Good job to gain experience. - VFR Captain PHI Aviation Employee Review

3.0
13 Aug 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Large company with a good infrastructure. Rich, interesting, history. It always seems to be the standard by which other helicopter companies are measured. Mature safety culture and SMS program, but still has some room to improve. I was hired into the 206L series (VFR) in 2012. At that time, initial training was fantastic. If you're dead set on flying helicopters, it's a great place to get turbine helicopter experience in a challenging environment. Great maintenance. If you do your job in accordance with the General Operations Manual, you'll do well there. I happen to like the 14/14 schedule. It could either be viewed as a pro or con. Travel to and from work is on your own, both in terms of time and expense; this is the standard in the Gulf though. On a positive note, you can live virtually anywhere as long as you show up on time. I've known pilots who commute from Hawaii, Puerto Rico and many come from west of the Rockies.

Cons

Lightship: CONSTANT changes to your plan all day long if you fly production jobs. I don't happen to mind this, but it flusters a lot of people. Long duty days, maxed out in the summer. Heavy ship (not from my experience, but it's obvious): do the same thing over, and over, and over, and over again sitting next to someone you may not like. No air conditioning in the Bell 407. It's difficult to transition to bigger aircraft from the 407, including the EC135, without previous multi-engine helicopter experience (ie you're not competitive in the job awarding process). Living conditions at the bases are not great, but acceptable. You'll always have your own bedroom with a sink and TV. You often share a bathroom with one other person. Communal living area with a kitchen and bigger TV are common. Most bases have a gym membership or an on-site gym. Offshore accommodations can be a little rough. You might share a room with several guys (snoring of course), communal showers, may not have personal internet access. You're usually fed pretty well though. The cumulative compensation over the long term is becoming much less competitive compared to helicopter jobs in other sectors and many fixed-wing jobs due to the slump in the oil and gas industry. A First Officer at a 121 major airline could easily make more money than an IFR heavy Captain at any company in the Gulf. Apples and oranges, I know, but the abundance of helicopter-to-airplane transition programs is making it hard to ignore the comparison.

Explore other reviews about PHI Aviation

5.0
21 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Hardworking environment where you have the opportunity to learn a lot if you want to do it.

Cons

None that personally effect me. Long hours aren't for everyone, and get old quickly. Need to find a balance if you want to succeed.

2.0
21 Apr 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

In 2026 very few to none! Most long-term employees are just marking time to retirement. This includes people in mid and upper management.

Cons

The benefits are getting more and more expensive and cover less. The KPI evaluation process punishes workers that have to use sick time for being off work for short or long-term disability under doctor's care. The Hartford insurance company is allowed to delay employee treatment for months even to the point that the employee is terminated after a year of waiting for surgeries. Threats and intimidation are the current management style from the top on down. Computers are more important than quality mechanics. The field bases are dangerously undermanned as far as mechanics and the answer from management when ask about is they can't afford more mechanics. But they always have money for new department heads and computers, tablets and computer programs that never work at the field bases. Major parts issues always waiting for parts all over the Gulf. The morale of the work force is DEAD no matter the effort it isn't rewarded. As Jamie Hinch the CEO stated, "Our reward is a paycheck". In almost 30 years at PHI I have never seen the work force so disgruntled and untrusting of the management. PHI is like a rudderless ship adrift at sea.

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