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Is this 60K a year?

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  • 28-05-2008 12:15pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭


    http://www.bristowgroup.com/careers/Bristow_Caribbean_Pilot.pdf

    I'm assuming the salary on that list is monthly. It works out around 60k a year. Alot of experience required also?

    Doesn't seem a brilliant salary....maybe 75k would seem better.

    Is 60k average for this type of position?


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 6,675 ✭✭✭ronnie3585


    Also, keep in mind that if an Irish resident were to take that job their salary would not be tax free for three years.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    ronnie3585 wrote: »
    Also, keep in mind that if an Irish resident were to take that job their salary would not be tax free for three years.

    Can you explain why that is?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,675 ✭✭✭ronnie3585


    You may change your domocile, ie move to the Bahamas, however you do not lose your 'resident' status in this country. You will be chargable to Irish tax on your world wide income when you are ordinarily resident in this jurisdiction. In order to lose this ordinarily resident status you need to be non resident for three consecutive tax years.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,186 ✭✭✭✭jmayo


    Why do people always assume that all pilots jobs are well paid ?
    Often first officers working for small companies make shag all. The way you make money is by moving to bigger company and flying heavier kit. Eventually you may get the captaincy on a 777 or an Airbus 380 and then the bucks roll in.

    I have met a lot of pilots down the years that were making shag all money, but they persisted because a) they enjoy flying and/or b) they hope to some day get one of those rerally high paying jobs.
    Hell I knew of one guy laid off just after 911 by small airline that was subsequently making more as a club doorman.

    I am not allowed discuss …



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    jmayo wrote: »
    Why do people always assume that all pilots jobs are well paid ?
    Often first officers working for small companies make shag all. The way you make money is by moving to bigger company and flying heavier kit. Eventually you may get the captaincy on a 777 or an Airbus 380 and then the bucks roll in.

    I have met a lot of pilots down the years that were making shag all money, but they persisted because a) they enjoy flying and/or b) they hope to some day get one of those rerally high paying jobs.
    Hell I knew of one guy laid off just after 911 by small airline that was subsequently making more as a club doorman.

    Well I've read before that it's a rewarding job. It's also so expensive to train. I have read also that you are supposed to be able to pay the money back reasonably quickly.

    Out of interest why is flying a 777 or A380, 747 etc. a better paid job. What extra responsability do you have really? I know you could have twice as many people on board (even 8 times as many people!). It's not like you do anything different that makes it safer for 800 people than 100 people?

    Those jets are not meant to be the hardest thing to fly either.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,096 ✭✭✭ImDave


    Pilots, in particular F/O's in the US seem to make substantially less than their EU counterparts, going by what I read on pprune.
    Captains Up to €130,000 +
    First Officers (1,500 hrs) Up to €80,000 +

    The above is taken from FR's pilot recruitment page. Is it anyway believable or is it typical Ryanair rubbish?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 476 ✭✭cp251


    Well I've read before that it's a rewarding job. It's also so expensive to train. I have read also that you are supposed to be able to pay the money back reasonably quickly.

    Where have you read this Workaccount? Because it's not true. As for 60k a year, Euros or Dollars. If I was earning that I woudl die happy. If you think 60k a year is too low for you. You might perhaps consider an alternative career.

    EI-DAV, those salaries are credible enough for long serving pilots. However Ryanair will screw you big time before you ever get near those pay scales. The first six months, after you pay for your rating. You get paid money that even McDonalds would be ashamed of. But the majority of new Ryanair pilots are on Brookfield contracts. They are self employed and paid per hour. In effect they fly for Ryanair but they don't work for Ryanair. They are contractors.
    >500 hours - 55 euro
    >500 <1500 hours - 75 euro
    >1500 hours - 80 euro

    You can expect about 850 hours a years, From that you pay tax, PRSI. You don't get paid leave and if you don't fly for any reason you don't get paid. Oh and if they don't need you anymore you are out.

    Do you really want to be a pilot?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    cp251 wrote: »
    Where have you read this Workaccount? Because it's not true. As for 60k a year, Euros or Dollars. If I was earning that I woudl die happy. If you think 60k a year is too low for you. You might perhaps consider an alternative career.

