The Madrid native is training to become a helicopter pilot, with salaries in Spain reaching up to €120,000 per year.
From a very young age, Víctor García (Madrid, 1990) dreamed of flying. The son of a military man, he recalls living on a base “where sometimes I would see helicopter pilots landing, performing maneuvers, and so on.” This sparked his interest in these aircraft, to the point where he became “a bit of a geek.” “I read a lot about them, searched online…,” he explains in an interview with EL ESPAÑOL. Life, however, took him in a different direction.
After finishing high school, a young Víctor began and completed a degree in Psychology—something entirely unrelated to his passion. “But the course to become a pilot was very expensive, and at that time, I couldn’t afford it,” he explains. So, his professional journey began in the field of Psychology. He worked as a psychologist from 2013 until about a year and a half ago when, “after saving for 10 years,” he decided to take the plunge and pursue his dream professionally.
This dream involves becoming a helicopter pilot, and to achieve it, he is now enrolled in the “most comprehensive” course available in the sector. It’s the Integrated Airline Transport Pilot Course for Helicopters with Instrument Rating (IR), which will grant Víctor García a license that would allow him to work as a commercial pilot or co-pilot, flying medical transport and rescue helicopters. In other words, it will open doors for him in a job market with 100% employability, according to several sources consulted by this publication.
Among them is the testimony of Fernando Gómez (Madrid, 1978), a lawyer and advisor to the World Aviation Flight Academy group. He explains that in Spain, “if someone wants to find work as a helicopter pilot, they are guaranteed to find it because there is an enormous demand in the sector.” “Moreover, job placement is very immediate due to this demand, and, in fact, we are seeing an increase in interest in studying pilot courses,” adds Gómez.
Víctor García is studying at this academy precisely because that quick job placement was one of the reasons he decided to make a 180-degree career shift. “Studying for this career is a huge investment. I’m 33 years old and have spent a long time saving up to pay for the cost, and clearly, if there weren’t a job market where finding work was relatively easy, I might not have taken this step because I already had a profession. In fact, I am currently on leave so I can fully focus on the course,” explains Víctor García.
The future pilot shares that he has invested around €100,000 in this course, designed to be completed in 18 to 24 months. Fernando Gómez, who is well-versed in the sector and the costs of these courses, also highlights the quick “return period on the investment.” “If everything goes well, the investment can be recouped in two to three years, and even banks are willing to finance these types of studies because they have a strong repayment rate,” he says.
World Aviation Flight Academy also explains on their website that “the salary of a commercial helicopter pilot can start at approximately €40,000 gross per year (about €2,500 per month) for a co-pilot. This amount will increase over time, potentially reaching €120,000 gross per year (around €6,500 per month) for a captain. Thus, the average salary of a commercial helicopter pilot depends on the role they hold, with co-pilots earning around €50,000 and captains around €90,000.” With these salaries, the investment can be comfortably recovered.
Despite the high salaries and strong employability of the helicopter pilot sector in Spain, this wasn’t the main reason that led Víctor García to the academy. He says that “helicopter jobs tend to have a service-oriented vocation,” and that’s something he loves. “It resonates with my personality, and having a job where I can help put out fires, carry out mountain rescues, perform work transport (or whatever it may be) really appeals to me,” he says.
Furthermore, Víctor García, who has been taking the course since September 2023, reveals that his dream would be to work as a medical evacuation helicopter pilot. However, he will first need to complete the course and then hope for a bit of luck. “I still have the practical part left, which, if everything goes well, I hope to finish within a month and a half. After that, it’s job hunting,” he explains with excitement.
At the moment, Víctor García notes that even before finishing the course, he has already received at least three job offers, highlighting the strong employability in the sector. Additionally, “Spanish pilots and the training they receive are highly valued worldwide,” remarks Fernando Gómez. He’s not only referring to helicopter pilots but also to those in general aviation.
In both cases, as mentioned before, employability is high, although for helicopter pilots, the low issuance of new licenses also plays a role. According to data from the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), in 2023, 983 new helicopter pilot licenses—across all types—were issued in Spain. This means that relatively few licenses are being granted compared to the high market demand, ensuring employment for new pilots.
These new pilots are usually trained in specialized academies like World Aviation Flight Academy, where Víctor García is studying. Fernando Casado (Madrid, 1989) has been a flight instructor for two years, and although he has only taught theoretical subjects to helicopter pilots, being an aviator himself, he says the course is very comprehensive. “They teach between 13 and 14 theoretical subjects, where students receive thorough training before starting the practical part.” Víctor García is currently at this stage and, if all goes well, within a few months, he’ll be ready to work as a helicopter pilot.
