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The differences between helicopter pilots and air tour pilots can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a helicopter pilot and an air tour pilot. Additionally, an air tour pilot has an average salary of $101,440, which is higher than the $89,418 average annual salary of a helicopter pilot.
The top three skills for a helicopter pilot include FAA, PIC and pilot-in-command. The most important skills for an air tour pilot are PIC, customer service, and UAV.
| Helicopter Pilot | Air Tour Pilot | |
| Yearly salary | $89,418 | $101,440 |
| Hourly rate | $42.99 | $48.77 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 4,054 | 3,885 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A helicopter pilot is responsible for operating a helicopter engine to transport people and materials from one place to another. Helicopter pilots usually work in industrial and government settings, assisting with rescue operations, medical deliveries, and gathering aerial video and photos for data purposes. They inspect the condition of aircraft controls and components, ensuring its safety and efficiency during operations to avoid hazards and delays. A helicopter pilot determines flight plans with utmost consideration with weather forecasts and aircraft stability.
Air Tour Pilots fly and navigate helicopters, planes, or any other aircraft providing rides to tourists. The pilot's transport passengers between local destinations, answer queries regarding the areas they pass by, or explain sightseeing opportunities. They usually work for certain companies to transport cargo on their fixed schedules. They conduct safety audits for operations specifications to ensure that the aircraft operates within the safety margins. Also, they take part in station leadership teams representing flight operations.
Helicopter pilots and air tour pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Helicopter Pilot | Air Tour Pilot | |
| Average salary | $89,418 | $101,440 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $128,000 | Between $78,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Brainerd Chemical Co | - |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | - |
There are a few differences between a helicopter pilot and an air tour pilot in terms of educational background:
| Helicopter Pilot | Air Tour Pilot | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Aviation |
| Most common college | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between helicopter pilots' and air tour pilots' demographics:
| Helicopter Pilot | Air Tour Pilot | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.5% Female, 5.5% | Male, 97.1% Female, 2.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 2.7% White, 82.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 2.7% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |