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Rotor Wing Pilot

Take your career to new heights as a professional seasoned Rotor Wing Captain or First Officer with Ornge. We are Ontario’s air ambulance and critical care transport provider. Dedicated to innovation, timeliness and exceptional delivery of care, a dynamic, diverse, and challenging career in Aviation excellence awaits.

Ornge Overview

Strong. Proud. Uplifting. 

At Ornge, we believe that ordinary people can do extraordinary things.
 
Each day, we connect communities with critical care across Ontario, Canada. In the air and by land, our teams deliver equity in emergency response, uplifting the lives of those in our care.  
 
We’re excited to onboard individuals who bring energy, enthusiasm, and professionalism to our growing group of difference-makers and life-changers. 
 
Discover Ontario, Canada, and an exciting career with Ornge.
 

Check Your Qualifications

Check Your Qualifications

To identify if your credentials match what we're looking for and to help us get to know you better, we invite you to spend a few moments completing the questionaire below! 
 

CHECK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS

How to Start Your Career

Interested in becoming a Rotor-Wing Pilot for Ornge? Here's how:

1.
Obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and a valid Transport Canada Category One aviation medical.
 
2.
Enter into an accredited rotary-wing aviation program, through institutions like Canadore College (Canadian Helicopters) or the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
 
3.
Enroll at a Canadian Commercial Helicopter Flight Training School.
 
4.
Graduate with a commercial Rotary-wing (H) license. After graduation, earn at least 500 hours total flying time. You can do this by finding employment in an entry-level position as a Commercial Helicopter Pilot or through the military.
 
5.
Apply to Ornge and start your career!
   

To learn more about Transport Canada requirements for a commercial helicopter license, click here.

 

Ornge Northern Air Ambulance Award

The award supports students looking to study and work in Northern Ontario. The annual award includes up to 15 entrance grants of at least $1,000 each and up to 15 in-program awards of $1,500 each.

Supported programs include Primary Care Paramedic, Advanced Care Paramedic, Aviation Flight Management, Aviation Technician – Aircraft Maintenance and Nursing programs. Bursary candidates must be Northern Ontario residents and/or identify as First Nation, Métis or Inuit.

Applications are now open and students are encouraged to apply for any of the eligible programs before the equal consideration date on February 1, 2025. Applications can be submitted at www.ontariocolleges.ca.

To learn more about the Ornge Northern Air Ambulance Award, please click here.

Training

Advanced Training 

"We believe excellent training is fundamental to enhancing operational safety." 

Paul Bolt | Flight Training & Standards Manager

Ornge AW139 pilots receive an advanced level of training. New pilots at Ornge participate in two weeks of intensive in-class learning and self study prior to training at FlightSafety International (Lafayette, Louisiana ) where they learn to fly the AW139 in a state of the art, full motion flight simulator under the instruction of a senior Ornge training captain. This simulator offers the ability to train emergency procedures that would be too dangerous - if not impossible - to train in the real helicopter. Weather can be set to anything from a blizzard to severe thunderstorm to zero visibility fog, allowing the opportunity to train in various conditions.

Ornge believes in going above and beyond Transport Canada requirements in our flight training because our number one priority is the safety of our crews and the patients of Ontario.

Living and Working in Ontario

Living and Working in Ontario

Ornge serves more than 15 million people over one million square kilometers of land— the size of France, Spain and the Netherlands combined.

The varied Ontario landscape means our pilots have the ability to adapt quickly to changing environments. This ultimately plays a major role in helping ensure access to medical care for thousands of patients every year.

Ornge AW139 pilots often land in diverse areas including airports, hospital helipads (on ground and rooftop level) in remote areas and busy roadways every shift, so every day is different. Our knowledgeable pilots and fast, efficient fleet of Leonardo AW139s are key in providing the best care, wherever our patients may be.

Ornge operates out of 14 front-line bases, one head office, and one warehouse (15 locations) located in 13 communities across the province. 

The pilots of Ornge are proud to be a part of a long tradition of air ambulance services in this province. In addition to being able to enjoy an active outdoor lifestyles by participating in activities such as fishing, hiking, hunting, taking on a new adventures using All Terain Vehicles, our northern base locations tend to have ample affordable housing. 

