| BECOMING A HELICOPTER PILOT |
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| Learning to fly a helicopter is an exciting and rewarding experience, and one that is sure to change your life in many ways. Whether your intention is to become a professional helicopter pilot and pursue a career in aviation, or to learn to fly and maybe own your own aircraft, the process is interesting, challenging and fulfilling. Flying is a skill you will treasure in the future and an achievement that will bring you great satisfaction. Whatever your desires are, the journey begins with obtaining a student pilot certificate and a private pilot rating. Let’s look at the steps and process ahead of you. |
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| Operations of an aircraft within the USA are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration or better known as the FAA, which is an agency controlled by the DOT Department of Transportation. If you are licensed to drive an automobile, your license will be issued by a particular state. However, in case of pilot certificates, they are issued by the federal government. All regulations regarding the certification of pilots are contained within Part 61 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). Some general requirements that you must meet in order to become a pilot could be found at www.faa.gov or www.goaccess.gov. Some of the requirements are as follows: |
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- You must be at least 16 years old for a student pilot certificate and at least 17 years old to obtain a private pilot certificate.
- You must be able to speak, read, and understand the English language.
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| MEDICAL REQUIEREMENTS |
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| You must also meet certain medical requirements and have in your possession evidence of a medical examination. Medical examinations in the US are given by local doctors who have met FAA certification and are FAA medical examiners. Medical requirements are found under (FARs) part 67. There are three classes of medical certificates and the standards are different for each class. The third class required for a private pilot is the least restrictive of the three, and is required to be renewed every 36 months and 24 months if over the age of 40 years old. Generally all three require you to be in good physical health, with no uncorrectable vision problems, no color blindness, and no heart problems. Certain health defects may be allowed by the FAA under a special waiver. In order to operate an aircraft solo, with no one else aboard, you must have a student pilot certificate and at least a third class medical certificate. This student pilot certificate can be issued as part of your medical exam, and is valid for two years .In order for solo flying it must be signed by a certified flight instructor CFI under certain conditions. |
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| FLIGHT HOUR REQUIREMENTS |
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| FAR part 61 also lists the flight hours required in order to meet the private pilot qualifications and standards, these requirements include. |
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- A minimum of 40 hours of flight time.
- Minimum 20 hours dual time with a CFI.
- Minimum 10 hours solo time to practice flying maneuvers by yourself.
- Within the 40 hours the following special requirements:
- 3 hours of instruction must be completed within 60 days of your check ride.
- 3 hours of night flight training.
- 3 hours of solo cross country time.
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| NOTES OF CAUTION |
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| First, remember that 40 hours is a minimum requirement, most students will need at least some additional training. All students are required to pass a check ride with the FAA and demonstrate proficiency in various maneuvers. Your flight instructor will not recommend you unless he’s confident that you have the necessary skill level. |
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| Second, some FAA approved flight training schools may quote a reduced hour private, Instrument and commercial program with fewer hours. These programs do not guarantee that you will receive a certificate in less time, or even in the minimum hours required. Remember that the check ride skill level is the final determining factor. Also remember that is very important to document carefully each flight in your logbook and obtain all the appropriate signatures and endorsements from CFI and flight school. Here at the training academy we take times above the minimums in order to meet an average length of time, of hours per certificate. |
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| AERONAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE |
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| The FAA also requires certain aeronautical knowledge before you can rated as a pilot. All applicants must pass an FAA written test and present a test report to the DPE examiner prior to check ride in order to obtain the desired rating. Here at the training academy we have a full CATS testing center certified by the FAA. Ground instruction will be in a classroom setting with an approved instructor FAA qualified who must sign your logbook and verify that you have received the proper training before you can take the knowledge test, the ground instruction includes: |
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- Federal aviation Regulations
- Principles of aerodynamics
- Preflight action
- Safe and efficient Aircraft Operations
- Weight and Balance
- Radio Communications and Procedures
- Critical Weather Situations
- Navigation
- Airman Information Manual
- NTSB-FAA Accident Reporting Procedures.
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| GENERAL TRAINING OVERVIEW AT THE ACADEMY |
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| Here at the academy we offer Fixed wing and Rotorcraft training with a very professional staff and a team of ground and flight instructor with extensive knowledge, with a proved track record of teaching to the highest standards of the industry and highly experienced pilots .We consider the FAA to be our guide line but we take our training and teaching methods well beyond the basics to offer our cadets a complete training package. Each cadet is different so we allow flexibility in our schedule to accommodate changes when need it by a specific individual. |
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| We provide the cadets with a new sate of the art, well maintain facility in order for them to have a thorough understanding of flight principles, and to prepare the cadet pilot to pass the FAA test. The aircraft system training provides all necessary knowledge to the safe operation of aircraft and to complete specific check ride. |
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| Every effort is made to maximize the training benefit in the aircraft by introducing new maneuvers and allowing time for cadets to practice each flight block period. Which at the beginning could be between an hour and haft or two hours late during training could be as much as three hours, remember that instruction is complex and sometimes very stressful; time in the cockpit could be challenging and exhausting. |
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| In the first 20-25 hours of training, the instructor will concentrate on basic flying skills such as climb, descents, turns etc. The cadet is introduced to takeoffs, landings and hovering flight as well. All this maneuvers have to be mastered as training goes forward. As general rule the first solo flight comes around 20-30 hours of flight time but this may vary per individual cadet. The first solo is a milestone for any pilot and worthy of celebration. In the remaining of training the instructor will concentrate on more advance skills, such as emergency procedures, navigation, and cross country flying, operations of helicopters off airports etc. Moving forward to more advance training during Instrument and Commercial stages and building time in order to meet the minimum time and experience required to obtain the Commercial Helicopter Rating and Turbine Transition aboard more complex aircrafts such as the Bell Ranger 206B. |
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| If you are considering a career in the aviation industry and helicopters to be more specific, We offer a complete package to an aspiring individual like yourself on Private ,Instrument, Commercial ,Initial and Add on to Commercial Fix wing Pilots and also Turbine transition .Our training is based with a fleet of Robinson R 22-R44, Schweizer 300C, Bell 206B Helicopters. |
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| Due to the operating characteristics of the helicopter, its ability to takeoff and land vertically, and to hover for extended periods of time, as well as the aircraft's handling properties under low airspeed conditions it has been chosen to conduct tasks that were previously not possible with other aircraft, or were time or work intensive to accomplish on the ground. Today, helicopter uses include transportation, construction, firefighting, search and rescue, and military uses. |
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- Aerial photography
- Motion picture photography
- Electronic news gathering
- Search and Rescue
- Tourism or recreation
- Transport
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| As expensive and time consuming training may be, a career in aviation can be rewarding and fulfilling, remember investing in your future is always smart. Good Luck! |
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Captain Alvaro A. Soler
President/Director of Training |
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