Helicopter Pilot - Tasks and specialisations
Kaiwhakarere Toparere
Tasks & duties
Helicopter pilots may do some or all of the following:
- study and prepare flight plans
- check weather conditions before flights
- check equipment and the condition of the helicopter
- work out the amount of fuel needed for flights, and refuel and load the helicopter accordingly
- brief passengers on safety and flight details
- provide commentary to tourists during scenic flights
- get clearance from air traffic control if flying in a regulated area, or send a message over the radio stating their flight plan
- control the helicopter on the ground and in the air
- study information from flight instruments
- write reports and keep a flight log.
Helicopter pilots fly for a variety of reasons, including search and rescue work, instructing, scenic work, heli-skiing, firefighting, charter work and logging.
Pilots pushing the helicopter out of the hangar
Helicopter pilots who take clients heli-skiing need to know about mountain conditions
Specialisations
- Agricultural Helicopter Pilot
- Agricultural helicopter pilots fly helicopters to apply agricultural chemicals or fertiliser to farm land.
Agricultural pilot job information - Helicopter Pilot (Media)
- Helicopter pilots who work in the media industry assist with aerial filming, news gathering, television production and aerial photography.
- Helicopter Pilot (Tourism)
- Helicopter pilots who work in the tourism industry take tourists on scenic tours by air, fly them to remote destinations or transport them between popular spots such as golf courses and fishing spots.
- Rescue Helicopter Pilot
- Rescue helicopter pilots search for and rescue people by air, fly people to a hospital or between hospitals, fight fires, or help the police and bomb squad.
Updated
August 2008