Captain-Requirements

Captain Requirements

Working for Ornge is not only about piloting the aircraft. It’s about making a positive impact on the lives of thousands of Ontario patients. You will play a key role in some of the more than 21,000 patient-related transports carried out by Ornge each year.

Based out of London, Toronto, Ottawa, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Kenora and Moosonee, Ornge AW139 pilots live in urban and beautiful northern communities while aiding in our vision of providing care to our patients, wherever they may be.

The men and women of Ornge are proud to be a part of a long tradition of patient care in this province.

Captains at Ornge must meet the minimum requirements below. If you meet or exceed the requirements, we are interested in your application for a direct entry Captain! If you have more than 2,000 total flying hours, but less than the minimum requirements for Captain, please consider submitting an application to Ornge as a First Officer. 

Captains at Ornge are responsible for the operation of the Leonardo AW139 aircraft as well as the safety of the crew and all persons on board the aircraft. All Ornge pilots are required to complete the company’s training program and successfully pass a PPC/IFT check conducted by a Transport Canada Inspector or Approved Check Pilot. They are responsible for following all applicable policies and procedures.

Qualifications/Certifications: 

  • Valid Airline Transport Pilot License - Helicopter - ATPL (H)
  • 2000 Rotary Wing hours (500 hours Pilot-in-Command multi-engine)
  • Two years’ experience in Instrument Flight Operations
  • Valid Group 4 Instrument Rating
  • Valid Class 1 Medical
  • An AW-139 Type Rating, Pilot-in-Command AW-139 and EMS experience is desirable
  • Ability to successfully complete the Controlled Goods Security Assessment Application for Night Vision Goggle purposes
  • Valid Canadian Passport or ability to work in Canada and the ability to travel to the USA
  • Immunization records with required vaccinations
  • A Criminal Record Search is a requirement for this position;


If you have any questions or would like to speak to our Chief Pilot or a member of our Flight Standards & Training team, please e-mail hiringrw@ornge.ca.  
 

First-Officer-Requirements

First Officer Requirements

Working for Ornge is not only about piloting the aircraft. It’s about making a positive impact on the lives of thousands of Ontario patients. You will play a key role in some of the more than 21,000 patient-related transports carried out by Ornge each year.

Based out of London, Toronto, Ottawa, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Kenora and Moosonee, Ornge AW139 pilots live in urban and beautiful northern communities while aiding in our vision of providing care to our patients, wherever they may be.

The men and women of Ornge are proud to be a part of a long tradition of patient care in this province.

First Officers at Ornge must meet the minimum requirements below. If you meet or exceed the requirements, we are interested in your application!

First Officers at Ornge are responsible for the operation of the Leonardo AW139 aircraft as well as the safety of the crew and all persons on board the aircraft. All Ornge pilots are required to complete the company’s training program and successfully pass a PPC/IFT check conducted by a Transport Canada Inspector or Approved Check Pilot. They are responsible for following all applicable policies and procedures.

Qualifications/Certifications: 

  • Valid commercial Rotary-wing (H) license
  • 500 Rotary wing hours
  • Completed ATPL exams
  • Valid Group 4 Instrument Rating
  • Night Rating
  • Valid Class 1 Medical
  • An AW-139 Type Rating and EMS experience is desirable
  • Ability to successfully complete the Controlled Goods Security Assessment Application for Night Vision Goggle purposes
  • Valid Canadian Passport or ability to work in Canada and the ability to travel to the USA
  • Immunization records with required vaccinations


If you have any questions or would like to speak to our Chief Pilot or a member of our Flight Standards & Training team, please e-mail hiringrw@ornge.ca. 

Total Rewards

Ornge is proud to be named as one of Greater Toronto’s Top 100 Employers for 2023!

Ornge offers numerous health and wellness programs, and provides a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package to fulltime employees. This includes dental and group life insurance benefits, pension plan programs, Employee Family Assistance Program, vacation entitlement, tuition assistance, and an employee discount program. Take a look at our pilot Pay and Benefits Fact Sheet for our Captains or First Officers. 

Balancing You!

Balancing You

Ornge is committed to the health and well-being of our staff. We employ an on-site, full-time social worker available to our workforce 24/7. He oversees our peer-to-peer mental health programing and other aspects of health and well-being across the organization.

Due to the nature of the job, Ornge pilots are able to spend much more time at home --compared to offshore or bush pilots. The ability to be home at the end of most day's helps to ensure an optimal work/life balance.