    EI-DAV, those salaries are credible enough for long serving pilots. However Ryanair will screw you big time before you ever get near those pay scales. The first six months, after you pay for your rating. You get paid money that even McDonalds would be ashamed of. But the majority of new Ryanair pilots are on Brookfield contracts. They are self employed and paid per hour. In effect they fly for Ryanair but they don't work for Ryanair. They are contractors.
    >500 hours - 55 euro
    >500 <1500 hours - 75 euro
    >1500 hours - 80 euro

    You can expect about 850 hours a years, From that you pay tax, PRSI. You don't get paid leave and if you don't fly for any reason you don't get paid. Oh and if they don't need you anymore you are out.

    Do you really want to be a pilot?

    I can't remember where I read it. It's 60k euros. That's alot of money...just thought it might be abit more that's all.

    Even starting off at 55 euro an hour is good. That's 46K per year. (assuming doing 850 hours) Not bad at all really.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 412 ✭✭MCMLXXXIII


    I think the $79,200 salary works out to be around €50,700. I guess it all depends on what you are used to.
    I don't know much about the pay for flying a helicoptor, but I think it would also depend on how much you fly during those 6 "on" days. Also, how much does it cost to live in Trinidad or Tobago. I don't think the cost of living there is very high. You will still probably have your Irish taxes, but at least you won't have any in the Carabean. Plus, that number doesn't include the living allowances.
    Just put it on the Worth-It-Scale, and see what you think.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    MCMLXXXIII wrote: »
    I think the $79,200 salary works out to be around €50,700. I guess it all depends on what you are used to.
    I don't know much about the pay for flying a helicoptor, but I think it would also depend on how much you fly during those 6 "on" days. Also, how much does it cost to live in Trinidad or Tobago. I don't think the cost of living there is very high. You will still probably have your Irish taxes, but at least you won't have any in the Carabean. Plus, that number doesn't include the living allowances.
    Just put it on the Worth-It-Scale, and see what you think.

    It's miles in the future (if I even decide to go with it). I am just trying to get a feel for jobs are out there.

    One the main problems with my current job is the fact that it's just so boring. I'm not going to just leave it in a hurry though. I'm looking for something more exciting. There's not much out there that fits into that category. I've been in many jobs.

    Yes, that would actually be 60K including living expenses. I always think of my salary here in Ireland as including my living expenses whether there paid for seperately or not it doesn't really matter.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 13,186 ✭✭✭✭jmayo


    Well I've read before that it's a rewarding job. It's also so expensive to train. I have read also that you are supposed to be able to pay the money back reasonably quickly.

    Out of interest why is flying a 777 or A380, 747 etc. a better paid job. What extra responsability do you have really? I know you could have twice as many people on board (even 8 times as many people!). It's not like you do anything different that makes it safer for 800 people than 100 people?

    Those jets are not meant to be the hardest thing to fly either.

    I think workaccount you may have over romanticised view of being a pilot.
    Do you mind me asking what age bracket you are in?

    I would guess flying 777 or A380, etc is better paid probably becuase you have more experience under your wings and been in the game that much longer, you have risen through the ranks, you do have more responsibility (a big difference between flying 350 plus passengers across an ocean and flying a bunch of 50 guys 20 miles off shore), you are most likely doing long hual flights that often involves time differences etc and thus it is not likely you are not returning to base every night.
    Probably some of the reasons.

    I have met pilots such as Air Tanker pilots, bush pilots, heli logging, air sea rescue, that are sometimes doing reasonaly long hours of very intensive flying, in very diffilcult weather conditions and they get paid shag all in comparison to BA 747 captain that has co-pilot and the aircraft probably on autopilot for lot of flight. The guys continue to do because it may be stepping stone or more often because they just love it.
    By rights some of these guys should be paid a lot more becuase of the danger but this world is not always fair.

    BTW AFAIK there is no commerical aircraft flying with 800 people on board, unless you manage to pack load of people onto C5 or An124. Jeeze could be O'Leary's next bright idea for long haul :rolleyes:

    I am not allowed discuss …



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    jmayo wrote: »
    I think workaccount you may have over romanticised view of being a pilot.
    Do you mind me asking what age bracket you are in?

    I would guess flying 777 or A380, etc is better paid probably becuase you have more experience under your wings and been in the game that much longer, you have risen through the ranks, you do have more responsibility (a big difference between flying 350 plus passengers across an ocean and flying a bunch of 50 guys 20 miles off shore), you are most likely doing long hual flights that often involves time differences etc and thus it is not likely you are not returning to base every night.
    Probably some of the reasons.

    I have met pilots such as Air Tanker pilots, bush pilots, heli logging, air sea rescue, that are sometimes doing reasonaly long hours of very intensive flying, in very diffilcult weather conditions and they get paid shag all in comparison to BA 747 captain that has co-pilot and the aircraft probably on autopilot for lot of flight. The guys continue to do because it may be stepping stone or more often because they just love it.
    By rights some of these guys should be paid a lot more becuase of the danger but this world is not always fair.

    BTW AFAIK there is no commerical aircraft flying with 800 people on board, unless you manage to pack load of people onto C5 or An124. Jeeze could be O'Leary's next bright idea for long haul :rolleyes:

    Quoted from wikipedia "The new Airbus is sold in two models. The A380-800 was originally designed to carry 555 passengers in a three-class configuration[49] or 853 passengers (538 on the main deck and 315 on the upper deck) in a single-class economy configuration."



    How have you drawn the conclusion that I have an over romanticized view?


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,186 ✭✭✭✭jmayo


    Quoted from wikipedia "The new Airbus is sold in two models. The A380-800 was originally designed to carry 555 passengers in a three-class configuration[49] or 853 passengers (538 on the main deck and 315 on the upper deck) in a single-class economy configuration."

    Is the big one in service yet, which one is Singapore using ?
    Have to say I do not want to be in aircraft with 800 odd (and someof them really are odd :D) people :mad:
    Imagine getting all those people off and then reloaded if delays.
    What is the air quality like ?
    It is bad enough stuffed into bloody 747. (yes they look great from outside but they are just another wide body piece of cr**inside).
    How have you drawn the conclusion that I have an over romanticized view?

    I may be totally wrong but I just get the feeling from your posts that you may believe it is some fantastic job with a fantastic salary and lifestyle.
    Yes it is absolutely great to fly, especially IMHO in the non totally controlled world of airline jets, but it is a long very expensive process to get even on the bottom rungs of the airline industry ladder never mind to the stage where you are captain of a heavy long haul type.
    I think you stumbled on something a while back when you asked about helis.
    From my own limited flying hours in one, they are more fun to fly and they offer some very varied and challenging careers.
    But, there is always a but, there are not the opportunities in this neck of the woods and they will never offer the salary the big airline jobs do.

    I am not allowed discuss …



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    jmayo wrote: »
    I may be totally wrong but I just get the feeling from your posts that you may believe it is some fantastic job with a fantastic salary and lifestyle.
    Yes it is absolutely great to fly, especially IMHO in the non totally controlled world of airline jets, but it is a long very expensive process to get even on the bottom rungs of the airline industry ladder never mind to the stage where you are captain of a heavy long haul type.
    I think you stumbled on something a while back when you asked about helis.
    From my own limited flying hours in one, they are more fun to fly and they offer some very varied and challenging careers.
    But, there is always a but, there are not the opportunities in this neck of the woods and they will never offer the salary the big airline jobs do.

    I'm afraid I can't answer your questions regarding the A380.

    You may be right though about an over romanticized view. It's hard to have a realistic take on something so different than what you have done before.

    All I cans say is that I have always been fascinated by such things as long as I can remember....planes, helicopters, cars etc.

    I worked as a mechanic for a while a few years ago and because of it I lost interest in cars for a few years. I'm a feckin' complicated person so it's very difficult for me to make such a decision like this. As I person I need to enjoy my work and see myself as making a difference or doing something directly important. I'm going to get a few lessons in a helicopter in the next few months. I'd doubt I'll still get a realistic take on it as a career from this though.

    All I know is that I hate working in an office. I need something constantly happening around me to maintain interest in what I'm doing. I think a helicopter would provide this as if you lose concentration then your most likely dead!

    I'm young so I would not mind the idea of travelling and working abroad either so that would not be an issue for me. As regards money....what good is a high paying job if you hate it?

