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About Dottie Norkus
Expertise
I can address questions concerning: airline pilot employment & entry level airline careers in the Unites States, women pilots, flight training, pilot certification, flight scholarships (mostly for women), aviation & airline safety topics, aviation accident investigation, air carrier accidents and airline operations. ***Please note, I cannot address flight training or career queries from outside the United States. If you are not in the USA, please direct your question to the message boards at www.PPRUNE.org as you can surely find an answer there. For those in India try http://www.indianpilots.com Also, I cannot address questions about aero engineering degree programs/careers or aviation management careers.

Experience
U.S. Regional Airline Pilot. I have also had 15 years previous experience in airline ground operations, as well as a part 91 commercial skydive pilot and ferry pilot.

Organizations I belong to
I am a charter member of Women In Aviation International as well as the International Organization of Women Pilots: the Ninety Nines. I keep a database of flight scholarships for women (mostly SW USA) and mentor student pilots.

Education/Credentials
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University certificate in Aviation Safety/Accident investigation.

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Aviation/Flying - Helicopter career changer

Expert: Dottie Norkus - 11/1/2009

Question
Hi Dottie,

I'm trained as a design engineer, but if I spend another day in a cubical I will EXPLODE! At this point it is definitely about enjoying your work. I've been investigating options and am really interested and excited in helicopters.
I'd never considered it because I assumed it took an extremely special person to do it, but after some reading I don't think that's necessarily the case. I’m smart, athletic with good depth perception, so I think it’s doable? I plan to take a check flight at a local school soon.

I’ve read plenty of posts about how you have to make ends meet unless you get or make the right breaks, but I’m not deterred.

You'd mentioned Elizabeth in a few posts. I'm sure her email has changed since she moved to Europe, but if she is still fielding questions I'd love to have her new address. I'm still researching and don't have an intelligent set of questions together yet. Did she convert to the JAA license here or over there? She had to take 14 written tests? She got her first starter job there with only 150hrs+/-? Which country? What a dream. I'd looked at teaching TESOL to get to live in Europe.

I’m about to read Charlie Duchek’s article.

Thanks for all your posts. Peace.

Answer
Russ

It seems Charlies article has moved to a new URL- http://www.flymidwest.com/details.aspx?NavID=116

My friend got her helo first job where she took lessons, flying tours and photo shoots in R22s to build experience, eventually moving on to Grand Canyon tours. Only after having turbine experience did she get an opportunity abroad (with an internal recommendation), not in a JAA European country but using FAA certificates elsewhere. If you want to contact her for advice, eMail pilotcareer at yahoo.com and I will forward your inquiry.

You might also try these forums as they are full of pilots who could provide some input on a change to a career as a rotorcraft pilot-

http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterforum/index.php

They have a flight training forum and lots of current helo pilots and students there can give you their experiences. As for flying in Europe, I suggest this forum (even though it is mainly airline/fixed wing) because it is mostly European- http://www.pprune.org

Good luck to you!

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