AW139 Pilot shifts are usually 12h each. Pilot rotations are 4 nights on, 4 days off, 3 days on, 3 nights on, 4 days off, 4 days on, 6 days off.

Health Equity

Health Equity

Ornge pilots are integral to improving access to care for patients in the North. We believe in the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion while providing culturally sensitive and appropriate care to all Ontarians. We strive to be an employer of choice for visible minorities, Indigenous peoples and LGBTQ2S+ members.

Ornge offers a variety of lunch-and-learns sessions, hosted by our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee as well as a variety and self-directed learning opportunities including a learning program on Indigenous Peoples.

In 2021, Ornge staff proudly led 'Operation Remote Immunity' a program which enabled members of 31 remote and fly-in Northern Communities to access the COVID-19 Moderna Vaccine.

You can read more on Ornge's commitment to health equity in our 2024-2029 Strategic Plan. p;

Equipment

Equipment

Our rotor-wing pilots fly the Leonardo AW139 aircraft, which has outstanding versatility, performance and reliability. With state of the art avionics and night vision goggle capabilities, the intuitive system allows the flight crew to interface with the navigation, communication, situational awareness, and aircraft status and alerting systems.

To ensure our fleet is always online, Ornge has a full time crew of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers who work daily and are available around the clock.
 

Fleet

Fleet

Ornge owns a fleet of aircraft across the province of Ontario. Vehicles in our fleet include: Pilatus Next Generation PC-12 airplanes, Leonardo AW-139 helicopters, Crestline Commander land ambulances.

Ornge has a full time crew of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers who work daily and are available around the clock.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

We recognize that joining Ornge as a pilot may come with a number of questions relating to the hiring process, training program, relocation and base positioning. A comprehensive document with frequently asked questions is available to view. 


Should you have additional questions, please feel free to e-mail us at hiringrw@ornge.ca.  

Info Session

Register for an Information Session

Pilots who are interested in joining Ornge are invited to attend a virtual Information and Q&A session to learn more about the role and working at Ornge. Register for a session:
 

Wed Apr 23 at 10:00 AM EST

Apply-Now

Ornge is committed to providing accessible accommodations in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please email us at HR@ornge.ca and we will work with you to meet your needs.

If you are ready to uplift lives, apply directly online no later than August 15, 2025:
 

Rotor Wing Captain
 

Rotor Wing First Officer
 

Strong. Proud. Uplifting. 

At Ornge, we believe that ordinary people can do extraordinary things.
 
Each day, we connect communities with critical care across Ontario, Canada. In the air and by land, our teams deliver equity in emergency response, uplifting the lives of those in our care.  
 
We’re excited to onboard individuals who bring energy, enthusiasm, and professionalism to our growing group of difference-makers and life-changers. 
 
Discover Ontario, Canada, and an exciting career with Ornge.
 

Check Your Qualifications

To identify if your credentials match what we're looking for and to help us get to know you better, we invite you to spend a few moments completing the questionaire below! 
 

CHECK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS

Interested in becoming a Rotor-Wing Pilot for Ornge? Here's how:

1.
Obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and a valid Transport Canada Category One aviation medical.
 
2.
Enter into an accredited rotary-wing aviation program, through institutions like Canadore College (Canadian Helicopters) or the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
 
3.
Enroll at a Canadian Commercial Helicopter Flight Training School.
 
4.
Graduate with a commercial Rotary-wing (H) license. After graduation, earn at least 500 hours total flying time. You can do this by finding employment in an entry-level position as a Commercial Helicopter Pilot or through the military.
 
5.
Apply to Ornge and start your career!
   

To learn more about Transport Canada requirements for a commercial helicopter license, click here.

 

Ornge Northern Air Ambulance Award

The award supports students looking to study and work in Northern Ontario. The annual award includes up to 15 entrance grants of at least $1,000 each and up to 15 in-program awards of $1,500 each.

Supported programs include Primary Care Paramedic, Advanced Care Paramedic, Aviation Flight Management, Aviation Technician – Aircraft Maintenance and Nursing programs. Bursary candidates must be Northern Ontario residents and/or identify as First Nation, Métis or Inuit.

