HELICOPTER PILOT 3560

City of Los Angeles; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 152,000 - 189,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Los Angeles seeks an experienced Helicopter Pilot to operate department-owned turbine helicopters, fulfilling utility, security, and transportation missions day and night. Responsibilities include transporting external loads, rooftop landings, and potential out-of-town assignments.

Applicants must have 3,000 PIC hours (including turbine PIC hours) and hold an FAA Commercial or ATP rotorcraft certificate with an instrument rating, plus an FAA Class I/II medical certificate.

Qualifications

• Completion of 3,000 hours of pilot-in-command flying time as a licensed commercial or military helicopter pilot, including 1,500 turbine PIC hours with at least 50 PIC hours in last 12 months
• A current FAA Commercial or Airline Transport rotorcraft certificate with rotorcraft category and helicopter class rating, plus an instrument rating
• A current FAA Class I or II medical certificate
• Log book records must be provided prior to appointment; DMV license with required endorsements may apply

Responsibilities

• Operate Department-owned turbine helicopters to complete utility, security, and transportation requirements.
• Transports external loads; performs roof-top landings and take-offs.
• May be required to work out of town for varying lengths of time; fly in diverse weather, terrain, and altitude conditions.

Skills

PIC hours

FAA rotorcraft cert

Instrument rating

Education

FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate

Job description

ANNUAL SALARY

$152,444 to $189,402

NOTES

1. Annual salary is at the start of the pay range. The current salary range is subject to change. Please confirm the starting salary with the hiring department before accepting a job offer.
2. For information regarding reciprocity between the City of Los Angeles departments and LADWP, go to https://personnel.lacity.gov/Reciprocity_CityDepts_and_DWP.pdf.

A Helicopter Pilot operates Department-owned turbine helicopters to complete various utility, security, and transportation requirements during daylight or nighttime hours; transports external loads; makes roof-top landings and take-offs; will fly in low or high altitude environments that include remote mountain, desert, wire environment, and power line patrol locations, all in a variety of weather conditions. A Helicopter Pilot may be required to work out of town for varying lengths of time.

COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS

1. Completion of 3,000 hours of pilot-in-command flying time as a licensed commercial or military helicopter pilot, of which includes the following:
   1. 1,500 flight hours as pilot-in-command in a turbine class helicopter (with minimum of fifty (50) flight hours as a pilot-in-command in a turbine helicopter in the last twelve (12) months);
   2. A minimum of fifty (50) flight hours as pilot-in-command displaying vertical reference proficiency;
   3. A minimum of three hundred (300) flight hours as pilot-in-command flown in elevations above 5,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) involving take off and landings;
   4. Either: three (3) years of flight experience as pilot-in-command in support of the utility industry;
   5. Or: three (3) years of low-level flight activities (survey, photo, seismic, fire-fighting) in single-engine turbine helicopters in mountainous terrain.

AND:

1. A current Federal Aviation Administration Commercial or Airline Transport pilot certificate with rotorcraft category and helicopter class rating, and instrument rating;
2. A current Federal Aviation Administration Class I or Class II medical certificate.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

1. Each applicant MUST specify the number of hours spent in all of the areas listed in Requirement #1 in the WORK EXPERIENCE section of the application. Applicants who fail to submit the Application form with the complete WORK EXPERIENCE will not be considered further in this examination, and their application will not be processed.
2. Copies of the last two pages of the applicant’s log book and current commercial pilot and medical certificates must be submitted with their application by attaching it to their online application at the time of filing or will have seven (7) calendar days from the online submission date to e‑mail their documents to [e-mail]. The subject line of your e‑mail must include the exam title, your name, and indicate it is your log book and/or certificates. In the body of your e‑mail, you must also include your first and last name, last four digits of your Social Security Number, and contact phone number. Applicants who fail to submit all of these documents within the time required will not be considered further in this examination and their applications will not be processed.
3. Applicants with Flight Instructor ratings, Airbus H125, Bell 429, and Night Vision Goggle experience, or any additional aviation ratings are strongly desired.
4. As a condition of employment, a valid Class A or B driver’s license issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is required at the time of appointment. Applicants will be deemed ineligible for hire if their DMV record reflects three or more moving violations and/or at‑fault accidents, or a conviction of a major moving violation within the last 36 months in any state or jurisdiction. The City of Los Angeles reserves the right to issue a notice of ineligibility at any time before a final job offer is extended.
5. A valid California commercial driver’s license with tanker and hazardous materials endorsement will be required and maintained prior to appointment.
6. Log book records must be provided for review prior to appointment.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Applications must be received by THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026.

