A Day in the Life of a Helicopter Pilot
Helicopter pilots fly to oil rigs, for police organizations, for emergency medical groups, and for the military. Because each helicopter pilot's job is different, what occurs on an average day varies along with the challenges. An oil rig pilot, for example, is a skilled navigator, as he must find a single oil platform in the middle of the ocean, while military pilots are familiar with the tactical use of their weapons.
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How Every Pilot Starts
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Pilots prepare for their flights with a brief. This brief, usually given by the pilot in command, allows the flight crew to discuss what they are doing, how they will deal safely with flight situations as they arise, or any changes to the mission. This brief is also the time when the pilot pushes distractions out of his mind so he can focus solely on flying the aircraft safely. Pilots call this mental zone the "flight box."
News Helicopter Pilots
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News helicopter pilots fly specially equipped helicopters with cameras mounted underneath the body of the helicopter. One pilot flies the helicopter, while the other narrates the scene and directs the camera so the images can be relayed back to the TV station, and then broadcast. News helicopter pilots must be extremely familiar with the area that they fly in, as most times they don't fly along preplanned routes but go instead to the scene of the action.
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Military Helicopter Pilots
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Different military helicopters require different skills in a pilot. For example, AH-1 Cobra pilots provide close air support to ground troops, SH-60F Seahawk pilots give Navy ships anti-submarine and cargo transfer capabilities, CH-53E Sea Stallion conduct anti-mine operations, and CH-47 Chinooks provide troop transport.
Oil Rig Pilots
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Oil rig pilots take cargo and personnel from their shore base to off-shore oil rigs. This type of flying can be very dangerous, as oil rig pilots are expected to be able to get their cargo and people to the oil rig in various weather conditions. Many oil rigs are located in areas without radar or navigation signal coverage, so flying into these areas means flying without the assistance of Air Traffic Control or other navigational aids.
Safari Pilots
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Safari pilots provide up-close views of wild animals that otherwise couldn't be tracked. They fly very low to the ground in a flight regime called "nap of the Earth," where the pilot flies as low as possible, raising his altitude just high enough to avoid obstacles in his path. This type of flying is done in good weather only, as low-altitude flight is very dangerous during bad weather.
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- Photo Credit Jesse Awalt