    Regarding money....I have been looking over the bristow training academy and it seems that you can get your UK CAA CPL(H) for 55 thousand dollars. That's only 35k including ppl. Where's the catch?????

    http://www.heli.com/prospective-student/2-tuition-and-fees-JAA.php


  • Registered Users Posts: 794 ✭✭✭electric69


    schools gone ****.too many students, not enough aircraft,level of instruction for the jaa is gone ****. the 55k price doesnt include the cost of exams,licence skill test,ppl checkride,radio telephony test,etc. then the cost of living,car,etc etc.then if you want to fly off shore you will need to get the JAA IR which costs about 28k Sterling (36k euro) alone, that has to be done in a JAA state. And if you dont want to fly off-shore they arent the most advice friendly people either. they want students for their offshore flying in Aberdeen and if your not interested you can go jump as far as they are concerned. *rant over*


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    electric69 wrote: »
    schools gone ****.too many students, not enough aircraft,level of instruction for the jaa is gone ****. the 55k price doesnt include the cost of exams,licence skill test,ppl checkride,radio telephony test,etc. then the cost of living,car,etc etc.then if you want to fly off shore you will need to get the JAA IR which costs about 28k Sterling (36k euro) alone, that has to be done in a JAA state. And if you dont want to fly off-shore they arent the most advice friendly people either. they want students for their offshore flying in Aberdeen and if your not interested you can go jump as far as they are concerned. *rant over*

    What are the total costs then including living expenses?
    Would an offshore job in Aberdeen not be a great starting opportunity?

    I wonder would it be possible to get a job flying for a while before you get your instrument rating?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 476 ✭✭cp251


    I agree with jmayo. I think you have an over-romantised view of being a pilot. You are not unique in this. I too had an over-romantised view of being a pilot, and I suspect even jmayo might admit that too. But with one difference. I only ever wanted to fly. I spent a lot of time in the boring office job, it was purgatory. So naturally from all my reading of aviation books and as I learned to fly. I had a hopelessly romantic view of what it would be like when I finally got 'the job'. Now I do fly and it's great but it's just work and it gets routine, although sometimes, sweaty and scary. But routinely so! The pay is terrible and hours awful.

    But all I ever wanted to do was fly, not be a pilot, just fly. I spoke to a former airline pilot recently, who does a lot of training, admin and sim work now. He told me how he got fed up with all the pressures and just took out a Cessna one eveing and flitted about the locality sightseeing at low level. He said he needed to remind himself sometimes that it was that the flying was reason he got into this in the first place.

    So you need to look at your motives for wanting to be a pilot. Do you want to fly or just be a pilot? Because when the excitement wears off, all you'll have is the flying to enjoy. But if you were never motivated by that in the first place. You won't even have that.

    Before you spend a fortune on training. Go and take a few lessons. Not one, a few. Get a feel for it. Do you really like it? I would suggest that to anyone considering learning to fly. Take a few lessons. I knew a girl once, who decided to learn to fly. She had a big build up to it. Got the money together, made great plans. Started off. Took a few lessons. But walked away. It just wasn't to her liking. Simple as that.

    You don't have to be one of those idiots (me). Who wanted to fly since I was old enough to say 'airpane' to make a successful career as a pilot. Plenty of pilots did it because it seemed like a good career choice. There are plenty of Doctors like that too. But who would you prefer to go to? The Doctor who wanted to help cure people or the Doctor who wanted a career that would pay for his nice house, golf club fees and sometimes his aeroplane?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    cp251 wrote: »
    I agree with jmayo. I think you have an over-romantised view of being a pilot. You are not unique in this. I too had an over-romantised view of being a pilot, and I suspect even jmayo might admit that too. But with one difference. I only ever wanted to fly. I spent a lot of time in the boring office job, it was purgatory. So naturally from all my reading of aviation books and as I learned to fly. I had a hopelessly romantic view of what it would be like when I finally got 'the job'. Now I do fly and it's great but it's just work and it gets routine, although sometimes, sweaty and scary. But routinely so! The pay is terrible and hours awful.

    But all I ever wanted to do was fly, not be a pilot, just fly. I spoke to a former airline pilot recently, who does a lot of training, admin and sim work now. He told me how he got fed up with all the pressures and just took out a Cessna one eveing and flitted about the locality sightseeing at low level. He said he needed to remind himself sometimes that it was that the flying was reason he got into this in the first place.

    So you need to look at your motives for wanting to be a pilot. Do you want to fly or just be a pilot? Because when the excitement wears off, all you'll have is the flying to enjoy. But if you were never motivated by that in the first place. You won't even have that.

