Helicopter Pilot Jobs in Missouri
Cities in Missouri with Aviation Schools:
- Columbia
- Dearborn
- Des Peres
- Duenweg
- Easton
- Eldon
- Ellisville
- Eureka
- Greenwood
- Hannibal
- Harrisburg
- Hazelwood
- Hermann
- High Ridge
- Hillsboro
- Hollister
- Holts Summit
- House Springs
- Independence
- Jefferson City
- Kansas City
- Lake Ozark
- Lake Saint Louis
- Lebanon
- Lees Summit
- Liberty
- Macon
- Manchester
- Maplewood
- Maryville
- Missouri City
- Moberly
- Moscow Mills
- Mount Vernon
- Neosho
- OFallon
- Springfield
- St Charles
- St Joseph
- St Louis
- St Peters

Seeking Professional Helicopter Pilot Jobs in Missouri
To land the top helicopter pilot jobs in Missouri depends so much upon the "type" of piloting job you are pursuing. Meaning, not all helicopter jobs in Missouri are the same. Not all helicopter jobs in Missouri are considered to be the "best-paying jobs." The top commercial helicopter pilot jobs around Missouri will require set minimum requirements.
Brand new helicopter pilots from Missouri are very limited in the type of piloting jobs in Missouri they qualify for because new pilots typically don't have enough flight experience. Most entry-level helicopter pilot jobs in Missouri require a minimum of 1,200 flight hours. Brand new commercial pilots (those right out of pilot training school) typically have only 220 total flight hours. Two-hundred and twenty hours is not a lot of hours.
Unfortunately, many times there is a 1,000 flight hour gap between completing commercial flight training and having the minimum requirements to land an industry "entry-level" pilot job in Missouri. Somehow the new commercial helicopter graduate must earn 1,000 additional hours or they don't qualify for the best paying helicopter pilot jobs in Missouri.
Due to a lack of flight experience, the only pilot job a new commercial pilot can land is the CFI job (Certified Flight Instructors), training new student pilots in Missouri. The truth is, most professional helicopter pilots start their piloting career as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). Their first entry-level helicopter pilot job is a CFI in Missouri.

In the early stages of a new helicopter pilot career, new pilots from Missouri are very limited in what helicopter pilot jobs they qualify for. The main problem with hiring brand new commercial pilots is that they do not have enough flight hours. Typically, a brand new commercial helicopter pilot in Missouri has earned 220 flight hours.
Essentially, the process of securing a commercial pilot rating will net a newly rated pilot with 220 total flight hours, and 100 of those hours are "pilot in command" hours, also known as "PIC" hours. The point is, the new commercial helicopter pilot in Missouri don't qualify for one of the good-paying pilot jobs in Missouri, therefore the only piloting jobs available are CFI jobs.
Commercial helicopter pilots only have a couple of ways to earn enough PIC hours to land the best-paying commercial piloting job in Missouri, and most pilots earn their required hours as Certified Flight Instructors.
Researching Helicopter Pilot Salary?Here are some of the top-paying helicopter pilot jobs in Missouri
Law Enforcement Pilot: Police Helicopter Pilots in Missouri are typically police officers and commercial helicopter pilots. The typical law enforcement pilot job requirements are simple and clear: Must be a US citizen, pass a background check, and has either attended and graduated from a police academy or is willing to participate in and graduate.
The flight requirements of helicopter pilots seeking a job as a law enforcement helicopter pilot in Missouri include a Commercial Instrument Rotor-wing Certificate, Class II Flight Physical, a minimum of 1,200 total times, 800 PIC hours, and 700 turbine hours.

Emergency Medical Services Helicopter Pilot: Professional helicopter pilots seeking a full-time job piloting for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) companies in Missouri need to be the best of the best. Keep in mind, EMS helicopter pilots are "the best of the best" and the "top dogs" in the aviation industry, therefore most employers give preference to pilots with previous EMS experience with VFR proficiency.
Strong communication skills are a must. Desire to being an integral member of a medical-based team is a must. Job seekers must be able to perform strenuous physical tasks such as lifting and carrying weight up to 90 lbs.
Other helicopter pilot requirements include a current FAA Commercial Certificate, Class II Medical Certificate, Helicopter Instrument Rating, and it is preferred that pilot candidates possess ATP helicopter rating and have recent IFR experience.
Utility Inspection Pilot: Utility Inspect Helicopter Pilots in Missouri must be able to survey powerlines using LiDAR and photographic/video equipment to inspect and document the condition of power poles. Top utility companies are looking for helicopter pilots with extraordinary helicopter experience flying in and around a "wire environment" (utility lines).
