Best Helicopter Pilot Jobs in Alaska

Editor’s note: The following article is not intended to be a ranking, but is only to serve as a list of possible options. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary.

The Alaskan wilderness is a beautiful place to call home and working above it offers even more spectacular views. Being a helicopter pilot in Alaska can come with many perks but it also entails flying in some dangerous terrain. 

Here, FLYING examines Alaska-based helicopter pilot jobs that stand out as having high rewards and healthy salaries. 

Quicklook: Best Helicopter Pilot Jobs in Alaska

• Best for time building: Seasonal Tour Pilots
• Best for adrenaline seekers: Search and Rescue Pilot  
• Best for high levels of difficulty: Helicopter Skiing Pilot

Best Helicopter Pilot Jobs – Alaska

When choosing the best helicopter job for you in Alaska, it is best to understand what kind of industry you are looking to get into, if this is a time-building stepping stone, and the size of the company. Once you have gauged these metrics, you can look into jobs that fit the bill. Here are our top picks for the best helicopter jobs in Alaska.

Seasonal Tour Pilots 

Seasonal tour pilots in Alaska are normally employed in the summer months and fly passengers to go dog sledding, glacier trekking, and see the sprawling glaciers and wildlife in the mountains. Tour pilots may also be utilized as guides for wildlife photography, and volcano and glacier landing tours between the months of June and September. Most companies also provide lodging for their helicopter pilots. Alaskan tour pilots have the ability to enjoy everything Alaska has to offer and get paid for it. 

Location: Most tourist destinations in Alaska

Salary or Per-Trip Price: Tour pilots in Alaska are only paid for a fraction of the year and bring in between $28,000 – $34,000 annually

Benefits: 

• Tour Alaska and get paid for it 
• Paid lodging 
• Perfect for time building

Disadvantages: 

• Lower paying than most Alaskan pilot jobs
• Seasonal

Search and Rescue Pilot

Search and rescue pilots in Alaska work collaboratively with North Slope Borough Search and Rescue volunteers and similar agencies to provide safe and reliable rescue efforts to those lost in the wilderness. The Search and Rescue Department is committed to providing a safe and reliable airborne response for medical evacuation in addition to search and rescue. Similar to medevac in the contiguous United States, Alaskan medevac pilots are responsible for transporting patients to medical facilities within the state. 

Location: Most boroughs within the state of Alaska have a search and rescue department. 

Salary or Per-Trip Price: Average $80,868 annually 

Benefits:  

• A comprehensive government benefits package, including medical/dental insurance.
• Retirement pension (20 years or more) 

Disadvantages:

• High-risk environment, flying and landing in and around potential hazards and mountainous terrain
• Search and rescue may involve long hours

Helicopter Skiing Pilot

A helicopter ski pilot is similar to a tour guide pilot but is different in the fact that the pilot will land and drop passengers high in the mountains for the purpose of skiing to the bottom. Helicopter ski pilots must take specific training courses to understand the safety and skill needed to land and drop skiers from high altitudes in snow. 

Location: Jobs for helicopter skiing pilots are located at all major mountain skiing destinations in Alaska. 

Salary or Per-Trip Price: Top earners as a helicopter skiing pilot in Alaska make more than $200,000 annually, with the average being roughly $130,000, according to salary.com 

Benefits: 

• High paying 
• Exciting career with multiple mountain stations

Disadvantages: 

• Additional training required  
• Most companies require you to work a non-skiing-related position for one year prior to flying skiers
• High-risk environment in snowy conditions

What Is an Alaska Bush Pilot?

Alaskan bush pilots are specifically required to operate aircraft through rough terrain where there are often no prepared landing strips or runways. Bush pilots in Alaska are tasked with delivering essential supplies such as medication, food, and clothes, to remote villages. In addition to delivering essential supplies, bush pilots are often used to transport people to and from remote villages into the cities in Alaska. Bush pilots in Alaska are also needed in rescue operations and are important for many different reasons such as hunting accidents, lost persons, or downed aircraft. 

Bush pilots utilize aircraft that can combat the rough terrain and weather conditions. Because of this, bush airplanes are equipped with tundra tires, floats, or skis, but helicopters are also used. Typical bush airplanes are high wing by design and are tail-dragger aircraft. The most common bush aircraft are:

• Robinson R-44
• A-Star Helicopters
• Grumman G-21 Goose
• De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
• De Havilland DHC-3 Otter
• Cessna 185 Skywagon 
• Piper PA-18 Super Cub

Commercial Helicopter Pilot Requirements in Alaska

To become a commercial pilot in the state of Alaska you must:

• Hold a current commercial helicopter pilot certificate
• Be at least 18 years old
• Read, speak, write, and understand the English language
• Hold at least a second-class medical certificate
• Obtain a minimum of 40 Hours of helicopter flight training and 10 hours of ground instruction
• Satisfactorily pass an FAA-required flight test

After all the requirements are completed, you may apply for helicopter jobs within the state. 

How Long Does It Take To Become a Commercial Helicopter Pilot? 

The timeframe it takes to become a helicopter pilot depends a lot on how much time you are devoting to training and where you complete your training. Starting flight training with no experience, to getting a commercial helicopter certificate may take six to 12 months, if you are attending training full time. For part-time student pilots, a commercial pilot certificate can take longer, up to 12 to 24 months. 

What to Consider When Looking for Helicopter Pilot Jobs

When determining if a helicopter pilot job is right for you, there are several basic questions you should ask: 1) Does the company offer job security? 2) What are the safety protocols? 3) How much will you make? 4) What is the location of the position? Choose the position that best meets your requirements in each of these areas before applying. 

Job Security

Helicopter pilot jobs normally come with inherent job security due to the high-demand, technical skills the job requires, but it is important to understand your potential employer’s industry and operations. Job security is important to understand and take into consideration when applying for a helicopter pilot job because you do not want to be stuck looking for a new position, in cases of company closure, bankruptcy, or a recession. Look for long-standing companies that have years of experience hiring and training pilots. Ask current and former employees their opinions or look at reviews online to gauge job security. 

Safety 

It’s important to show that you put safety first in any aviation profession, especially as a pilot. Safety in the aviation industry should be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Companies that hire helicopter pilots should be dedicated to the safety of the pilot as well as the passengers. Research the safety protocols of the companies you apply to online or by asking current and former pilots. During your interviews, ask the hiring manager if there are any specific safety protocols you should be aware of before taking the position. 

Salary

Salary is one of the most important metrics when applying for a new position. Set a guideline for yourself and your family and apply to companies and positions that meet those guidelines. If you are right out of flight school, do not have unrealistic expectations of salary, but find the best position to fit your needs in the short term. The more experience you get, the higher the salary you can ask for. Salaries for helicopter pilot jobs in Alaska average between $95,723 and $145,118 a year, or more; however, the average salary for helicopter pilots in Alaska hovers around $112,000, per year.

Location

Alaska is a very large state with very few metropolitan areas, if you are looking to live within a metro area, the choices will be slim. When searching for a pilot job, hone in on the area you want to live in. Whether that be Alaska or another state, helicopter pilot jobs are everywhere, so choose a location you will be happy to live in for the long term. 

Flying Over Alaska

Applying to a new job can be daunting, but in Alaska you have some exciting options. Choosing the best helicopter job in Alaska for you can be easy if you take into consideration the most important metrics: safety, salary, location, and job security. Learn more about helicopter pilot jobs and stay up to date on the top news in aviation by subscribing to FLYING Magazine.

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