Careers That Save Lives.
From fire fighting & law enforcement to offshore oil & emergency medical services, the global demand for professional helicopter pilots is huge & so are the rewards.
"Many of the best pilots that come here to Papillon were trained at Guidance. Teaching at a high altitude in a Robinson really prepares pilots for what the industry needs right now.
"All of the qualified Guidance-trained pilots we’ve had over the last 3-4 years have gone forward in the industry and continue to be very successful."
John Becker
Director of Operations/Nevada Operations at Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters
Combine rising domestic jobs in the U.S. helicopter industry with international demand for helicopter pilots, and what you have is a student helicopter pilot’s “perfect storm”.
The number of jobs for professionally trained U.S. pilots is greater than it has been in years.
The largest EMS operator in the U.S., Air Methods, with 315 locations and 400 aircraft, hired nearly 300 pilots in 2013 alone. Additionally in the U.S., 1970’s era helicopter pilots are retiring, adding to the overwhelming demand for professionally trained and experienced helicopter pilots.
"After completing my training, then instructing at Guidance Aviation for almost two years, I began flying the Bell 206L3 for PHI in the Gulf of Mexico.
"My training at Guidance prepared me for working in the real world."
Matthew Mannion
PHI, Inc, Guidance Graduate & Former Instructor
"I am grateful for what John Stonecipher, CEO, Guidance Aviation, has done for me. He personally called Maverick Helicopters and recommended me.
Kenan Bahadir
Medevac Pilot at Air Methods, Guidance Graduate
"I am currently an Officer (Lieutenant Junior Grade, LTJG) and pilot for the US Coast Guard, flying the HH-65C Dolphin from Air Station New Orleans.
The high-altitude training I received at Guidance Helicopters played a key role in how successful I was in Naval Flight Training. It also gave me great confidence in my abilities as a helicopter pilot."
Mike Vickers
U.S. Coast Guard, Guidance Graduate
"Flying a Robinson helicopter at Prescott’s elevation in the summer teaches you how to respect the aircraft and stay ahead of her. We never knew anything different—power management was something we all dealt with every day [at Guidance].
When I land on platforms 150 miles offshore it’s nothing new. It’s just like all the off-airport operations at Guidance Aviation, but at sea level in an aircraft with a lot more power."
Jay Van Wagenen
Era Helicopters, Guidance Graduate & Former Instructor
The overseas growth of helicopter pilot jobs is even more staggering as countries like China are set to triple the number of civilian aircraft in the Chinese airspace over the next five years.
China is acquiring hundreds of aircraft and subsequently scrambling for both professionally trained pilots as well as helicopter flight instructors and experienced aviation professionals. This is great news for helicopter pilot school students seeking jobs in the rotorcraft industry. Many leading helicopter companies in the U.S. are working with China to meet these demands.