Helicopter pilots seeking employment with utility companies must demonstrate and prove their skills to operate a helicopter safely and in a professional manner. To land the best paying utility jobs, they must prove their ability to follow and comply with all Federal (FAA), State, and local regulations. Employers realize that the best utility helicopter pilots have established their ability to work independently and with a team.

Typically, helicopter pilot job candidates need a minimum of 3000 hours as Pilot In Command, a minimum of 300 hours in a turbine, flying utility inspections around power lines with photography is preferred. Job candidates should have FAA commercial license, current medical, clean driving record, clean background check, clean drug test, and no accidents or incident reports.
Charter Tour Pilot: The top helicopter tour companies typically recruit full-time helicopter pilots from Missouri to fly public tours. Job seekers need a commercial pilot rating along with CFI and/or CFII.
Helicopter tour pilots must demonstrate their skills in operating a helicopter safely and in a professional manner. To land the best paying utility jobs, helicopter pilot candidates must prove their ability to follow and comply with all Federal (FAA), State, and local regulations.
Tour helicopter pilots have training in a Robinson R44 and Robinson R66, and turbine hours is preferred or considered an advantage. Helicopter tour pilots need a minimum of 250-1,000 hours and should be qualified for aerial photography, aerial surveys, and sightseeing tour jobs.
Certified Flight Instructor: Helicopter pilots from Missouri looking to land the best flight instructor jobs must have plenty of hours in a Robinson R22 and R44 and R66 Helicopters. Strangely enough, the highest-paid flight instructors also conduct sightseeing tours as long as the pilot meets specific hourly requirements.
Job candidates need to be able to operate as independent contractors working on an hourly basis, flying anywhere from 5 to 25 hours a week.
Flight training job candidates need the following to be current: FAA Commercial Rotorcraft Certificate, Instrument Rotorcraft Rating, Flight Instructor Certificate, (“Instrument” rated Flight Instructor Rating usually preferred), Class II Medical Certificate, and SFAR CFI Endorsement for R22 and R44
Minimum flight experience - a minimum of 250 hours total time in a helicopter, and preferably 150 of those hours in Robinson Rotorcraft.
FAA - A History of Helicopter Structures Facts for Missouri
An aircraft is a device that is used for, or is intended to be used for, flight in the air. Major categories of aircraft are airplane, rotorcraft, glider, and lighter-than-air vehicles. Each of these may be divided further by major distinguishing features of the aircraft, such as airships and balloons. Both are lighter-than-air aircraft but have differentiating features and are operated differently.
Newton's Law of Motion
Newton’s second law states that if a body moving with uniform speed is acted upon by an external force, the change of motion is proportional to the amount of the force, and motion takes place in the direction in which the force acts. This law may be stated mathematically as follows: Force = mass × acceleration (F = ma). If an aircraft is flying against a headwind, it is slowed down. If the wind is coming from either side of the aircraft’s heading, the aircraft is pushed off course unless the pilot takes corrective action against the wind direction.
Landing the Top Helicopter Pilot Jobs in Missouri
Are you seeking the top helicopter pilot jobs near Missouri? Are you searching for a helicopter flight school? Or if we're starting from scratch, have you ever flown in a helicopter? Have you ever spoken to a professional helicopter pilot? Do you know anything about the average helicopter pilot salary in Missouri? The reason why we ask is due to the inherent challenge of flying helicopters as a career or as a job. Helicopters are not aerodynamic and they are very difficult to fly, and helicopters pilots require extraordinary skills.
To fly, Helicopter pilots require extreme coordination between their eyes, ears, hands, and feet. Yes, in order to fly, helicopter pilots use their sight, hearing, and all four limbs simultaneously. The question is, do you have what it takes to learn to fly and then go on to land the top paying helicopter pilot jobs in Missouri?
Flying helicopters is not a natural activity, meaning, no one is born with the "natural" talent or skills to fly a helicopter. To become a great helicopter pilot landing the top helicopter pilot jobs, pilots from Missouri have to devote a great deal of time, energy, and passion into developing unique skills that do not come naturally.
Flying helicopters is counterintuitive and there is no other job in the world similar to flying helicopters. Meaning, your previous experience does not help you in any way, and as a matter of fact, it might hurt you as you seek to develop helicopter pilot skills.
