Every year over 400 thousand rescue operations take place employing air ambulance choppers and the numbers are only increasing. There also has been a surge of private players in the air ambulance industry, which has led to a whopping demand for air ambulance pilots. If you have a flare for flying and a heart to serve the needy, career as air ambulance pilot is right for you. Here, we discuss the path to become an air ambulance pilot.
Air ambulance companies demand that you have the requisite education
No company will employ you unless you have at least 2 years of college education, most prefer a 4-year degree. Veer towards subjects like aeronautical engineering and physics for your major.
US air ambulance companies will ask you for a second-class certificate
This is a medical certificate that clears you to train and fly as a commercial pilot. You can get this through an Aviation Medical Examiner. To find one, visit the FAA website.
Attend a flight school
Ensure that you attend one that has been certified by FAA. Alternatively, you can also train under an instructor who has been certified by FAA. People who have served in the military and have enough flight hours under their belt are exempted from this.
Instrument training to fly air ambulances
As a US air ambulance pilot, you might have to fly in tough weather conditions. This also involves flying using instruments when visibility is low. You will have to garner a total of 40 hours of instrument training.
Gain experience and flight hours
Most air ambulance companies will demand that you have a minimum of 1000 hours of flight experience. While training for these many hours can be expensive, an easier alternative is to join an aviation school as an instructor.
You are all set to apply to become an air ambulance pilot
You are now free to apply for an air ambulance job in the market. With so many US air ambulance companies already existing, you are sure to land a job pretty quickly.
