Helicopter Pilot Salary

Being a helicopter pilot is a dream for many youngsters, thanks to the adventure and excitement such a career offers. However, before choosing a career, there are many things that need to be taken into consideration, the main being remuneration. While other factors are important as well, usually it is the salary that is the main determinant while choosing a career. A helicopter pilot commands a good salary, but getting a job is not as easy as it seems. A majority of people think that if one is a helicopter pilot, flying a chopper for a commercial airline or in the federal government is the only job available. Contrary to this belief, there are variety of fields in which helicopter pilots are employed in, but the salary for most of these are not as good as what military pilots or commercial pilots earn.

Determinants of Helicopter Pilot Salary

As mentioned above, salary is usually the main criteria that most people look at while choosing a career. If you have decided to become a helicopter pilot, then there are a few factors that will influence the salary that you can earn, and these are discussed below.

Experience and Flying Hours
The main factor that influences your salary when you are a helicopter pilot is your experience and the number of flying hours you have. In fact, if you do not possess sufficient flying hours, getting a job can be extremely difficult. These days, anything between 500 to 1000 hours is a necessity to get a good job, with most companies that pay well looking for pilots with 1000+ flying hours. Experience is also something that counts in addition to flying hours, and pilots that have experience as Certified Flying Instructors (CFI) are preferred. While not absolutely necessary, getting your CFI license is a good step to finding a high paying job.

Field of Employment and Type of Job
The field of employment and the type of job you get also plays a major part in deciding your salary. There are several different fields of employment for helicopter pilots. A few of the sectors are flight instruction, medical transport, agricultural spraying, aerial photography, law enforcement, corporate and business air transport, travel and tours, TV and radio, and military and navy. The average salary for a helicopter pilot also depends on the conditions of flying. A helicopter pilot who rescues people from floods or storms would receive a higher pay than one who shows travelers sights and natural scenic beauty.

Other Factors that Affect Salary
Certifications and educational qualifications also play a major role in increasing the prospects of helicopter pilot salary. Pilots with better certifications and educational qualifications are preferred by the bigger companies that tend to pay more. The location of employment is also another primary aspect to determine law enforcement or commercial salary. Big cities not only pay more salary, but also ensure more opportunity with more work available for helicopter pilots, thus increasing healthy competition.

If you are looking for a career as a helicopter pilot, the above are some of the things that you will have to keep in mind to make sure you are earning a decent salary.

Helicopter Pilot Salary

Here are a few salary figures to give you an estimate of how much this career pays. If you are a helicopter pilot working in Atlanta, Georgia; you may receive a median pay of approximately $185,000. Those employed in Dallas, Texas may attract an annual average salary of around $102,000, whereas chopper pilots in Chicago, Illinois may receive a pay of $68,000 per annum.

The helicopter pilot salary in case of flight instruction may range from $20,000 to $35,000 per annum. Helicopter pilots who are working in medical sectors for transporting patients to the hospital by air might get a yearly pay of around $45,000 to $85,000. Those employed for agricultural spraying get a considerable salary which may range from $50,000 to even $250,000 per annum.

Helicopter pilot jobs in law enforcement agencies and police departments may be entitled to a yearly pay of around $45,000 to $80,000. However, for becoming a helicopter pilot for the police department, you may have to be a cop first. In some cases, you may be recruited as a helicopter pilot, but also receive training for a ground police officer job. Those working as offshore helicopter pilots may get a yearly compensation of approximately $50,000 to $80,000. Nowadays, experienced pilots in this industry are also making six figure salaries.

Sightseeing helicopter pilots and those providing services in the tours and travel industry may earn a salary of about $30,000 to $60,000. This pay scale is low as compared to those employed in law enforcement services due to easy flying conditions. Among the highest paid are those employed in the navy and army, with an average salary of $110,000 and $73,000 per annum respectively. In this manner, the salary counts on what kind of job the pilot is supporting and the area of employment.

You need to note that the aforementioned salary ranges are approximate estimates and might change depending on financial situations.