    Before you spend a fortune on training. Go and take a few lessons. Not one, a few. Get a feel for it. Do you really like it? I would suggest that to anyone considering learning to fly. Take a few lessons. I knew a girl once, who decided to learn to fly. She had a big build up to it. Got the money together, made great plans. Started off. Took a few lessons. But walked away. It just wasn't to her liking. Simple as that.

    You don't have to be one of those idiots (me). Who wanted to fly since I was old enough to say 'airpane' to make a successful career as a pilot. Plenty of pilots did it because it seemed like a good career choice. There are plenty of Doctors like that too. But who would you prefer to go to? The Doctor who wanted to help cure people or the Doctor who wanted a career that would pay for his nice house, golf club fees and sometimes his aeroplane?

    I don't really know if I want to fly tbh. I think at the moment I want to be a pilot. I don't really think that is a bad motivation though.

    A digger doesn't necessarily dig because he loves digging. He may love the machine.

    I'll be taking some lessons anyway and I'd hope I'd have a better idea then.

    Aren't you a fixed wing pilot though? Can you really compare a helicopter pilot to fixed wing? (with all due respect this is a genuine question)

    I have been reading over pprune forums today and yesterday and came across a guy who bought an R22 and rented it to a flight school. There was 800 hours before the overhaul or so. He sold it when there was only about 200 hours left and did not lose alot of money. The rental of the heli paid the insurance.

    He reckons he flew about 150 hours in it which cost him 7k all in all. What a story!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 476 ✭✭cp251


    A digger doesn't necessarily dig because he loves digging. He may love the machine.

    Most I suspect just like the wages. Not a particularly apt comparsion.
    Aren't you a fixed wing pilot though? Can you really compare a helicopter pilot to fixed wing? (with all due respect this is a genuine question)

    It's all flying. Take a few flying lessons. You will have an entirely different perspective then. You might take a fonder view of your office job then when the realities become apparent.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    cp251 wrote: »
    Most I suspect just like the wages. Not a particularly apt comparsion.



    It's all flying. Take a few flying lessons. You will have an entirely different perspective then. You might take a fonder view of your office job then when the realities become apparent.

    Ok I think I see what your saying. I'm probably just a little over enthusiastic. It's just a job at the end of the day and is much like any other job...sometimes you just don't want to be there....dealing with pressure...boring etc....dealing with people you don't like after so much enthusiasm.

    It's probably just a case of weighing up the pro's and con's against an office job.

    If I went in with all this enthusiasm I would probably end up ruining it for myself even if otherwise I could have stood a chance. I say this because there's probably no way a job could live up to all this enthusiasm. There's nothing there but a let down...a depression.

    I did this with the current job I'm in I think. Instead of thinking about the realities. The grass always seems greener.

    Flying a helicopter just seems like a dream life that's all.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 13,186 ✭✭✭✭jmayo


    You are right cp251 to a degree. I always thought flying was cool but I have tried all sorts of stuff like gliding, ballooning, helis, paragliders, hanggliders, floatplanes etc.
    I figured out years ago that I would never make it as a commerical airline pilot so stopped after doing ppl.
    Also I had family reasons for not being able to travel so that ruled out going for the only types of flying jobs that would really interest me.
    Also by the time I had the money to spend on flying I had grown accustomed to having that money and didn't fancy going back to being broke.

    Workaround, your statement "I want to be a pilot" says a lot.
    Have you flown in small aircraft at all ?
    Try it out and see if you wouldn't mind spending hours and hours maybe flying in an ould cessna 152 or even a fidgity R22 doing your hour building.

    Yes I think helis are cool, so are 172s on floats, but like cp251 says anything can become boring and just another job.
    I have met guys flying smoke jumpers and bush pilots that fly in all sorts of crap weather that small aircraft pilots here would not throw the dog out in.
    Some of them look at it as just a job while their customers often look at them as glorified pedantic (about weather and landing sites) bus drivers.
    To me it is the most fantastic type of flying but it ain't all that glamourous flying into mining camp or inuit settlements in crap weather, dropping off supplies and picking up grumpy passengers who want to get to civilisation to get laid. You won't be driving a BMW or pulling too many gorgeous women when you smell of salmon or moosemeat, but your flying will beat the sh** out of the route between Dublin and Stanstead anyday.

