You’ve never heard a story until you’ve sat around a virtual campfire with former #militarypilots and listened to their tales about transitioning into the civilian work force. During the Feb.18 HAI@Work webinar, HAI CEO and President James Viola told us about his shift from a military career to the civilian world. Panelists Heidi McBride, AW119 VFR captain at Bristow/ Era, described how she used previous contacts to land a new job after being furloughed for only three days; and Joseph Belsha, chief pilot at Apollo MedFlight, recounted how his professionalism and positive attitude enabled him to climb the ranks.

Additionally, Stacy Sheard, AW139 corporate helicopter captain at Executive Jet Management/Fanatics and chair of the HAI Board of Directors, stressed the importance of networking and perfecting your resume; Marc Stanley, a rotorcraft industry professional and former US military pilot, shared tips on navigating the civilian job application process, how to snap the perfect civilian photo for your LinkedIn profile, and salary ranges for civilian pilots; Greg Brown, HAI director of education and training services, offered advice on cleaning up your social media and maintaining professional relationships; and Dave McColl, an experienced utility helicopter pilot, shed light on what a typical work schedule looks like as well as how to find companies that operate with Part 133 certificates.