The truth is helicopter pilots, seeking helicopter pilot jobs in Missouri are very unique people with unique and peculiar skills. The good news is, helicopter pilots in Missouri are in high demand!
Helicopter Pilot Salary in Missouri:How much do helicopter pilots make and why you should pursue helicopter flight school
Professional helicopter pilots do not get rich flying helicopters in Missouri. It's possible to become rich, but most helicopter pilot jobs pay anywhere from $65,000 and $100,000 annually. In other words, people usually do not pursue helicopter pilot jobs in Missouri to become rich and wealthy. However, being a professional helicopter pilot in Missouri provides one with a very "rich" life experience, as well as a healthy income.
Want a career of flying helicopters in Missouri? Are you looking at flying search and rescue missions in Missouri or aerial firefighting operations around Missouri? Do you see yourself flying a helicopter near Missouri as an EMS pilot, Fire Fighting pilot, Forestry pilot, etc? The demand for helicopter pilot jobs in Missouri is very high and competitive, and it's important for any helicopter pilot from Missouri to know your desired career course.
Types of Helicopter Pilot Jobs and Careers in Missouri:
- Emergency Medical Services
- Fire Fighting
- Forestry
- Law Enforcement
- Offshore Oil and Gas
- Tourism & Sightseeing
- Utility Inspection (pipeline and power line)
Regardless of the type of helicopter pilot job you pursue, the top-paying jobs require commitment, perseverance, diligence, discipline, good training, a strong love for flying, great communication skills, and professionalism. If you are willing to commit yourself to the best training and you are devoted to your craft, eventually you will be landing the best paying helicopter pilot jobs in Missouri. You will be in high-demand too!
Fixed-Wing Aircraft Factoid
Fuselage: The fuselage is the main structure or body of the fixed-wing aircraft. It provides space for cargo, controls, accessories, passengers, and other equipment. In single-engine aircraft, the fuselage houses the powerplant. In multiengine aircraft, the engines may be either in the fuselage, attached to the fuselage, or suspended from the wing structure. There are two general types of fuselage construction: truss and monocoque.
Heliports: A heliport is a type of airfield devoted to use by helicopters exclusively. Consisting of many helipads and hangers used to protect the helicopters from the elements, helicopters are able to avoid the confined and typically crowded airspace associated with a common airport.
Instrument Ratings for New Helicopter Pilots in Columbia
A lot of commercial helicopter jobs require instrument ratings, even some where the helicopters that you will be flying are not certified for instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). When is a good time to get instrument-certified? My personal theory is that you should get your instrument rating right after you finish the CFI-H and then take instrument rating and CFII-H checkrides back to back.
The Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook
This volume contains information on airframe construction features, assembly and rigging, fabric covering, structural repairs, and aircraft welding. The handbook also contains an explanation of the units that make up the various airframe systems. Because there are so many different types of aircraft in use today, it is reasonable to expect that differences exist in airframe components and systems.
Instrument Ratings for Airplane Pilots for Independence:
If you get an Instrument Airplane rating, chances are that you will use it regularly; most airplanes are certified for IMC and any time that one takes a trip in an airplane, it seems as though the instrument rating ends up being required. By the time you want to get your CFII-A, the only challenge will be flying those instruments from the other seat.
Fun Helicopter and Airplane Facts for Kansas City
Heliports: The typical heliport contains several helipads. Helipads are smooth and flat areas devoted to helicopter landing and take offs. The heliport consists of a control tower in most instances, a radio station as well as identification and emergency lighting.
Interesting Aviation Facts for Kansas City for Kansas City
There is little value in teaching students to raise the collective at the bottom of a hover auto. Concentrate on the pedal and cyclic work, which do not come naturally for most pilots. Nobody who is in a helicopter that is falling toward the ground needs a CFI to tell them to pull up on the collective. Remember that pavement is not as forgiving of small problems with hover autos compared to grass, but big yaw or drift when hitting grass is more likely to result in a dynamic rollover than the same sloppiness on pavement.
FAA - A History of Aircraft Structures Factoid for Lees Summit
It was Cayley who first stacked wings and created a tri-wing glider that flew a man in 1853. Earlier, Cayley studied the center of gravity of flying machines, as well as the effects of wing dihedral. Furthermore, he pioneered directional control of aircraft by including the earliest form of a rudder on his gliders.
Instrument Ratings for Helicopter Pilots for Lees Summit:
Helicopters, by contrast, are seldom equipped and almost never certified for IMC. If you get your instrument rating at 120 hours, for example, and then try to get the CFII at 250 hours, you'll probably find that your instrument proficiency has deteriorated dramatically. If, on the other hand, you get your helicopter instrument rating at 249 hours and your CFII-H at 250 hours, you only need to get sharp once.