In accordance with Civil Service Rule 4.2, all applicants who apply may not be tested in this examination. To meet anticipated hiring needs, only a limited number of qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the selection process in the following order: 1) Applicants currently employed by the City of Los Angeles on a part-time or exempt basis who meet the minimum requirements; 2) Remaining applicants who meet the minimum requirements in sufficient numbers to meet hiring needs in the order that applications were received or by qualifications review. Applications submitted during the filing period may be kept on file in the event that additional applicants need to be tested to meet hiring needs.

Examination Weight: Interview: 100%

The examination score will consist entirely of a weighted interview. In the interview, the following competencies may be evaluated: Judgement and Decision Making; Stress Tolerance; Equipment Operation; Interpersonal Skills; Teamwork; Oral Communication; Safety Focus, including: effectively directing and control passengers and ground crews when required by operational necessity to ensure safe and efficient completion of mission, safely operating Department of Water and Power (DWP) helicopters in various weather, terrain, and altitude conditions, hazardous or critical conditions of helicopter flights and corrective actions to take to plan and safely operate a helicopter; Job Knowledge, including the knowledge of : Parts 43, 61, 91, and 133 of the Federal Aviation Regulations; capabilities and limitations of helicopter performance and helicopter operation under varying load, weather (temperature, humidity, and wind), and mechanical conditions; operating considerations for flights over heavily populated areas; helicopter flight maneuvers and operation in confined areas; helicopter components and preflight check procedures; noise abatement procedures and flight patterns for helicopter operations; vertical reference external load operations with line lengths of 50 feet to 150 feet; mountain flying above 5,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) to over 11,000 feet MSL; operational considerations for performing elevated pad landings and take-offs; aircraft components, test flight procedures, and helicopter performance; helicopter operation in a wire environment; surveillance work and aerial observation; weather theory and practical applications for preflight planning and helicopter operation in changing weather conditions; hazardous or critical conditions of helicopter flights and corrective actions to take; technical manuals in order to operate and maintain helicopter within department standards; safely operate Department of Water and Power (DWP) helicopters in various weather, terrain, and altitude conditions; effectively direct and control passengers and ground crews when required by operational necessity; and other necessary skills, knowledge and abilities.

Additional information can be obtained by going to https://personnel.lacity.gov/jobs/job-analyses.cfm and clicking on Competencies under Helicopter Pilot.

Candidates will be notified by e‑mail of the date, time, and location of the interview, which may be held in Los Angeles or on‑line. It is anticipated that interviews will begin during the period of MONDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2026 and FRIDAY DECEMBER 11, 2026.

NOTES:

1. This examination is based on a validation study.
2. Based on City Policy you may be required to undergo drug and mandatory testing prior to and during employment in this class.
3. A final average score of 70% is required to be placed on the eligible list.
4. Applications are accepted subject to review to ensure that minimum qualifications are met. Candidates may be disqualified at any time if it is determined that they do not possess the minimum qualifications stated on this bulletin.
5. If in accordance with the Rule of Three Whole Scores all applicants are eligible for appointment consideration, the examination will consist entirely of an evaluation of the candidate’s City employment application by Personnel Department staff to ensure that minimum qualifications are met.
6. In accordance with Civil Service Rule, Sec. 4.24, review periods may be combined. Candidates in the examination process may file protests as provided in Sec. 4.20, 4.22 and 4.23 as applicable and within the required time frame; however, the Personnel Department may respond to and resolve protests prior to the establishment of the eligible list.

NOTICE:

If you receive and accept an offer of employment to a regular position with the City of Los Angeles, your employee benefit coverage (including health and dental coverage as well as life insurance) will commence approximately six weeks after your original regular appointment. Not all positions in the City receive benefit coverage; you should inquire regarding the availability of employee benefits prior to accepting a position. All City employees are required to be Disaster Service Workers.

THIS EXAMINATION IS TO BE GIVEN ONLY ON AN OPEN COMPETITIVE BASIS

The City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, creed, color, ancestry, medical condition (cancer), or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.