Rotary wing

[Tequila Sunrise]

Recently I've been thinking about a career in rotary wing aviation as aposed to my original goal of fast jet. Whether or not I want to fly helos in the military or as a civilian with police or Air ambulence services I havn't decided.
Anyway I was wondering if anyone round here had any advice on how to get into rotary wing flying without the assistance of the military, ie do police forces pay for training, or do you have to be ex-military?
Are height restrictions the same for helo pilots?

[visitor]

If I remember right, rotory wing is just a
certificaton, Like multi engine, jet, float,
Get you PPL and go on from there!!!!

X  

[robbo1]

Most police forces want experienced pilots with many hours under their belt.  The requirements that I have seen for pilots in my local area is about 2,000 hours.  I know pilots that have been in the military...and I know pilots that havn't.  Be prepared to spend a lot of money...helicopters are 2 or 3 times more expensive then fixed wing.

[Tequila Sunrise]

looks like I'm goin into the Army/Airforce then, thanks guys

[Craig.]

well if you go into the army for helecoptor work, you will most likely end up in my home town of middle wallop:) its a really nice area, but be warned there is not much to do, and you'll have to make the trip to andover or salisbury to find anything to do. and watch out for the primary schools, playing field they constantly aim footballs at low flying training planes:) as you cross less than 30 feet above the football field

[ozzy72]

Craig if you'd have read my reply in the how tall are you thread, the AAC doesn't have a height restriction.
You have to do all basic in the fixed wing category (used to be Chippies, I don't know what they use now), and then you move across. There was a TV series about this a while back (on BBC I think), have a look in your local second hand bookshops and charity shops, you could find the accompanying book.
Oh and the Police only take ex-military.
And entering the RAF everyone is expected to go fighters, so everyone is a dwarf!

Mark

[Craig.]

do you mean the tv series that followed those trainee pilots from basic fixed wing through to rotary ozzy? if so that was filmed at middle wallop:)

[ozzy72]

That would be the one Craig

[Craig.]

that was a pretty good series.
had it been done the year before my dad would have been featured, as he was a classroom teacher for a period of time there, he got posted a few months before that series was filmed so he missed out on a starring role:) prob for the best

[Tequila Sunrise]

I think I saw it............ wait a min, I wont need to be an officer to fly in the Army which cuts (a year?) out of training , and how much off the pay cheque . least I'll be flying (hopefully )

[Craig.]

i'm not quite sure how it works rank wise to fly in the army, good luck:) and you will have to be patient for the apache as the lynx pilots are getting first choice to fly it.

[ozzy72]

Not being an officer can make a considerable financial difference. However as an NCO you get to fly fly fly, not go to exciting meetings with Generals and stuff......

Ozzy

[Tequila Sunrise]

Ahhhh well, I'll get the financial pay off when I do whatever I do when/if I leave the military.
As to flying the Apache I'm kinda scared of the UK model, some brightspark removed an intake filter to make it lighter and now it can't fire a hellfire for fear of exaust gases being injested by the engines . Still making my eyes piont in seperate directions would be a neat party trick .

[ozzy72]

As cheap party tricks for getting your eyes pointed in different directions I'd recommend either bashing your face against a brick wall until you look like Marty Feldman, or failing that (and considerably less painful, until the following morning....) BEER

[C]

Am I right in thinking that before training in the AAC you have to have done an infantry tour - at least if you are an NCO pilot - check it out...

On the RAF front, height wise I know there is a sitting height restriction for the Puma (I know cos I'm a couple of mm over it -suits me, and it's the same with the Harrier) on top of the general size restrictions. It's all proportional - i'm 6'3", and I know of a Harrier guy who's about 6'5"


Cheers

Charlie