The Best Schools to Get Your Commercial Helicopter License
The decision to get a commercial helicopter license can be exciting and lucrative. Prerequisites to obtain the license are not complicated. Prospective pilots must be 18 years old. They must read, speak, and understand English and hold a third-class medical certificate from a Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) licensed physician. Deciding which helicopter school to attend requires some attention and research, though. Consider each school from various perspectives in order to get your commercial helicopter license. The educational foundation you receive is crucial to your success when it's time to take a written exam and pass a checkride or flying test.
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Trial Lessons
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Many prospective commercial helicopter pilots have little or no helicopter flying experience. Reputable schools understand that you cannot commit thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours to something until you understand first-hand how much you enjoy it or have a knack for it. Seek a school that offers a trial helicopter lesson. The lesson may last an hour to three hours or it may include a few sessions. Any instruction hours will go toward your total hours for your commercial license. Trial lessons are available at almost all New York City-area helicopter schools. Advanced Helicopter in Maryland and Alyeska Helicopter in Alaska offer in-depth trial lessons.
Cost and Financial Aid
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The cost of obtaining a commercial helicopter license is an indication of the dedication it requires. The cost is comparable to any higher education and can range up to $70,000. If you find courses that are considerably cheaper than this, make sure they qualify you to take the exam to certify as a commercial pilot. It's much less expensive--by up to 75 percent--to be a private pilot, but this certification does not license you to make a living with your skills.
Quantum Helicopters in Arizona is reasonably priced at about $45,000. The school promises ample notice for rate changes, too, so you can avoid surprises.
Financial aid programs may vary amongst schools. Generally, interest rates that are comparable to federal loan rates are the best bets and are the most economical, but if your personal financial position necessitates a higher rate, this is not necessarily the sign of a dishonest school.
Scholarships are rare, but people who work for companies that require a commercial pilot may be able to get subsidization from an employer.
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Resource Availability
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In order to get a helicopter license, you must spend 100 hours in flight, including cross-country flight time during the day and at night and other specific proficiencies related to distance and conditions. Make sure the school you choose offers sufficient access to helicopters so that you can log your flight time comfortably and reasonably.
Blue Hill Helicopters in the Boston area offers great locations to log flight hours that include mountain terrain. The school's proximity to the East Coast may be beneficial, too.
The instructors at a flight school can make a world of difference when studying for a commercial helicopter license. From personal insights to technical tips, the people who teach you to fly shape your career from its start. Helicopter license instructors take the commercial pilot courses and then an instructor certification.
If you choose to obtain instrument rating certification, your instructor is a commercial pilot with helicopter rating, instructor rating and instrument rating.
Since instructor certification can be reached in less than six weeks, ask about other experience before settling upon a school's instructors.
The Helicopter Academy in Hollywood, Florida, is run by instructors with several thousands of hours of flight time each.
Insurance
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It may seem obvious that a commercial helicopter school will carry sufficient insurance, but this isn't a guarantee. Issues with financial solvency, pending claims, or simple, unfortunate mismanagement may mean a school isn't properly insured. Helicopter flying is essentially safe when helicopters are properly maintained and everyone knows what they're doing and follows protocol, but it only takes one accident to ruin many lives.
Check that the school's policies are up to date, that they include personally satisfactory indemnifications or coverage for you should you cause or be comparatively negligent in an accident, and that your family, next of kin, or domestic partners are indemnified or cared for to your satisfaction should you die in an accident.
Having personal health insurance is probably a good idea, too, and many schools require that students carry policies. If you are unable to pay for one independently, consider a school that rolls insurance into its tuition and other costs and allows you to pay for it with financial aid.
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