Helicopter pilots might have views of some of the most wonderful views as they get to get inside national parks, mountainous regions, and other wonderful destinations for sightseeing. However, not everyone is drawn to this profession. Some perceive it as riskier than operating fixed-wing aircraft. There are also differences in training to become a helicopter pilot vs a fixed-wing pilot and in the returns pilots get after investing in such a career. This article will examine how helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft differ for pilots.

The differences start before training to become a pilot and continue after

The differences between a helicopter pilot and a fixed-wing pilot start before one has become a licensed pilot. To begin with, one needs to carefully evaluate the costs of training to become a pilot, alongside the chances of securing a job in either a helicopter or a fixed-wing aircraft. Some countries might have a booming fixed-wing sector and a limited scope for helicopter pilots, as is the case with Nepal – the nation is home to the most dangerous airport in the world.

Talking to Simple Flying, Moti Ram Itani, director of a Part 147 school in Nepal with a wealth of experience in counseling students about approaching piloting studies, said:

“Training to become a pilot, especially for an aspirant in Nepal, is unbelievably expensive - especially if you consider the GDP of the nation. So, a person looking to become a pilot in Nepal must carefully examine their job prospects. For some reason, we have not been able to expand the aviation sector of Nepal as much as we would have liked. Yes, the helicopter industry is growing, most notably in the Everest region. Despite it all, becoming a helicopter pilot (or an airline pilot, for that matter) in Nepal is quite challenging. Given the expenses of becoming a helicopter pilot and the various hurdles you need to overcome before securing a job in the aviation sector of this nation, I would ask any aspiring pilot to weigh these factors before deciding.”

This dilemma is not unique to Nepal. The diverse opportunities on regional and international carriers mean you can also make more money after becoming an airline pilot. According to Southern Utah University:

“ As a helicopter pilot, you can potentially make $45 for every $1 spent on your education. As an airplane pilot, you can potentially make $56 for every $1 spent on your education.”

The aerodynamics of helicopters and aircraft are quite different, and so is the safety record.

A helicopter can take off and land vertically, while a fixed-wing aircraft needs a vast expanse of horizontal flight. The service ceilings of these aircraft are also quite different, as are the places where they are operated. Helicopter pilots on rescue missions in places like the Everest Base Camp must fly in extremely difficult conditions.

Captain Maurizio, an Italian who holds the record for the highest rescue operation on Everest, commented about the challenges a helicopter pilot has in flying close to 8000 meters on a rescue mission:

“7,000m (23,000ft) is the upper limit of a helicopter’s certification…(The altitude )changes everything. It changes the way we fly, it changes the way the machine flies, it changes all the instruments – there are a lot of things to think about.”

However, a fixed-wing aircraft has a cruising altitude of around 33,000-42,000 ft – a much higher altitude.

There are also marked differences in how safe these two aircraft types are. Stephen M. Dickson, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) administrator, also highlighted the varying safety records in a speech posted on January 28th, 2020. The following statistics highlight the divergence in the safety of these aircraft:

• "US Helicopter Safety Team’s latest numbers [show] that the helicopter sector has a fatal accident rate of approximately 0.63 per 100,000 hours, based on a five-year moving average. That’s well below the overall general aviation rate of approximately 0.94"- Stephen M. Dickson
• Commercial jets have a fatality rate of one death per 2.7 million flights.

Flying helicopters is considered more skill-intensive

On special missions, helicopters can fly into some of the most challenging conditions, demanding more skills from their pilots. Some of the most challenging missions on helicopter missions include:

• Coastguard helicopters on maritime rescue missions.
• Rescue missions in challenging mountainous conditions.
• Attack helicopters on peacebuilding missions.

Transitioning from a helicopter to a fixed-wing isn’t easy

While it is a challenging switch, Ryan Goodwin, an airline pilot for a US-based regional airline and certified flight instructor and ground instructor, reported for Simple Flying that a professional helicopter pilot can transition to the fixed-wing industry:

“ In the United States, a pilot must generally have 1,500 total hours of flight time in any aircraft type, but for those who trained in the military, this total time required is reduced to 750 hours. In addition to these total time requirements, aspiring airline pilots must become eligible for an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate, which requires a commercial pilot certificate in airplane multi-engine land with instrument rating, 50 hours in airplane multi-engine land aircraft, of which up to 25 hours can be completed during initial training at the airlines, and 250 total hours of pilot-in-command time in an airplane.”