Helicopter pilot vs commercial pilot

The differences between helicopter pilots and commercial 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 a commercial pilot. Additionally, a commercial pilot has an average salary of $94,406, 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 a commercial pilot are FAA, flight operations, and pilot-in-command.

Helicopter pilot vs commercial pilot overview

	Helicopter Pilot	Commercial Pilot
Yearly salary	$89,418	$94,406
Hourly rate	$42.99	$45.39
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	4,054	29,118
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Helicopter pilot vs commercial pilot salary

Helicopter pilots and commercial pilots have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Helicopter Pilot	Commercial Pilot
Average salary	$89,418	$94,406
Salary range	Between $62,000 And $128,000	Between $63,000 And $139,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	Jackson, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Brainerd Chemical Co	Realty World California
Best paying industry	Transportation	Manufacturing

Differences between helicopter pilot and commercial pilot education

There are a few differences between a helicopter pilot and a commercial pilot in terms of educational background:

	Helicopter Pilot	Commercial Pilot
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Aviation	Aviation
Most common college	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	SUNY Farmingdale

Helicopter pilot vs commercial pilot demographics

Here are the differences between helicopter pilots' and commercial pilots' demographics:

	Helicopter Pilot	Commercial Pilot
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 94.5% Female, 5.5%	Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1%
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, 2.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian, 2.8% White, 81.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between helicopter pilot and commercial pilot duties and responsibilities

Helicopter pilot example responsibilities.

Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
Train in robinson r22 and r44
Ensure compliance with all OSHA and EPA regulations.
Operate in IFR and marginal weather conditions between multiple states.
Maintain program compliance with OSHA, DOD, and other local agencies as required by regulations.
Ferry and sightseeing flights done at request of management in accordance with 14 CFR part 91.

Commercial pilot example responsibilities.

Serve as a professional pilot managing a flight crew and ensuring safe transportation of VIP's internationally.
Instruct pilots in recurrent flight training and grind school for aircraft systems, FAA regulations, company policies and procedures.
Grind school, IFR and advance simulator training.
Monitor and ensure compliance with establish policies, directives, and FAA operation specifications.
Assist with all aspects of administration, logistics and equipment inventory, ensuring successful financial execution.
Arm airborne helicopter escort and SAR operations.

Helicopter pilot vs commercial pilot skills

Common helicopter pilot skills

FAA, 18%
PIC, 18%
Pilot-In-Command, 17%
IFR, 7%
Combat, 6%
Helicopter Operations, 5%

Common commercial pilot skills

FAA, 24%
Flight Operations, 12%
Pilot-In-Command, 11%
PIC, 11%
Flight Planning, 6%
Customer Service, 6%

Helicopter Pilot vs. similar jobs

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Transportation Industry
Helicopter Pilot
Helicopter Pilot vs Commercial Pilot

Updated January 8, 2025

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