday it's a nightmare... but it's still my dream. Wouldn't/ couldn't do anything else. You gotta know yourself and find your niche, it's never worth selling your soul for money and recognition IMO.

This is exactly why the helicopter industry needs to change. The economics are backwards. It takes more money to become a professional Helo pilot than it does to become a pro airplane pilot, but then in the long run, a pro airplane pilot makes more. It doesn’t make sense economically to become a Helo pilot. And then when you factor in that most pro Helo jobs require so much more time than pro airplane jobs, you wonder why anyone would want to go the Helo route. And then factor in the pilot shortage, the Helo industry needs to change. But it won’t change if Helo pilots keep accepting these conditions.

Interesting situation. He could leverage his A&P and FCC ratings for an entry in to the RW side with an operator while he finishes his ratings. He may even be able to bum some time from his employer along the way. He could also easily just go straight down the FW side as well. There are a lot of nice cadet programs for FW these days too.

I lost my medical in 2009 after spending 28 years as a helicopter pilot. 15 years Army and 13 years civilian. I flew 13 years in the Gulf of Mexico starting out in B206's and ending up flying the S-92. Initially the minimums for employment in the Gulf was 1500 hrs. I saw it as low as 500 hrs when we were putting pilots in the left seat as IFR SIC's only, the lowest on the pay scale. Our industry is unusual that typically pilot jobs start out as VFR captains and work our way up to IFR Sic, then IFR Captain. That is the progression in the oil patch. Typically, companies did not require ATP or Instrument tickets. I know the three big players in the Gulf now require Comm/Instrument and pay a bonus for ATP. I was able to take my ATP ride on my type ride for the Bell 214ST. I know pilots who flew VFR only single engine offshore for 30 years and lived the dream every day. Then there were pilots that liked to fly bigger iron and got into the IFR side flying S-76's, S-61's, AW139's, S-92''s etc. And if you like teaching there is also the opportunity to work in the training department as a company check airman. I don't know much about the FW world. I have a PPL FW but haven't flown FW since 1981.

My take is that if you have a way to pay for helicopter flight training with out students loans go helicopter route and get the 750 or so hours. After that go to the airlines sign a contract and have the airlines pay for add-on ratings. Who knows maybe you can work as an helicopter pilot in-between working for the airlines unpractical most likely but possible

Follow your dream! Which cares what other people think! If your happy, providing for your family and have their support who cares what route you are taking! Obviously you will have to research both sides, there are pros and cons for each side of the isle and the jobs available on both sides. Follow your dreams based on information.

I'm a nearly 20 year A+P who has worked exclusively airlines, and currently a student helicopter pilot. Some things about the airline world to consider... As an airline pilot you'll have to accept that you will spend half your working career sitting in shuttle vans, airport terminals and hotels, living out of a suitcase. And the other half mostly talking on the radio and turning knobs on the autopilot panel. I'm sure a lot of helicopter jobs will require travel as well, but in the airlines it's a guarantee. You will have to grind a long time to get the ATP minimums before you can even get hired by a crappy regional airline. And those crappy regionals have crappy pay scales. And they have crappy schedules that will have you fly one leg from BWI to CLE, then sit in the crew room for 6 hours before you take one final leg to your overnight. So you spent 12 hours "on the clock", but only got paid for about 3. As a junior FO, you will probably not make enough money to even have your own apartment in the city where you're based. The upside is that you get flight benefits and can pretty much live anywhere you want as long as you can report for your scheduled flights. Disclaimer - I have not personally flown for an airline, but I've spent a lot of time listening to regional pilots gripe :D I eventually want to get my fixed wing PPL for fun, but I'm working on helicopter first because that's the only type of professional flying that interests me. For me, money isn't everything. I have a job right now that pays pretty great, but I hate every minute that I'm there. At least it's paying for my flight time :D

The airline industry needs you, the helicopter industry does not.

Great question and great answer as well. Once I shared with someone that I had a desire to fly helicopters, blame"Airwolf," "Magnum PI," and living in the inner city of Detroit, helicopters were everywhere, so many people asked why not fixed wings Vs helicopters and I would always respond that the dream was to be a helicopter pilot and I had no desire to be a fixed wing pilot. Helicopters are just sexy and kewl........ Fast forward 30 years later and I am still haunted by the dream/goal of being a helicopter pilot so although my opinion is biased, I would say follow your dreams or the 'helicopter ghosts' will haunt you like they are haunting me. Just my two cents......... Thanx for sharing.... JAZZY1

Question relatable to this topic. 34, GI Bill, debt free. Would you go the helicopter route first especially considering the cost would be covered?

If I want to do flight training, what is the best place to get a loan to cover my private, instrument, and commercial licenses? Home loans? I have been doing research like crazy, but every financing place that the local schools use, they only do part time finance. I called AOPA the other day and said they dont give out big loans

Well cost of training then getting a job . Most helicopter start up jobs or a EMS job requiring 2000 hours only starts at $60,000 but a 500 hour fixed wing pilot can start at $35,000 and make more then me in 6 years and I’ve done helicopters for over 20 years. S92 and other big helicopter pilots do good and I have friends making good money but they are overseas

Which every is going to get you to your goal!!! Depending where you are in the world can dictate how much work is out there for you.

Most pilots I know wanted it since age 6..... and loved everything about aviation. But not everyone. Some decide to go for an ATP rating and they start out knowing zero about aviation ( no thanks to our teachers ). Might be a topic for Kenny.

I’m on the fence with going for airplane or helicopters... they both look fun. I figured helicopter pilots are more rare... few schools to offer those services in my area.

I came out of the army with 1700 hours. 1300 PIC. I applied at crop dusting companies and they will not give me the time of day.

Great channel 👍, I've been seriously considering looking into learning to become an RW pilot, but being in my mid 50's now, I'm weighing my options realistically as career change, I can afford to pay 80k+ cost ,for commercial license, Not sure what to expect from the industry as far how long it will take for a my return on investment , but I know I would love to do it...I have a introductory flight with an Helo flight instructor this weekend. Any input from you guys would be well appreciated. Thanks.

Informative. Thanks 🙏 Kenny

I would choose HELO, even considering the F’ed up experience I had in the Army. I still recommend the service even though my experience had bad points.

I had the chance to sit right seat in Navajo 135 flights. ummmm I personally found it to be really really boring BUT I was only pvt airplane rated and my responsibility was just to assist captain, make sure he actually did his checklists. Perhaps if I had more "buy in" or responsibility for the flight I have liked it better, maybe a newer aircraft, but yea pretty boring stuff. Add in hotels, I'm thinking of letting this stuff go and getting into something else.

Question. Are CFI instructors employees of the flight school they work for or are the contractors?

What if you wished to fly both? I wish you could fly “experimental aircraft” for a living *cough decommissioned military jets.

Does helicopter hrs count as airplane hrs are you have to build the hrs differently

For travelling and personal use which one should I get helicopter liscence or pilot license I will have a small side gig but I wanna fly for personal

I am 8 months late. But my major concern is that helicopter piloting is so much more dangerous than flying a plane, even though my heart says that i should become a Heli pilot. So either a cargo pilot or a heli pilot, but it's hard to get a job in both of these careers as there are 0 cargo Airlines in Norway and only a few heli companies. Please help

SO WHY as a commercial rated helicopter pilot, we can't get higher pay? Layers and doctors and physician's charge top dollar because of schooling cost, they claim, so why not commercial helicopter pilots. Helicopter schools charge big bucks because of high fuel costs etc. Is their a pilots union? I hate unions , but hate being screwed even more!

im 26 and looking into becoming a pilot, have some college education but nothing of significance and was hoping to not have to go back for any reason, what can i expect going into this field without any college degrees, will i be stuck bottom tier? currently working in construction making 60k and will top out around 90k but would rather do something im more passionate about & would also like to know whats the best way to get a taste of both helicopter and plane and which one would be right for me

Thank you for this video!

Hello from KRFD

I like this.

If i become a pilot airplane can i fly a helicopter or not , and what i should do for flying helicopter with that pilot

Im only 14, but im planning to get college done in airforce, or any other branch with any sick ride. I dont whethe ld want to fly apaches, or fighter jets

Supply and demand.......

How much do you make?

Has anyone gone the Full-time studied student loan route? I'm still very green in the industry, however I have invested 20g of my own finances in self study. I took a CASA MET exam to test if I have what it takes, and passed. Unfortunately, due to my average income I have been taking flight lessons for 1.5 years and only shaved off a little of my lessons. My instructor has suggested I look into the TAFE course in Australia. I'm nervous, but so very excited of the possibilities. If anyone has experience in this avenue, then I'd love to hear from them. - Thank you!

plane cert for me will be like $9750 helicopter cert will be like $80000

Scenario Age 29 years based out in Bangalore India. I can invest 10 million USD max. Need to travel from my hometown to my business location 2-3 times a month. What should I buy plane like Cessna or Helicopter? Got my personal pilot license recently.

HOGS, I gave you 5 min. You couldn’t answer the question you read 5 min before. You told countless other stories before answering the question. There is NOTHING wrong with you being an AC/DC fan, but just the wrong place in your train of thoughts to bring it up. I hate to say it but it has something to do with very disorganized thinking. Advice for the future: Learn to cut to the chase and directly answer a question. I am positive I am not the first person to tell you this.