Applications are now open and students are encouraged to apply for any of the eligible programs before the equal consideration date on February 1, 2025. Applications can be submitted at www.ontariocolleges.ca.

To learn more about the Ornge Northern Air Ambulance Award, please click here.

Advanced Training 

"We believe excellent training is fundamental to enhancing operational safety." 

Paul Bolt | Flight Training & Standards Manager

Ornge AW139 pilots receive an advanced level of training. New pilots at Ornge participate in two weeks of intensive in-class learning and self study prior to training at FlightSafety International (Lafayette, Louisiana ) where they learn to fly the AW139 in a state of the art, full motion flight simulator under the instruction of a senior Ornge training captain. This simulator offers the ability to train emergency procedures that would be too dangerous - if not impossible - to train in the real helicopter. Weather can be set to anything from a blizzard to severe thunderstorm to zero visibility fog, allowing the opportunity to train in various conditions.

Ornge believes in going above and beyond Transport Canada requirements in our flight training because our number one priority is the safety of our crews and the patients of Ontario.

Living and Working in Ontario

Ornge serves more than 15 million people over one million square kilometers of land— the size of France, Spain and the Netherlands combined.

The varied Ontario landscape means our pilots have the ability to adapt quickly to changing environments. This ultimately plays a major role in helping ensure access to medical care for thousands of patients every year.

Ornge AW139 pilots often land in diverse areas including airports, hospital helipads (on ground and rooftop level) in remote areas and busy roadways every shift, so every day is different. Our knowledgeable pilots and fast, efficient fleet of Leonardo AW139s are key in providing the best care, wherever our patients may be.

Ornge operates out of 14 front-line bases, one head office, and one warehouse (15 locations) located in 13 communities across the province. 

The pilots of Ornge are proud to be a part of a long tradition of air ambulance services in this province. In addition to being able to enjoy an active outdoor lifestyles by participating in activities such as fishing, hiking, hunting, taking on a new adventures using All Terain Vehicles, our northern base locations tend to have ample affordable housing. 

Captain Requirements

Working for Ornge is not only about piloting the aircraft. It’s about making a positive impact on the lives of thousands of Ontario patients. You will play a key role in some of the more than 21,000 patient-related transports carried out by Ornge each year.

Based out of London, Toronto, Ottawa, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Kenora and Moosonee, Ornge AW139 pilots live in urban and beautiful northern communities while aiding in our vision of providing care to our patients, wherever they may be.

The men and women of Ornge are proud to be a part of a long tradition of patient care in this province.

Captains at Ornge must meet the minimum requirements below. If you meet or exceed the requirements, we are interested in your application for a direct entry Captain! If you have more than 2,000 total flying hours, but less than the minimum requirements for Captain, please consider submitting an application to Ornge as a First Officer. 

Captains at Ornge are responsible for the operation of the Leonardo AW139 aircraft as well as the safety of the crew and all persons on board the aircraft. All Ornge pilots are required to complete the company’s training program and successfully pass a PPC/IFT check conducted by a Transport Canada Inspector or Approved Check Pilot. They are responsible for following all applicable policies and procedures.

Qualifications/Certifications: 

  • Valid Airline Transport Pilot License - Helicopter - ATPL (H)
  • 2000 Rotary Wing hours (500 hours Pilot-in-Command multi-engine)
  • Two years’ experience in Instrument Flight Operations
  • Valid Group 4 Instrument Rating
  • Valid Class 1 Medical
  • An AW-139 Type Rating, Pilot-in-Command AW-139 and EMS experience is desirable
  • Ability to successfully complete the Controlled Goods Security Assessment Application for Night Vision Goggle purposes
  • Valid Canadian Passport or ability to work in Canada and the ability to travel to the USA
  • Immunization records with required vaccinations
  • A Criminal Record Search is a requirement for this position;


If you have any questions or would like to speak to our Chief Pilot or a member of our Flight Standards & Training team, please e-mail hiringrw@ornge.ca.  
 

First Officer Requirements

Working for Ornge is not only about piloting the aircraft. It’s about making a positive impact on the lives of thousands of Ontario patients. You will play a key role in some of the more than 21,000 patient-related transports carried out by Ornge each year.

Based out of London, Toronto, Ottawa, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Kenora and Moosonee, Ornge AW139 pilots live in urban and beautiful northern communities while aiding in our vision of providing care to our patients, wherever they may be.

