Deciding which route to take!

hypnotikal · Post by **hypnotikal** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:48 am

Hey everyone

I'm taking the AME (M) Program at BCIT and only have 4 months left till i graduate. It seems that i have to choose quite soon which aviation direction i should go. I am personally more interested in helicopters but am open to a fixed wing operation as well. I know there are ups and downs for both sides, so i would like to hear from some experiences so i can get a better overall impression...

Any info is welcomed........thanks!

123dash · Post by **123dash** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:22 am

A lot more jobs on the fixed wong side

scootermp · Post by **scootermp** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 9:43 pm

ya more jobs on fixed wing, if you want to get into helicopters, be prepared to be away from home a lot. You may aslo have trouble filling the required amout of tasks in your log book, as many helicopters just don't have the systems that aircraft do. Good luck

cat-boat · Post by **cat-boat** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:22 am

If you like to travel and don't mind working outside you will have fun with helicopters. To get the most experiance try to get on with a smaller outfit. You will get to do more. The only problem with that is that they don't pay much. But you will get much better experiance with them. Don't get trapped by the big guys willing to pay more, you won't learn as much or as fast

Fully Articulated · Post by **Fully Articulated** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:08 pm

Scootermp "helicopters just don't have the systems that aircraft do"

Can't helicopters be called aircraft too? Please!!!!!!!!

I know the seized rotor community feels that the Theory of Rotory Wing flight is based on the fact that the Earth repels them, however it would be nice to still belong to the "Aircraft" grouping. lol
Cheers

PS With the exception of pressurization what systems were you referring to?

ybp · Post by **ybp** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:32 pm

I have worked for a fixed wing charter airline since I got out of tech, three and a half years, and I love it. Most of our bases work a 2pm to 2am shift and 4 days on 4days off, but here we work 8-5. Sometimes i wish I had gone the fling wing way, but I am married and have a family. We do have periodic "rescue missions" to fly some place to fix a plane and that brakes up the routine somewhat. As far as the wages, talking with other guys that i graduated with, fixed wing is more reliable 12 mos a year, fling wing here are busy in the summer and dead in the winter. One guy on helicopters works nights all summer and makes lots of money then works days and takes a lot of time off in the winter. But face it, what ever you do you have to start at the bottom and work your way up, and all the crap rolls downhill

Goodluck and don't forget to have fun