I'm interested in getting licensed to fly a helicopter. What does this entail?

Private Pilot - Helicopter FAA Rating Requirements

Minimum 17 Years Old to Take Flight Test (age 16 for Student Pilot & Solo). Can Begin Training at Any Age

Must Read, Write, Understand, and Speak English

Obtain a FAA Medical Certificate (Prior to first Solo Flight)

Pass an FAA Written "Knowledge Test" (Prior to Taking FAA Practical Flight Test)

Complete 40 hours Minimum Flight Time Including 10 hrs of Solo Flight (See details below)

Pass an FAA Oral and Practical Flight Test

And MONEY

People think Bernoulli's principal makes aircraft fly, they are wrong, it's money applied liberally.

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Originally posted by Planemech:
And MONEY

People think Bernoulli's principal makes aircraft fly, they are wrong, it's money applied liberally.

You aren't kidding there. I looked into adding a helicopter rating to my PPL. $$$$CHA CHING$$$$ A Robinson R22 will run $225/hr+.

And be careful what you take the instruction in, I believe it's the robinson you fly from the left seat with backwards collective and cyclic controls. A rating in one of those is good ONLY in those. Helos are flown from the right seat, collective in left hand.

Good advice. I found an aviation school around my area. They say that private licensing will run around $15,000.

Buck Stopper,

Do you want the rating just to "tip around" locally(code for spot game! ) or do you plan to pursue a career flying choppers? What helos does this school provide for training?

I had an interest in getting rated myself but I knew that unless I bought a helo I would not use my new skills. To my knowledge there's not one for rent nearby and I have no desire to change jobs. I could probably set up a business giving rides!

It would probably be cheaper to get the pilots liscense in a fixed wing then add the Helo rating after.

There are all kinds of slow lightplanes but I speak in particular of homebuilts or more recently developed light and ultralight aircraft available under new rules. There is also the powered parachute or gyrocopters (gyro planes) plus somewshat related aircraft designs.

It's a matter of money versus mission profile and how far you'll get into it.

Homebuilts/paraplanes and sport planes are spider webs all their own, and in no way any cheaper than a certificated airplane in most cases while being less useful and having more restrictions.

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And MONEY

One aviation magazine I used to read regularly featured help wanted ads for jet ranger traffic pilots in LA at $100-125 per hour.

That's what YOU PAY THEM for the privilege of logging time in their aircraft! An expensive way to "make a living" indeed.

Bob

If you have no pilot certifications get the fixed wing and add the rotary after. It's a lot cheaper to do that, especially in the commercial pilot relm. That's what I did a long time ago and it worked well. It's a lot cheaper to get the common basics of navigation, airspace, etc doem pat in the airplane and that knowledge is fully transferrable to the rotor wing aircraft.

I appreciate all the advice. It looks like this is something I will have to put off a few years until time allows. I'm not looking to do it commercially at all.

Guys;

I am interested in a second career as a helo pilot....after learning in a piston craft, how do you make the jump to turbine? Can you buy your own, get rated in it and start a commercial company right away or do you have to fly co-pilot for someone?

Planemech, the r22/44 have standard collective controls (left side, right side). The cyclic is a single stick T configuration for both left and right side. They don't require a type rating but you do need a special endorsement. It has to do with mast bumping and turbulence induced negative -G's. Never flown one never wanted to, last piston type flown was an H-34 and that was long ago. God made turbines for a reason!!!!

Addition to the last post. The reason most helicopters are flown from the right side is that the military flew right hand traffic patterns. It was easier to keep your LZ in site, reach across the cockpit for switchs, gauges,sandwichs or slap the copilot to wake him up. Depending on the aircraft you could friction the collective to stay in place, there fore you could let go of it momentarily.

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God made turbines for a reason!!!!

Bentframe, you hit the nail on the head! Much as I lament the $$$, in the long run that is the ONLY way to go (maintenance, liability, reliability, performance/payload, etc). People and depts who think otherwise are either much wiser than me or fooling themselves as to the bigger $/risk/performance picutre, in my humble opinion.

Sadly, that's why I can't justify one, despite extensive rationalization!

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by Omnivorous_Bob:

quote:

God made turbines for a reason!!!!

Bentframe, you hit the nail on the head! Much as I lament the $$$, in the long run that is the ONLY way to go (maintenance, liability, reliability, performance/payload, etc). People and depts who think otherwise are either much wiser than me or fooling themselves as to the bigger $/risk/performance picutre, in my humble opinion.

Sadly, that's why I can't justify one, despite extensive rationalization!

Bob

We used to have a saying... if God had meant for aircraft engines to be horizontally opposed, Pratt & Whitney would have made them that way...

As far as helicopters go, the reason they put the propellor on top was so it could blow the money out of your pockets easier.