| Requirement laid down by the US Federal Aviation | | | | depending on the type of helicopter and the discipline |
| Administration (FAA) which requires a total of 40 | | | | the pilot will enter into. Some of the most common |
| hours training, 20 of those are dual instruction training, | | | | disciplines are Drug Enforcement Administration, Law |
| part of that is solo airtime, on average most helicopter | | | | Enforcement, Border Patrol, Customs, Fire fighting, |
| pilots will complete training in an average of 55 hours. | | | | Local Police and State Police, Military Operations, News |
| In 1907 the rotary winged aircraft was first used and | | | | Gathering, Traffic Reporting, Search and Rescue, Sight |
| was called the Autogyro was created, it had an engine | | | | Seeing, Air Ambulance, Off-shore Rig transport, |
| and a propeller but not a powered wing. In the year | | | | Hospital Emergency Support, Aerial Photography, Crop |
| 1924 the first known powered rotary wing aircraft | | | | Spraying, and Business Transport. The scope and |
| was created and in WWII the helicopter assumed an | | | | Career opportunities for a Trained Helicopter Pilot are |
| important status in the military world, this continues to | | | | extensive giving a pilot an excellent choice to choose |
| today. | | | | from. |
| The helicopter or as it was known as a rotary winged | | | | New and recent developments are unmanned |
| aircraft, has come a very long way since the days of | | | | helicopters, where trained pilots will now only have to |
| the simple Autogyro. An excellent example is the | | | | sit in front of a computer workstation tpbe able to fly |
| Presidential Helicopter, named Marine One, stationed, at | | | | the helicopter, in a similar way that pilots of UAVs. The |
| Anacostia Naval Station, D.C. in a incredible speed of 8 | | | | United States Border Patrol are testing these |
| minute flight, when it is required to be moved out to | | | | helicopter in real time. The military, especially the US |
| Langley AFB.VA for special pilot training (evasive). For | | | | Army, are probably looking at the development of |
| the protection and safety of the President and his | | | | some mini helicopters to be used for surveillance |
| family electronic counter-measures, selected sensors | | | | purposes. The USAF have already experimented with |
| and other special top secret equipment are installed. A | | | | a standard, yet small size, helicopters with the use of |
| Crew of US Marines who are highly trained and | | | | radio control. They have lightened the helicopter by |
| knowledgeable on the special components of the | | | | removing seating, and any instrumentation that is no |
| helicopter is maintained at Langley AFB. The US | | | | longer required. |
| Government considers this helicopter to be the most | | | | FAA and DoD safety regulations are still a criteria in |
| important one worldwide. | | | | much the same way as they are important for a fixed |
| Prior to a Helicopter pilot undergoing training he/she will | | | | wing aircraft. Although Helicopters don't need a runway |
| be examined by a trained FAA physician. He or she | | | | like a fixed wing aircraft, they still require a heli-pad. |
| will undergo a simple physical and eye test. Once | | | | This is a little bit larger than a normal helicopter that |
| qualified, a helicopter pilot will be required to have a | | | | might land on it. |
| repeat physical ever two or three years, this may | | | | Helicopter pilot training schools are to be found world |
| depend on certain factors; age and re-license by the | | | | wide. It is a fast growing industry and there will always |
| FAA. | | | | be a need for helicopter pilots as long as there are |
| Extra specialized helicopter training may be required | | | | helicopters. |