We have a program of flight training for all levels of FAA pilot certification. Below you will find information on each step of the process whether you just want to take a introductory lesson or you aspire to become a career pilot.
Introductory Lessons & Gift Certificates
Whether it is an introductory flight for yourself of a gift for someone we would be happy to give you a taste of the freedom that flying helicopters provides. We sell gift certificates and will do what we can to find a time that suits you.
Click here to purchase your gift certificate
No matter how far you wish to take your flying career the first step is the Private Pilot Certificate.
The minimum flight time required by regulation to become a Private Pilot is 40 hours. Most pilots are not ready to take the test within this timescale. A more realistic number is 50 hours. The aircraft we use for primary flight training is the Schweizer 300. Along with flight instruction you will need considerable ground instruction. All of our ground lessons are conducted one-on-one with your own instructor. The more self-study you do the less time you will have to spend with your instructor. It is a good estimate that for every hour of flight instruction you will need an hour of ground instruction. You will be thoroughly briefed before and after every flight lesson.
The first 20 hours concentrate on preparation for solo flight. After you have achieved solo flight you will combine both solo flight and dual instruction to develop and practice your skills. By the time you have reached 50 hours you will be ready for your checkride. The test will consist of an oral and flight portion. Before you can take your checkride with the examiner there is one FAA computerized knowledge exam to be taken during the private training. Your instructor will guide you in preparation for this exam. If you are considering becoming a pilot we strongly recommend you come to visit us to see our facilities and take an introductory flight for 30 minutes or maybe an hour. You will get a chance to try your hand at the controls and your pilot will show you what the helicopter is capable of. From there, if you decide you want to continue and start training the time you flew during your introductory flight will be counted towards your training so your money will have been put to good use.
An instrument rating is a must if you are considering a career as a pilot. We recommend that after completion of your private pilot certificate that your next step is an instrument rating. You will learn to fly the aircraft by sole reference to instruments. The aircraft we will use for this will again be a Schweizer 300 IFR trainer. This training is a different challenge to your basic flight training. It will take 40-50 hours of flight time to complete. There is significant study required at this stage which can be daunting but our staff will again be there to guide you through the process. Remember that you will need approximately one hour of one-on-one ground instruction for every hour of flight. As before there will be one FAA computerized written exam to take.
If your goal is to make a career of flying helicopters your next step will be a commercial pilot certificate. By the time you have finished your private license and your instrument rating the average student will have approximately 100-110 hours of flight time. To become a commercial pilot requires a minimum of 150 hours of total flight time. This means you have another 40-50 hours of flight training to complete. These hours of training will concentrate on developing your skills in all aspects of helicopter flying. As before there will be one FAA knowledge exam to take.
Most helicopter pilots start their careers working as a flight instructor. This allows you to build hours and experience essential for a transition into bigger more complex aircraft. We can offer you flight training to become a certified flight instructor (CFI). Our highly experienced instructors will work with you to teach you how to pass on the skills of helicopter flight to others. To become a flight instructor there are two knowledge tests to take. The examiner will expect an exemplary level of aeronautical knowledge in addition to your flying skills. There is a lot of work to be done in preparation for your checkride here and you will be well tested! On average it will take a person 10-15 hours of flying to prepare for the CFI checkride.
Instrument Flight Instructor Training
In order to teach instrument flight you must become a Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII). This is relatively straightforward for someone who holds an Instrument Rating already. This qualification makes you very attractive to flight schools if you are already a CFI as you will be able to teach both VFR and IFR flight. You can expect only to fly a very small number of hours in preparation for your CFII checkride. Guess what though?? there is one more knowledge test to take.
We offer a basic turbine transition course consisting of 5 hours of flight training and 10 hours of ground training. This training is conducted in the Bell 206B3.
It is our goal to ensure you know exactly what you are paying for. Apart from the cost of the flight training itself there are some other costs you should know about so that you have a complete picture and can make an informed decision. We operate a pay as you go system of flight training so there is no need to pay large lump sums up front. A breakdown of our charges is as follows:
Please note that all prices are exclusive of tax.
Each knowledge test will cost you approximately $100 and as you have seen above there is one to be taken with each certificate or rating except for CFI certification where you must take two.
Prior to your first solo flight you will need to obtain a student pilot certificate and at least a Class 3 medical. However, we recommend that you get your medical out of the way after your introductory lesson. You can obtain one from a number of doctors in the area known as AMEs (Authorized Medical Examiners). You will need to renew your medical every year. The cost of your initial medical and each subsequent renewal is approximately $100.
You can anticipate spending approximately $200 on books and other equipment. These are a one-time expense. We also recommend to that each pilot buy his/her own headset. These range in price from $250 to much much more!!!
If you would like a more detailed explanation of the costs then please feel free to call us and ask as many questions you need. It is important that you do as much research as you need to make you comfortable about the whole process. You will be investing a considerable amount of your time and money if you decide to take on this challenge. We will be happy to try to explain all of this to you so that there are no unexpected surprises.