Last reviewed: October 25, 2026. Facts come from each operator's own website or job page, plus FAA regulations. Several operators publish little, and this page marks every gap instead of filling it with estimates.
Quick answerTour pilot jobs are one of the more visible entry points into turbine helicopter flying, but only some operators publish their requirements. Of the six operators reviewed, three publish numeric pilot minimums: Papillon (1,000 hours pilot in command), Coastal Helicopters (1,000 hours helicopter pilot in command plus an instrument rating) and NYONair (1,000 total hours and 100 turbine hours). Blue Hawaiian says it requires the highest pilot-hour minimum in Hawaii but gives no number. Maverick and TEMSCO publish no pilot minimums on the pages read. No operator reviewed publishes a pilot pay figure.
What the job is
Tour and charter pilots fly passengers on sightseeing flights, and at some operators on private or on-demand charters. The operators describe it in these terms:
- Papillon (Boulder City, NV) lists a line pilot who acts as pilot in command on a fast, busy tour operation and decides whether the aircraft is airworthy.
- NYONair describes New York City photography flights and FAR 135 charter work, with duties that include dealing with customers and checking safety equipment.
- Coastal Helicopters (Juneau) recruits seasonal tour pilots.
- Maverick offers sightseeing, transfers and private charters in California, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and Maui, according to its site menu.
A typical day as employers describe it
Employers rarely publish a day-in-the-life. What they do state:
- Papillon says the job involves operating as pilot in command while giving a professional tour, with a maximum 14-hour duty day (Papillon posting).
- NYONair says duties include NYC photography flights, FAR 135 charter, customer interaction and a double check of safety equipment (NYONair careers).
- Blue Hawaiian says its pay includes a guaranteed salary so that pilots face less pressure to fly in order to earn income, and describes audits of every base (Only Blue page).
These are the employers' statements about their own operations and have not been independently checked.
Aircraft commonly used
As the operators state them:
- Maverick: Airbus 130 helicopters (the EC130 and H130, also called Eco-Star) and Sikorsky S-76 charter aircraft (Maverick fleet page).
- TEMSCO: MD 500D, Airbus AS350 B2 and B3, Bell 212 and 214B1, with Airbus H130 helicopters primarily for flightseeing and tourism (TEMSCO aircraft page).
- Coastal Helicopters: its posting prefers Airbus H125 experience but does not require it (Coastal employment).
- NYONair: its site says its pilots hold Bell 206 factory school certificates (NYONair). The fleet is not listed on the pages read.
- Papillon and Blue Hawaiian: no aircraft list was captured from the pages read.
Published minimums and ratings
| Employer |
Minimums as published |
Certificates |
Source |
Date checked |
| Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters |
Meet Part 135 and TOPS minimums: 1,000 hours PIC helicopter, 100 hours cross-country, 25 hours night cross-country. No previous turbine time required. |
FAA Commercial Rotorcraft / Instrument Rotorcraft |
Job posting |
Oct. 25, 2026 |
| Coastal Helicopters (Juneau) |
Seasonal tour pilots: 1,000 hours helicopter PIC. Full-time roles: snow, mountain and longline experience; all filled when checked. |
Instrument rating; full-time roles must be OAS and USFS carded |
Employment page |
Oct. 25, 2026 |
| NYONair (FlyNYON) |
1,000 hours total time; 100 hours turbine |
FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate; second-class medical |
Careers page |
Oct. 25, 2026 |
| Blue Hawaiian Helicopters |
No number published. The employer says it requires the highest pilot-hour minimum in Hawaii. |
The page says TOPS requires all pilots to be instrument rated |
Only Blue page |
Oct. 25, 2026 |
| Maverick Helicopters |
None published on the employment page |
None published |
Employment |
Oct. 25, 2026 |
| TEMSCO Helicopters |
None published for pilots on the seasonal employment page |
None published |
Seasonal employment |
Oct. 25, 2026 |
Context from the regulations: a Part 135 pilot in command flying VFR needs a commercial certificate and at least 500 hours as a pilot, including 100 hours cross-country and 25 at night (14 CFR 135.243(b)). The operators above ask for more than that floor. The Papillon posting URL carries a 2022 date stamp and its page footer shows 2002-2021, so confirm it is current. TOPS here refers to the Tour Operators Program of Safety, which Blue Hawaiian lists as a membership.
Schedule patterns employers publish
- Papillon: up to a 14-hour duty day on a 5 and 2 schedule.
