pj wrote:I would teach them to be a "Commercial Pilot". Safe flying, briefings, flight planning, customer service, operations. The stuff training schools don't have time to do, at my expense.
As an example there are two pilots one with 120 hours and the other say 800 + hours. The 120 hour pilot takes nearly twice as long from start up to take off and shut down, no problem safety is paramount, so bookings need to be further apart. He has trouble doing a 30 min scenic in 30 mins, so a lower hourly rate, certain helipads under certain wind conditions he cant land at. He not only has to fly safely, maintain track and height but also talk and inform passengers, use the radio and keep SAR. He has generally no idea about the paperwork side of the business. If doing a photographic job he is slower and less precise. etc... you have to have someone else available to fill in for them when the flight is above their capability level. Extra cost
The point is that there are many larger companies that could employ low time pilots but couldn't be bothered to put the extra effort in, So if a bare hour pilot can get a job being paid the award. Excellent. They still need someone to guide and mentor them and not leave it up to other companies to support their pilots,( Hello cupcake). or the low time pilot can go and work for no money or a hourly rate , be expected to exceed F&D and weight limitations and teach himself , while the parent company still charges full rate for them.
Just because you have a piece of paper that sais Commercial Heli Pilot . in reality they are no where near it.
Sure, I understand and appreciate all of that and I think that those are things that an employer has to accept as being their responsibility when taking on new pilots.
Sadly, it seems that some employers are extremely disrespectful towards new pilots, despite the fact that the new pilot has demonstrated commitment towards his/her chosen profession by spending around $70,000 on training. They have an attitude that says, "I'm doing you worthless noobs a favour by letting you get anywhere near my helicopters. You should be paying me!" Then they'll act affronted when those pilots leave after two years/turbine endorsement/whatever.