    Anyway try it, it might just make a great if somewhat expensive hobby.

    I am not allowed discuss …



  • Registered Users Posts: 794 ✭✭✭electric69


    What are the total costs then including living expenses?
    Would an offshore job in Aberdeen not be a great starting opportunity?

    I wonder would it be possible to get a job flying for a while before you get your instrument rating?


    honestly i dont know how much and i dont really want to know. its a case of if u have to ask you cant afford it. its a lot! If you call looking at clouds and flying in terrible weather all day everyday fun then by all means go for it( i have no interest in flying offshore so im prob not the best person to ask about it!). the biggest difference between flying helicopters and fixed wing commercially is that helicopter pilots actually fly the aircraft as apposed to autopilot for 95% of the trip.it still does get repetitive but even more so if all you do everyday is look at a blank sky and endless water for 5 years! onshore flying in Ireland is pretty much impossible to get into at the moment with the way the market has gone is recent months. Far too many cowboys flying around with FAA ppl's and the likes. Cant wait for E.A.S.A to come in and kick them out!:pac:
    That being said there are lots of jobs available all over the world.Its a case of building up contacts and knowing people who are already well established in the industry.There are amazing opportunities to travel all over the world and you are going to be paid enough to live comfortably.its not all doom and gloom but take one step at a time. your next target should be getting a lesson done.then the next target should be getting your PPL done and dont look any further than that. People rush into things to quickly and spend thousands top equipment and all the fancy things they can get their hands on when they dont even have a licence.its gonna cost you a lot so dont by unnecessary equipment until you are 100% sure its the job for u (ie dont buy a headset,gps,uniform,etc until you have at least a PPL)

    When you get all 14 ATPL (H) exams you have 3years from the date of your final exam in which to complete you IR or else you will need to sit 4 of your ATPL exams again. You then have 7 years from when u recieve your IR to reach the minimum requirements for the ATPl (usually takes 2/3 years if your working fulltime). Unlike the fixed wing ATPL's the helicopter exams never actually run out so in 20 years down the line you decide to take the IR, you still only have to take the 4 exams.
    Most people do their IR straight away after sitting the ATPL's as there is a huge demand for pilots offshore and they have an excellent chance of getting a job with only 200 hours.The lack of onshore jobs is also a contributing factor.
    Feel free to pm me if you have any questions :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    electric69 wrote: »
    honestly i dont know how much and i dont really want to know. its a case of if u have to ask you cant afford it. its a lot! If you call looking at clouds and flying in terrible weather all day everyday fun then by all means go for it( i have no interest in flying offshore so im prob not the best person to ask about it!). the biggest difference between flying helicopters and fixed wing commercially is that helicopter pilots actually fly the aircraft as apposed to autopilot for 95% of the trip.it still does get repetitive but even more so if all you do everyday is look at a blank sky and endless water for 5 years! onshore flying in Ireland is pretty much impossible to get into at the moment with the way the market has gone is recent months. Far too many cowboys flying around with FAA ppl's and the likes. Cant wait for E.A.S.A to come in and kick them out!:pac:
    That being said there are lots of jobs available all over the world.Its a case of building up contacts and knowing people who are already well established in the industry.There are amazing opportunities to travel all over the world and you are going to be paid enough to live comfortably.its not all doom and gloom but take one step at a time. your next target should be getting a lesson done.then the next target should be getting your PPL done and dont look any further than that. People rush into things to quickly and spend thousands top equipment and all the fancy things they can get their hands on when they dont even have a licence.its gonna cost you a lot so dont by unnecessary equipment until you are 100% sure its the job for u (ie dont buy a headset,gps,uniform,etc until you have at least a PPL)

    When you get all 14 ATPL (H) exams you have 3years from the date of your final exam in which to complete you IR or else you will need to sit 4 of your ATPL exams again. You then have 7 years from when u recieve your IR to reach the minimum requirements for the ATPl (usually takes 2/3 years if your working fulltime). Unlike the fixed wing ATPL's the helicopter exams never actually run out so in 20 years down the line you decide to take the IR, you still only have to take the 4 exams.
    Most people do their IR straight away after sitting the ATPL's as there is a huge demand for pilots offshore and they have an excellent chance of getting a job with only 200 hours.The lack of onshore jobs is also a contributing factor.
    Feel free to pm me if you have any questions :)

    Cheers for painting the picture to me the way you see it. May I ask how you got interested in flying?