FAA - A History of Aircraft Structures Factoid for OFallon
In the late 1800s, Otto Lilienthal built upon Cayley’s discoveries. He manufactured and flew his own gliders on over 2,000 flights. His willow and cloth aircraft had wings designed from extensive study of the wings of birds. Lilienthal also made standard use of vertical and horizontal fins behind the wings and pilot station. Above all, Lilienthalproved that man could fly.
With Helicopters in OFallon Safety is Everything:
People fly helicopters into friends' backyards, onto highways on rainy nights after car accidents, onto rooftop helipads, and with air conditioners hanging underneath. Helicopters are unstable and very few are equipped with autopilots. You'd expect helicopters to be vastly more dangerous than airplanes. They are and they aren't. Big jet-powered helicopters are safer than small airplanes, but not by the huge factor that big jet-powered airplanes are safer. The jet-powered helicopters suffer 4 accidents per 100,000 hours, 1 of which will be fatal. Piston-powered helicopters, which these days means Robinson suffer 13-20 accidents per year with roughly 2 of those accidents being fatal.
Fun Helicopter and Airplane Facts for Springfield
Air Force Helicopter Pilot: You should fulfill the minimum height and weight requirements and should have a good eyesight and ability to identify colors. Apart from physical fitness, you also need to concentrate on your formal education.
Interesting Aviation Facts for Springfield for Springfield
Don't go anywhere at night that you haven't been to a lot of times during the daytime. The only exception to this rule would be when flying from airport to airport, in which case you should stay 2000' AGL until you have visually identified the destination airport. Establish high personal weather minimums for night flying, even with an instructor. I do not like to leave the airport traffic pattern unless the visibility is at least 10 miles.
Fun Helicopter and Airplane Facts for St Charles
Hospital helicopter pilots respond to medical emergencies, transporting patients who are in critical condition to hospitals where they can receive the medical care they need. The job of an emergency medical services pilot is one associated with high prestige; however, you must be a highly experienced pilot to qualify.
Fun Helicopter and Airplane Facts for St Charles
Helicopter Jobs: Is it your dream to fly an expensive jet-powered helicopter without paying for the hours? Thank your neighbors for driving SUVs. Every year the oil industry goes farther offshore to get oil. The only way to get to an offshore platform is by helicopter and thus every year there are more jobs for helicopter pilots.
Fun Helicopter and Airplane Facts for St Joseph
How to Select a Helicopter Instructor: Spend a half hour to an hour talking with the instructor. Make sure that the two of you can get along! See how knowledgable the instructor seems to be. If the instructor spends a lot of time trying to convince you to go fly rather than talk, you may have found a guy who isn't going to want to spend the time with you on the ground preparing for a lesson that he should.
Fun Helicopter and Airplane Facts for St Joseph
Any landing you can walk away from is a good one. Gerald Massie (photographer and plane crash surviver).
With Helicopters in St Joseph Safety is Everything: The good news about helicopter safety is that it is largely under your control as the pilot. If you want to cruise along for 25 miles skimming the ground 100' above obstacles and then land in your friend's backyard, which is surrounded by powerlines and trees, you are asking for trouble.
Fun Helicopter and Airplane Facts for St Louis
Flight Instructor Facts: the instructor commonly maintains a grip on the controls in order to overcome any emergency condition that might occur during the student's flight. Once a student has completed the entire training session, and has demonstrated the proper level of knowledge to safely operate a helicopter, the flight instructor will allow the student to perform a solo flight.
New Pilot Flight Training in St Louis:
You have to do a night cross-country with your instructor. You might as well make it to an airport that is 50 nautical miles away and make sure to stay up in the air for a total of two hours. That way, you'll be all set for your Commercial aeronautical experience (FAR 61.129(c)).
Fun Helicopter and Airplane Facts for St Peters
If you are planning to become a commercial helicopter pilot, you need to possess a four-year degree, as required by most employers. The next step is to complete the certification program administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Advice in Buying Helicopters for St Peters:
If you don't want to buy a mechanic to go with your helicopter and constantly stuff grease into various joints, your only option in the land of the certified is Robinson. I own an R22 and an R44. The R44 was 50 percent more expensive, but it is 200 percent more useful. The R22 feels cramped even when you're by yourself and, against a headwind, you watch cars on the Interstate passing you.