Of 200 hr pilots waiting in line to get fitted for a helmet or hoping to meet the chief pilot of their dream company, hilarious.

"Why is my HEMS/GOM/tour company not able to find pilots!?"

Because they have a minimum hour requirement of 1700+ hours. I remember when it was 3000+.

So glad I skipped right over the 200 hours mark and went straight to 3,000.

OK.

Wonder if the're interested in working?

I was that kid 30+ years ago. Doesn't hurt to dream. I always thought the ALEO guys walking around in their flight suits and sidearms 500 miles out of their jurisdiction was the weird thing. 

Same here, granted I couldnt afford to go at 200hrs and didn't go to my first show till I got my first "real" job at 1000hrs in NYC/NJ.  But even then walking the floor and seeing the hardware on display after only being around R22's and S300's was a blast.  I was lucky enough to go to a flight school where it was almost a guarentee provided you werent an idiot that you would be hired after passing your CFII. Plenty of students to build to 1000hrs and a great relationship with the entry level tour/charter operators in NYC that once a year would take all the 1000hr plus CFII's.  I know others however that after getting all their certs/ratings they had no place to go at 200hrs and for a while you couldnt get work as a CFI/II.  Everyone networking try to fight for a random CFI job anywhere in the country for $15hr.

Been almost every year since, great relationships built with many of the exhibitors and manufacturers through aircraft purchases and deals with others.  Now in EMS I'm just a number thats not buying anything so its just great to meet up with friends and see whats out there.

question.

What did it cost this year to see the show? As a pilot is there a way to get in for free?

any pilot that actually works in this business wouldn't sneer at the noobs. every single last one of us was there. insecure much?

any pilot that actually works in this business wouldn't sneer at the noobs. every single last one of us was there. insecure much?

We were all there once. Unless the military provided your training and a couple years flying- but I believe the days of 800-1000 hour years is long gone, so even your time in the sevice might not get you enough hours to be widely employable...

Even military pilots weren't born with 1,500 hours. I know pilots that flew tours when they got out to get the time. Now, you'd have to be an idiot to pass up RTAG.

If you go to Heli Expo as a 200 hour pilot, a certain individual may give you a used car salesman pitch on how you can pay him to fly an R22 and take pictures.

Best opportunity ever for a low time helicopter pilot is a FW transition and the Airlines.