# Reserve Helicopter Pilot



## cdnwo (26 Mar 2016)

Good day, I thought I would pose this question here to obtain some direction. 

I retired from the reg force in 2012 as an NCM and since have been working on my commercial helicopter license with a projected completion date fall 2016. 

I have been seriously considering looking at reenlisting in the reserves, possibly with SAR. My question is what is the likelihood or requirements, if possible, to purse this option? If so, the best way to proceed? 

My thanks in advance.


----------



## Loachman (26 Mar 2016)

There was an entry method known as "HELICOP" - HELicopter Industry CO-operation Programme. I do not know if it still exists. It was far from a raging success and was foisted on the Air Reserve in place of the Reserve Pilot Training Programme, which was a raging success (but much more expensive), by an extremely short-sighted and ignorant Commander Air Command in the mid-1990s.

I've not heard anything about it in well over a decade.

Due to problems encountered by those who only had their licence but no experience, ie the community-college "hundred-hour wonders", the minimum requirement was increased to 500 hours with either a percentage or set number of hours of turbine time, and possibly an instrument rating (rare in the commercial helicopter community).

I'll see if I can find out something next week.

We still have one fellow that came to Tac Hel via HELICOP and is now Regular Force, but he'll not be around for much longer. There are still several guys that entered the Reserve Pilot Training Programme around, some of whom went Regular. I cannot speak for the SAR or MH communities.

The vast majority of Reserve Pilots are ex-Regular Pilots.


----------



## DAA (28 Mar 2016)

cdnwo said:
			
		

> Good day, I thought I would pose this question here to obtain some direction.
> I retired from the reg force in 2012 as an NCM and since have been working on my commercial helicopter license with a projected completion date fall 2016.
> I have been seriously considering looking at reenlisting in the reserves, possibly with SAR. My question is what is the likelihood or requirements, if possible, to purse this option? If so, the best way to proceed?
> My thanks in advance.



If you are looking at joining a SAR Unit (Air Force), you would have to pursue a Reserve Force vacancy through a local ARAF Unit (Air Reserve Augmentation Force) and if that pursuit happens to be as a Pilot, you will need to already be a qualified civilian Pilot and also possess an undergrad Degree from a recognized Canadian University.

Contact a local ARAF Sqn/Unit for info.


----------



## Loachman (28 Mar 2016)

Which, essentially, was/is HELICOP.

And I do not know of anybody doing that for many years.

And most of the applicants were like cdnwo will be for some time to come - minimally-trained and lacking sufficient experience. Those with the backgrounds that we sought had steady jobs and/or were too far from flying units for too long to maintain currency or be useful.


----------