  • Registered Users Posts: 794 ✭✭✭electric69


    its what i always wanted to do. I used to live to go to airshows and always wanted to buy and R.C helicopter when i was younger.Ive just always had a passion for flying and when i took an intro flight i got hooked! booked my PPL 4weeks later and had my licence within 5months of my intro flight.My intro flight was in Ireland and i did my PPL in the states.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    electric69 wrote: »
    its what i always wanted to do. I used to live to go to airshows and always wanted to buy and R.C helicopter when i was younger.Ive just always had a passion for flying and when i took an intro flight i got hooked! booked my PPL 4weeks later and had my licence within 5months of my intro flight.My intro flight was in Ireland and i did my PPL in the states.

    Ok and what would put you off an offshore job?


  • Registered Users Posts: 794 ✭✭✭electric69


    Too boring and im too young to be stuck in a 5 year contract really. I have contacts in places from Dubai to Camberra so it would be much more interesting for me to work onshore in places like these and get to see more than clouds and water all day! You get to meet some very interesting people flying onshore, not that im saying 15 scottish men who work on the platforms arent interesting!:p;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 709 ✭✭✭tracker-man


    jmayo wrote: »
    I figured out years ago that I would never make it as a commerical airline pilot so stopped after doing ppl.

    So were you doing it rather for the Airline Pilot job than the love of flying? I would imagine the love of aviation should come first, and the ambition to be an airline pilot second...?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 727 ✭✭✭Oilrig


    "You may change your domocile, ie move to the Bahamas, however you do not lose your 'resident' status in this country. You will be chargable to Irish tax on your world wide income when you are ordinarily resident in this jurisdiction. In order to lose this ordinarily resident status you need to be non resident for three consecutive tax years."

    Sorry Ronnie, have to disagree here.

    You can establish out of state residency after one year, following that, you need min 184 days a year off shore to retain tax free status. There is a three year exile criteria but it can be achieved sooner

    Domicile is loosely defined by Revenue as where you wish to be buried. Thus, you can be a non resident for tax purposes for decades yet still be deemed to be domiciled here. Proverbial can of worms...

    Thats my advisor's speel anyway, no probs yet 10 yrs on.

    As for the salary, supply & demand. They'll offer the minimum they have to in order to fill their seats, the amount will vary depending on location, type, contract conditions (six on - six off vs six on - three off etc) hard to compare like with like TBH.


  • Registered Users Posts: 433 ✭✭giddyup


    Going back to the original post - given what I'm guessing would be a lower overall cost of living in T&T the money seems decent enough for Heli pilots

    Coincidentally I've been looking into this lately - the cost of acquiring a commercial heli licence is lower than that for fixed-wing so I guess that would go some way to explaining why heli pilots are paid less in general (duly noting that there are plenty of other reasons also and plenty of exceptions). Instruction in my neck of the woods is about $30k.

    From the little bit of research I've done my conclusion was that flying helis would have to be something you were going to do primarily for the love of the job and not for making big bucks. You could make a decent living with enough experience behind you but won't be paying cash for the Porsche.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭workaccount


    giddyup wrote: »
    Going back to the original post - given what I'm guessing would be a lower overall cost of living in T&T the money seems decent enough for Heli pilots

    Coincidentally I've been looking into this lately - the cost of acquiring a commercial heli licence is lower than that for fixed-wing so I guess that would go some way to explaining why heli pilots are paid less in general (duly noting that there are plenty of other reasons also and plenty of exceptions). Instruction in my neck of the woods is about $30k.

    From the little bit of research I've done my conclusion was that flying helis would have to be something you were going to do primarily for the love of the job and not for making big bucks. You could make a decent living with enough experience behind you but won't be paying cash for the Porsche.

    As per another post. Yes...around 30K but without an instrument rating which you would need for alot of jobs. (I think). Is the IR just for flying at night?

    Seriously though guys if you got yourself into a position of earning 60K a year that's great money and i'd imagine the cost of living somewhere like T&T would be tiny compared to rip off Ireland.

    Most people don't earn anywhere near that I wouldn't have thought in Ireland. People are just comparing it to fixed wing.


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