Once you truly realize the insanity of being a helicopter pilot, there is no going back. May you all stay delusional forever. Or, at least as long as it takes for you to be replaced. 

25 years HAA.

$1.7 in 401K

No debt

$750K home, paid for.

$80K Cabin in mountains, paid for

4 vehicles, paid for.

Salary $153,000 in 2023

7 days on / 7 days off with 12 days OT per year.

Civilian trained in R22 for $82K which took 5 years to save before starting training.

Now flying a Medium twin IFR

Will retire in 3 years at age 60

Wife stayed home and reared our 2 kids.

No complaints.

the saddest story I've ever heard lol

how have you kept from blowing your brains out at the cabin for the last 15 lol

how did you manage to spend 82 large on an r22 for training in the mid 90's. sorry the math ain't even close to mathing. need to think the lie through a little better next time bro

Our home cost us $225K 22 years ago. After many DIY projects and the market taking off here, the $750K is a conservative estimate of its value today.

The cabin and land cost $26K 15 years ago. With some improvements to the property, the market has been good to us there too.

I saved $82K in the five years before I started training. That got me to 210 hours in 12 months of training to CFII level. R22's were $175 an hour back then and $25p/h for CFI or $35p/h for CFII training, and a boy needed to eat. 18 months as a CFII making 16K per year and I took the ATP ride.

Sure I worked with some awkward crews. I'm sure some med types would say I've been akward now and then too. The thing is you need to have a goal, and you need to continue to work towards that goal. I am lucky to have a good woman who has the same mindset as me. In fact she supported my dreams and kept me pointed in the right direction.

There were many times early on when our friends were buying new vehicles or going on fancy trips that we were tempted to join in. Luckily we stayed the course and will be able to enjoy the fruits of our labor when the last of our kids leave the nest in three years, and I retire.

Helicopter flying can be the best in the world or the worst, just depends on your disposition.

Good luck to all and keep the spinning side up.

sounds plausible.  Lot of discipline and good real estate appreciation and excellent investment performance.  If this is true it is proof of what can be accomplished.  Very few helicopter pilots have this discipline profile.

I gotta meet your money manager. Been doing this longer, probably the highest paid in haa, no kids, no vacations, tighter than a drum, and a few years older with half in each category.

Stupid me stayed in helicopters and passed on a net worth 5x what you just listed.

My gut says you doubled your actual numbers.

 Speak for yourself. I love my work. Been flying for 25 years. Broke in the early years but plenty comfortable now. 
 Blah, blah, blah. No kids wife often travels with me.

it's just not that great of a job sometimes. It's fun as hell most of the time but the schedule usually sucks if you want a big paycheck. I wanted a big paycheck and yes, my schedule sucks. Made 180K last year but not something you can do forever.

Sounds like you've done well for yourself. Especially that mountain cabin!

Just curious how you got to `1.7mil in a 401k flying EMS. What percent have you been allocating for it.

For the first few years I put in the match, jumped up to 20% about 20 years ago and have been maxing it out for the last 7 years. I am on the agressive side and try not to look at it. Did very well under Trump and luckily changed my selections when Biden got in, or I would have lost my shirt. So for 2023 it was $30K, which when you consider how much of that would have gone on taxes I don't really miss it. I'm sure some would say I should have put less in the 401K and more into something else, but i'm not really that smart. I find that the 401K doubles every 7 years or so ad advertised.

I'm a big Dave Ramsey fan, and my kids went the trade route over college so that helped alot. We looked at a degree for $150K of student debt, and none of the kids wanted that.

My eldest is a welder and makes more than me after only 2 years on the job. He works in a high tech industry and surprised me by how clean his job is.

The only rule I had for the kids is do what makes you happy and told them it won't feel like work. I know that is how I feel about flying helicopters.

https://www.bankrate.com/retirement/401-k-calculator/

So put in...

80K Salary

15% monthly contribution

30 years of age

65yrs retirement age

5% rate of return

$0 current balance

50% employer match up to 4%

Guess how much you may have saved before you hit send.

which was unpossible in the 90's. it wouldn't have been half that. he then changed his story to he "saved 82k" for training. something about "having to eat". says that took him to 210 hours. the robinson sfar didn't come around for another 15 years. too many extra details added to make it believable, which did the opposite. nice try!

I understood $82K for training plus room and board. 200 hours has always been the requirement for CFI and another 10 for CFII is about right. Let it Go.

Funny how the guy who doubts Excellent Returns story said the the SFAR didn't come out till 15 years after the 90's. In fact it came out in 1995. What an idiot.

https://www.timtuckershelicopterworld.com/post/the-story-behind-special-far-73</a>

Starting pay 30 years ago was 28-30k  

Matching was 25 cents on the dollar up to 5% , also had to be employed 1 year before eligible for 401k

I was barely able to defer 12% all these years

Life also happened, layoffs, kids, moves, divorce....

I do not have 1 million in the 401 yet, probably 5 years away...

It works out better for some than others. My suggestion for all the industry haters, is leave.  If you don't like it, no one is holding you hostage here.   Also, as Elon said: GFY!  good for you

Your military pension must have made that real hard.

All civilian.  If I had a pension of any sort, I would be retired now.

a good example of why anyone who is under 35 should be flying for a legacy airline. 17-18 percent direct contributions. Choose any of the big three and that is what you will get. 

And it will be 17-18% of a MUCH larger number. Plus profit sharing.

reply.  As to compensation in @1994 mine was on the low end of corporate helicopter type at 80k.  Point is do look around and don't be concerned to stick your neck out to better your situation, providing the family has your back.  Heliopter operators are not the only game in town.  BTW, helicopter flying is fun, airline flying not so much, but better pay and time off when you get to a solid line.

is good money.