- NYONair: flexible schedules, including weekends and holidays; a short commute or relocation to the Kearny, NJ area is expected.
- Coastal Helicopters: seasonal pilot positions run from April through September. Separate seasonal ground roles list a 2027 season of May 3 to September 29, 2027, with extra weeks for training.
- TEMSCO: its seasonal staff application states a tour season of May through the end of September (this applies to seasonal staff roles; no pilot schedule is published).
- Blue Hawaiian and Maverick: no pilot schedule was found.
Seasonality is noted only where the pages say so. Hawaii and Grand Canyon operators publish nothing about seasonality on the pages read.
Where the bases or operating areas are
- Blue Hawaiian: tours on the Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Kauai and Lanai, per its site menu.
- Maverick: California, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and Maui.
- Papillon: the posting is for Boulder City, NV.
- Coastal Helicopters: Juneau, Alaska; full-time roles require willingness to live in Juneau.
- TEMSCO: tour bases in Juneau, Skagway and Denali; its site also lists a Ketchikan contact address.
- NYONair: the New York City operation is based in Kearny, NJ.
Pay data we can source
The pay scales table has no tour operator rows, because no dollar figure was found. What the operators do say:
- Blue Hawaiian says pilot pay includes a guaranteed salary, with no amount given.
- Coastal Helicopters describes its full-time pilot role as having an excellent salary and benefits, with no amount given.
- Maverick's employment page mentions medical, dental, life insurance and 401K benefits.
- NYONair's page mentions competitive salaries, a 401k and benefits, with no amount given.
For broader context, see the salary guide and note that BLS data cover commercial pilots in general, not tour pilots.
How to get in
- Earn the certificates. A commercial helicopter certificate with an instrument rating is the common base. See helicopter pilot training and the requirements guide.
- Reach about 1,000 hours. The three operators with numbers all ask for roughly this level of total or PIC time. The timeline guide explains how to estimate the time.
- Use instructing to build the time. Quantum Helicopters states that new helicopter pilots almost invariably start as flight instructors and that about 1,000 hours of PIC time is typically needed to progress in the industry (school's own statement). See flight instruction careers.
- Watch the season. Alaska operators list a spring-to-fall season, so applications may open months ahead.
- Ask for the facts the page does not give. Ask about pay structure (hourly, per-flight or guaranteed), housing, and whether the rating and turbine time requirements apply to you. The jobs guide lists questions to ask.
Named employers and their careers pages
The full list by sector is on who's hiring.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours do you need to fly tours?
The legal floor for a Part 135 VFR pilot in command is 500 hours (14 CFR 135.243(b)). The operators reviewed that publish numbers ask for 1,000 hours.
Do tour pilots need an instrument rating?
Coastal Helicopters and Papillon list one. Blue Hawaiian's page says the TOPS program requires all pilots to be instrument rated.
Are tour pilot jobs seasonal?
Some are. Coastal lists April through September for seasonal tour pilots, and NYONair refers to an upcoming season. Papillon, Blue Hawaiian and Maverick do not state this on the pages read.
How much do tour pilots earn?
No operator reviewed published a figure, so none is given here. Blue Hawaiian says pay includes a guaranteed salary.
Sources
- Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, Only Blue safety programs. https://www.bluehawaiian.com/en/about/safety-programs/only-blue. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, Employment. https://www.bluehawaiian.com/en/about/employment. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- Maverick Helicopters, Employment. https://www.maverickhelicopter.com/employment. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- Maverick Helicopters, Our Fleet. https://www.maverickhelicopter.com/fleet. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- Papillon Airways, Helicopter Line Pilot posting. https://jobs.papillon.com/jobs/20220113-helicopter-line-pilot-las.html. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- Coastal Helicopters, Employment. https://coastalhelicopters.com/employment/. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- TEMSCO Helicopters, Seasonal Employment. https://temscoair.com/seasonal-employment/. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- TEMSCO Helicopters, Aircraft. https://temscoair.com/aircraft/. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- NYONair (FlyNYON), Careers. https://www.flynyon.com/careers. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- NYONair (FlyNYON), home page. https://www.flynyon.com/. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- 14 CFR 135.243, Pilot in command qualifications, eCFR text current as of October 22, 2026. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/section-135.243. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- Quantum Helicopters, Pilot Career Path. https://www.quantumhelicopters.com/pilot-career-path/. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
Disclosure: this page may contain ads and links. Sponsored items are always labeled. See our disclosure(/advertising-and-affiliate-disclosure/). This is general information, not career, legal or financial advice.
