Grasshopper27
Banned
For someone looking to fly helicopters:
Before we get to how you go about getting your helicopter license, answer these questions first:
If you answered "YES" to all of these questions then you are a candidate for learning how to fly. If you answered "NO" to some of the questions, you can still learn how to fly helicopters but you may run into a few obstacles on the way to an aviation career.
GETTING YOUR HELICOPTER LICENSE:
1. Go for a ride in a helicopter
* Believe it or not, some people who really want to fly helicopters, have never been in one. Find out if you can handle the motion and the sensation of flying in a machine that moves on every axis. I recommend doing this prior to relocating to your flight school.
* Most Flight Schools offer "Introductory Helicopter Lessons". They are usually under $100 and give you the feel of what to expect in flight training.
2. (If you like the helicopter ride) Figure out your cost:
* Helicopter training is expensive. Check into flight schools that qualify for student loans or other financial aid. Consider training in Fixed Wing (Airplanes) first. This cuts the cost of total flight training and allows you to become familiar with the aviation environment.
* Helicopter training can average from $20,000 to $45,000. Compare this to a major university's tuition and it doesn't seem too bad. However, you are usually spending about $1,000 to $2,000 per week on flight training.
* If the flight school is away from your current home, add in housing costs, food, transportation, and other expenses.
3. Choose a flight school:
* Find a flight school that offers ALL the Helicopter Ratings (Private, Commercial, Instrument, Flight Instructor, Instrument Instructor, ATP)
* Talk to the Flight Instructors and see how their personalities blend with yours. If you can't find anyone you like (even if they offer the cheapest training cost) go somewhere else. It is important that you can get along with your instructor.
* Find out if the flight school will hire you after you get your Certified Flight Instructor Rating. There is sometimes a demand for instructors and sometimes not. If your school does hire their own graduates, you have a better chance of getting your career off to a good start.
4. Get your medical:
* In order to fly helicopters, you need to obtain a Flight Medical Certificate. Do this prior to flight training. Average cost of a flight medical is $75. There are three classes of medicals. You will need a SECOND CLASS MEDICAL to fly commercially and it is good for 12 months. After that it turns into a THIRD CLASS MEDICAL (which is the type of medical you need to fly privately - not for hire). FIRST CLASS MEDICALS are required for Airline Transport Pilots (including Helicopters) and are good for 6 months.
* Gettting your medical first will prevent you from wasting money on flight training only to discover that you have a medical condition that prevents you from obtaining your helicopter license.
* The THIRD CLASSS MEDICAL is combined with the Student Pilot Certificate and will probably be the first medical you should obtain.
Only start your flight training if you have enough money to get your Private Helicopter License. This way if you don't have enough for the Commercial License, you can still have you Private Helicopter License (which allows you to take up passengers (not for hire). Once you've started your helicopter flight training, it is the usual road filled with bumps and detours. Don't let these obstacles interfere with your goal. If you make it past your first 10 hours of flight training, your chances of dropping out are less. Flying a helicopter is difficult at first but you will get the hang of it. Years down the road you will fly a helicopter as if it was second nature.
The career path for a helicopter pilot is also filled with obstacles. Helicopter Jobs usually require you to relocate to different cities, countries, or remote locations. A helicopter pilots' salary in the early years is not something worth bragging about. There are good paying Helicopter Jobs but getting there is a long road. If your love of flying helicopters is true, you will find a very rewarding career. It's not for everyone but it is a lot of fun.
Before we get to how you go about getting your helicopter license, answer these questions first:
- Are you willing to relocate for flight training and for an aviation job?
- Do you have financial backing or a large savings?
- Are you single or is your family willing to sacrifice for your career in aviation?
- Are you passionate about your love of flying?
If you answered "YES" to all of these questions then you are a candidate for learning how to fly. If you answered "NO" to some of the questions, you can still learn how to fly helicopters but you may run into a few obstacles on the way to an aviation career.
GETTING YOUR HELICOPTER LICENSE:
1. Go for a ride in a helicopter
* Believe it or not, some people who really want to fly helicopters, have never been in one. Find out if you can handle the motion and the sensation of flying in a machine that moves on every axis. I recommend doing this prior to relocating to your flight school.
* Most Flight Schools offer "Introductory Helicopter Lessons". They are usually under $100 and give you the feel of what to expect in flight training.
2. (If you like the helicopter ride) Figure out your cost:
* Helicopter training is expensive. Check into flight schools that qualify for student loans or other financial aid. Consider training in Fixed Wing (Airplanes) first. This cuts the cost of total flight training and allows you to become familiar with the aviation environment.
* Helicopter training can average from $20,000 to $45,000. Compare this to a major university's tuition and it doesn't seem too bad. However, you are usually spending about $1,000 to $2,000 per week on flight training.
* If the flight school is away from your current home, add in housing costs, food, transportation, and other expenses.
3. Choose a flight school:
* Find a flight school that offers ALL the Helicopter Ratings (Private, Commercial, Instrument, Flight Instructor, Instrument Instructor, ATP)
* Talk to the Flight Instructors and see how their personalities blend with yours. If you can't find anyone you like (even if they offer the cheapest training cost) go somewhere else. It is important that you can get along with your instructor.
* Find out if the flight school will hire you after you get your Certified Flight Instructor Rating. There is sometimes a demand for instructors and sometimes not. If your school does hire their own graduates, you have a better chance of getting your career off to a good start.
4. Get your medical:
* In order to fly helicopters, you need to obtain a Flight Medical Certificate. Do this prior to flight training. Average cost of a flight medical is $75. There are three classes of medicals. You will need a SECOND CLASS MEDICAL to fly commercially and it is good for 12 months. After that it turns into a THIRD CLASS MEDICAL (which is the type of medical you need to fly privately - not for hire). FIRST CLASS MEDICALS are required for Airline Transport Pilots (including Helicopters) and are good for 6 months.
* Gettting your medical first will prevent you from wasting money on flight training only to discover that you have a medical condition that prevents you from obtaining your helicopter license.
* The THIRD CLASSS MEDICAL is combined with the Student Pilot Certificate and will probably be the first medical you should obtain.
Only start your flight training if you have enough money to get your Private Helicopter License. This way if you don't have enough for the Commercial License, you can still have you Private Helicopter License (which allows you to take up passengers (not for hire). Once you've started your helicopter flight training, it is the usual road filled with bumps and detours. Don't let these obstacles interfere with your goal. If you make it past your first 10 hours of flight training, your chances of dropping out are less. Flying a helicopter is difficult at first but you will get the hang of it. Years down the road you will fly a helicopter as if it was second nature.
The career path for a helicopter pilot is also filled with obstacles. Helicopter Jobs usually require you to relocate to different cities, countries, or remote locations. A helicopter pilots' salary in the early years is not something worth bragging about. There are good paying Helicopter Jobs but getting there is a long road. If your love of flying helicopters is true, you will find a very rewarding career. It's not for everyone but it is a lot of fun.
