My son got his commercial and instrument helicopter license over a couple of years in Orlando. It cost him about $75k. He works as an theatrical and industrial rigger and has decided to keep his daily job and be a flight instructor on the weekend. I doubt that he will ever make a living as a copter pilot.

Get ready to shell out some cash and start off at very low pay. If you are under 26 years old you can enlist in the Army an become a pilot. You will get a lot of flight including 'heavy' time which is almost impossible to pay for as a civilian. You can't get better training anywhere.