The men and women of Ornge are proud to be a part of a long tradition of patient care in this province.

First Officers at Ornge must meet the minimum requirements below. If you meet or exceed the requirements, we are interested in your application!

First Officers at Ornge are responsible for the operation of the Leonardo AW139 aircraft as well as the safety of the crew and all persons on board the aircraft. All Ornge pilots are required to complete the company’s training program and successfully pass a PPC/IFT check conducted by a Transport Canada Inspector or Approved Check Pilot. They are responsible for following all applicable policies and procedures.

Qualifications/Certifications: 

  • Valid commercial Rotary-wing (H) license
  • 500 Rotary wing hours
  • Completed ATPL exams
  • Valid Group 4 Instrument Rating
  • Night Rating
  • Valid Class 1 Medical
  • An AW-139 Type Rating and EMS experience is desirable
  • Ability to successfully complete the Controlled Goods Security Assessment Application for Night Vision Goggle purposes
  • Valid Canadian Passport or ability to work in Canada and the ability to travel to the USA
  • Immunization records with required vaccinations


If you have any questions or would like to speak to our Chief Pilot or a member of our Flight Standards & Training team, please e-mail hiringrw@ornge.ca. 

Ornge is proud to be named as one of Greater Toronto’s Top 100 Employers for 2023!

Ornge offers numerous health and wellness programs, and provides a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package to fulltime employees. This includes dental and group life insurance benefits, pension plan programs, Employee Family Assistance Program, vacation entitlement, tuition assistance, and an employee discount program. Take a look at our pilot Pay and Benefits Fact Sheet for our Captains or First Officers. 

Balancing You

Ornge is committed to the health and well-being of our staff. We employ an on-site, full-time social worker available to our workforce 24/7. He oversees our peer-to-peer mental health programing and other aspects of health and well-being across the organization.

Due to the nature of the job, Ornge pilots are able to spend much more time at home --compared to offshore or bush pilots. The ability to be home at the end of most day's helps to ensure an optimal work/life balance.

AW139 Pilot shifts are usually 12h each. Pilot rotations are 4 nights on, 4 days off, 3 days on, 3 nights on, 4 days off, 4 days on, 6 days off.

Health Equity

Ornge pilots are integral to improving access to care for patients in the North. We believe in the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion while providing culturally sensitive and appropriate care to all Ontarians. We strive to be an employer of choice for visible minorities, Indigenous peoples and LGBTQ2S+ members.

Ornge offers a variety of lunch-and-learns sessions, hosted by our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee as well as a variety and self-directed learning opportunities including a learning program on Indigenous Peoples.

In 2021, Ornge staff proudly led 'Operation Remote Immunity' a program which enabled members of 31 remote and fly-in Northern Communities to access the COVID-19 Moderna Vaccine.

You can read more on Ornge's commitment to health equity in our 2024-2029 Strategic Plan. p;

Equipment

Our rotor-wing pilots fly the Leonardo AW139 aircraft, which has outstanding versatility, performance and reliability. With state of the art avionics and night vision goggle capabilities, the intuitive system allows the flight crew to interface with the navigation, communication, situational awareness, and aircraft status and alerting systems.

To ensure our fleet is always online, Ornge has a full time crew of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers who work daily and are available around the clock.
 

Fleet

Ornge owns a fleet of aircraft across the province of Ontario. Vehicles in our fleet include: Pilatus Next Generation PC-12 airplanes, Leonardo AW-139 helicopters, Crestline Commander land ambulances.

Ornge has a full time crew of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers who work daily and are available around the clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

We recognize that joining Ornge as a pilot may come with a number of questions relating to the hiring process, training program, relocation and base positioning. A comprehensive document with frequently asked questions is available to view. 


Should you have additional questions, please feel free to e-mail us at hiringrw@ornge.ca.  

Register for an Information Session

Pilots who are interested in joining Ornge are invited to attend a virtual Information and Q&A session to learn more about the role and working at Ornge. Register for a session:
 

Wed Apr 23 at 10:00 AM EST

Ornge is committed to providing accessible accommodations in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please email us at HR@ornge.ca and we will work with you to meet your needs.

If you are ready to uplift lives, apply directly online no later than August 15, 2025:
 

Rotor Wing Captain
 

Rotor Wing First Officer