PHOTO: Matt Nicholls

“Anybody can land and stop. It takes real skill to stop and land.” So Geoff Goodyear, president of Newfoundland-based Universal Helicopters, told a novice Helicopters magazine editor at his first industry meeting. There is an attitude among pilots in the rotary-wing community that is not as evident among fixed-wing pilots, even though most helicopter pilots start out with a fixed-wing licence.

With approximately 1,700 aircraft, Canada has the second largest fleet of helicopters in the world, and the sector needs pilots. According to a 2010 Human Resources Study published by the Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace and the Air Transport Association of Canada, Canadian helicopter pilots are retiring at a rate of 17 per cent a year.

Most of Canada’s rotary-wing operations are resource based, so there are many exciting job opportunities open to helicopter pilots including exploration for oil and mining companies, flying in and out of rural communities, heli-logging, aerial construction, fire suppression, dropping of skiers on mountain peaks and medevac flights to hospitals with landing pads.

As with fixed-wing, it is a gradual climb to the desired career spot. Most graduates leave school with 100 hours flight time, while most operators are looking for pilots with 1,000 hours minimum experience to satisfy customer demand. Entry-level positions often require 175 to 200 hours flying experience and include flight instructor or working as first officer in a two- crew operation. Many flight schools have commercial businesses such as tour operations that help students build up flight time and gain more experience.

The cost of acquiring a commercial helicopter licence is between $70,000 and $80,000 depending on the school and type of aircraft. Some students choose to learn on piston machines only to reduce costs, but given that the bulk of Canada’s helicopter fleet is turbine- powered, that is a career- limiting strategy.

The bread and butter of Canada’s helicopter sector is utility-based and supports the country’s vast resource industry, which makes work cyclical. As a result, helicopter pilots often find themselves “on the road” and camped in remote locations. There is also a growing executive charter sector in large urban areas such as Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto that will add an element of stability and predictability to your career.