Directory · Helicopter operators
TEMSCO Helicopters: pilot minimums, pay and hiring
| Type | Helicopter tour and utility operator, Alaska (Part 135; TOPS member) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Ketchikan, Alaska (founded there in 1958; Chief Pilot mail: PO Box 5057, Ketchikan, AK 99901) |
| Bases | Tour bases in Juneau, Skagway and Denali; field/contract work throughout Alaska and the lower 48 |
| Aircraft | AS350 (AStar), H130T2, MD500, Bell 212, Bell 214B |
| Published pilot minimums | Seasonal tour pilot: commercial helicopter; 1,000 hours PIC helicopter (TOPS requirement); Part 135 100 cross-country and 25 night cross-country; second-class medical; no turbine time required; helicopter instrument rating and 100 hours mountain time highly recommended. Field/contract pilot: 1,500 hours PIC helicopter; vertical reference, longline and OAS cardable preferred |
| Published pay | Not published (housing and vehicles provided for pilots at all tour bases, per its hiring PDF) |
| Hiring status | Seasonal tour pilots (its employment page says April–September; its hiring PDF says tours run May to early October with training from the last week of March) and seasonal field/contract pilots (May–September) |
| Careers | temscoair.com/employment/ |
Hiring PDF: 14-hour duty day (usually 7am–9pm), 300–350 flight hours a season, initial training in Ketchikan with an AS350 simulator plus IIMC, flat-light and glacier training; returning pilots can train into Part 133 sling, MD500, government carding and medium helicopters. See our helicopter tour pilot jobs guide.
Source / last checked: temscoair.com/employment/, temscoair.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7599/2025/12/17664337436229-pil, topssafety.org/members/ · checked Nov 11, 2026. Fields marked "Not published" were not stated on the official source when we checked. Always confirm on the operator's site before applying.
FAQ
What are TEMSCO Helicopters's pilot minimums?
Seasonal tour pilot: commercial helicopter; 1,000 hours PIC helicopter (TOPS requirement); Part 135 100 cross-country and 25 night cross-country; second-class medical; no turbine time required; helicopter instrument rating and 100 hours mountain time highly recommended. Field/contract pilot: 1,500 hours PIC helicopter; vertical reference, longline and OAS cardable preferred
How much does TEMSCO Helicopters pay pilots?
Not published (housing and vehicles provided for pilots at all tour bases, per its hiring PDF)
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