The single biggest employer of helicopter pilots worldwide is the offshore oil and gas industry. In places like the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico hundreds of helicopters provide the transportation services to and from the oil rigs. This is a very large industry with some companies operating over 200 helicopters and employing several hundred pilots. In the North Sea, where weather conditions can be very challenging, the helicopter operators use medium or large twin-engine helicopters with up to 19 passenger seats. In the Gulf of Mexico it is more common to find smaller aircraft including many single-engine helicopters like the Bell 407 or the Eurocopter AS350BII. In either location flight operations are conducted with military precision and on a scale that could only be compared to the airline industry. Some of the major players in this sector of the helicopter industry are:
GULF OF MEXICO:
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NORTHSEA:
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Almost all of the above companies have recently indicated that they are concerned about the supply of suitably qualified helicopter pilots. In the case of the Bristow Group (which is also the parent company of Air Logistics) they have publicly stated that the shortage of pilots presents a very significant strategic challenge at present. This is good news for current or prospective helicopter pilots. After many years of oversupply the demographics of the industry have caused a significant turnaround. An experienced helicopter pilot now enjoys the luxury of being able to pick and choose between several attractive job offers. The shortage of pilots has created upward pressure on salaries and brought improved working conditions as employers struggle to retain their experienced staff.
At present Gulf of Mexico operators typically look for pilots with at least 1,000 hours PIC and an instrument rating. However, all of the operators are currently exploring ways that they can safely reduce the minimum hour requirement without compromising safety or upsetting their oil company customers. Some are developing programs to put less experienced pilots in the co-pilot seat even in aircraft that do not require a second pilot. Others are exploring the feasibility of developing intensive training courses designed specifically for offshore oil support operations. In the future it seems very likely that pilots with 500 hours or less will be able to find employment with leading Gulf of Mexico helicopter companies.
In the North Sea many companies have hired newly qualified pilots for co-pilot positions. Bristow Academy, Inc. has trained pilots under the sponsorship of some of the larger operators during the past 10-years. These individuals who were fortunate enough to have their training paid for returned to co-pilot positions straight out of flight school. This approach to training is now very unusual and it is likely that larger operators will expect trainees to contribute some, if not all, of the cost of their basic training. Some Bristow Academy graduates of the JAA program have been hired with as little as 200 hours of total flight time and sent to simulator school for advanced helicopters such as the Sikorsky S-92. It is more likely however that an operator in the North Sea will hire a pilot who has accumulated 500 to 1,000 flight hours. Different companies have different philosophies. Some operators feel that a pilot who has spent 1,000 hours as a flight instructor is more likely to succeed than someone straight out of flight school. Other operators would rather bring a newly qualified pilot into their organization while they are still at an early formative stage of their careers.
Whether it is in the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, or any of the other major offshore oil support locations (Nigeria, Indonesia, Persian Gulf, or Alaska to name a few) a pilot will fly excellent equipment in a very professional environment. These companies invest enormous sums of money to ensure that they have safe and reliable aircraft and highly effective safety management programs. On a typical day most pilots will fly 3-5 hours in an 8-hour shift. There is a wide variety of work schedules in use in the industry. Some companies operate on a 2-weeks on 2-weeks off basis, some rotate weekly, and some even work 3 months on 1 month off with a 5-day work week. Most pilots in the US sector earn between $45,000 and $75,000 per year. Experienced pilots who work extra shifts can earn considerably more. Pilots in the North Sea and in other parts of the world are generally paid more than US based pilots.
