On completion of the program he was commissioned as a second lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, remaining in the service as a regular officer after the end of WW-II.

After leaving the Marine Corps, Helms initially worked as a design engineer for North American Aviation, with subsequent positions of sales manager, and director of plans and programs.

He joined the vice president in early 1978 to accept the first airplane off the production line at the new facility, Embraer, in San Jose Dos Compos, Brazil.

In 1980 he retired from Piper, and subsequently accepted a role in laying out the National Aviation Program for the incoming Reagan Administration.

Then, in 1982, he led the delegation for review of International Civil Air discussions for the Western Mediterranean, which included North African and Southern European countries.

In that effort he personally directed the evaluation of U.S. aviation systems capability, and outlined a concept for air traffic control and attendant scheduling proficiency for aircraft collision avoidance.

Helms personally originated the concept to remove mid-air collision avoidance from ground control, and place it into aircraft.

His program resulted in TCAS, (Traffic Collision and Avoidance System), initially mandatory for U.S. carriers, and subsequently adopted by international aviation.

In 1983 Helms was selected by the President to head the U.S. delegation to the United Nations, ICAO emergency convening which followed the downing of Korean Airlines Flight 007 by the Soviet Union.