John Peltier

Don’t helicopters look fun to fly? Well, they are! You can take them anywhere and do anything with them. Okay, that may be a stretch and there are some limitations. But when compared with airplanes, helicopters can do anything.

If you’re interested in learning how to fly helicopters, take an introductory flight. Get some time on the controls and see what it’s like to fly one of these complex machines. If you have fun (and you mostly likely will), you should pursue your private helicopter license!

Why You Should Get Your Private Helicopter License

Obtaining your private helicopter license is the first step in going on to fly helicopters for a career. We do need to discuss the cold, hard truth of helicopters first: they’re expensive to fly.

Many pilots who get their private fixed-wing license do so because they want to take their families on little vacations on the weekends, or to travel faster than if they were driving. And in airplanes, you don’t need to be rich to do this.

The same doesn’t hold true for helicopters. Operating costs for a two-seat piston helicopter can be between two to three times the cost of a four-seat piston airplane. A four-seat piston helicopter can be between $500-$600 per hour to rent. This makes “renting a helicopter for the weekend” a hobby for the wealthy as it quickly adds up.

If money is a non-issue for you, then by all means, recreational helicopter flying will soon become one of your favorite hobbies!

But for the rest of us, getting a private helicopter license is a stepping-stone to future employment as a helicopter pilot.

What You Can Do With Your Private Helicopter License

As previously mentioned, you’ll be able to rent helicopters and fly on your own once you have your private license. The FAA does place some restrictions on what private pilots can do.

• You have to pay at least your fair share of operating costs when flying with other people. Meaning, if you end up paying $600 for the rental and fuel, and there are three of you, you need to pay at least $200 of that.
• You can only fly in connection to a business if the flight is incidental to the business, i.e. you’re not specifically hired to fly for that business. You’re also prohibited from carrying passengers or cargo for hire.
• You can fly for charitable events. Sometimes non-profits will auction off rides for charities for example, and you can do this as a private pilot.
• One of the neat things about helicopters are their search-and-rescue capabilities. You can be reimbursed for your operating costs (but not for your time) if you participate in a search under the direct control of the agency in charge.

Steps in Getting Your Private Helicopter License

Selecting a school is one of the most important things to do in getting your license. You shouldn’t go to the school that’s the closest, or the cheapest. They may seem like the best choice for you, but they’re not the right reasons.

You need to do some research. Make a list and visit some schools if you can. At a minimum, call the school and talk to an instructor. Ask about their safety record, financing options, graduation time and rate, time-building opportunities, and job-placement opportunities. Once you are satisfied with the answers, then you can ask about price.

Be prepared to temporarily move if you need to – nothing will set you up for success more than selecting the right school!

Once you decide on a school, they’ll give you a list of the books and supplies you’ll need to purchase. Then you can start training!

Here are the requirements for your private helicopter license, straight from the Federal Aviation Regulations:

• Be at least 17 years old
• Be able to read, speak, and write English
• Be endorsed by an instructor who certifies that you are prepared for the written knowledge test
• Pass a written knowledge test
• Be endorsed by an instructor who certifies that they conducted your required training and that you are ready for the practical test (the check ride)
• Meet aeronautical experience requirements outlined in the regulations (flying time and conditions)
• Pass the practical test (check ride)
• Hold at least a student pilot certificate (medical clearance)
• Comply with all applicable Federal Aviation Regulations

You can complete your academic training via a home study course or in the classroom with an instructor. The latter is recommended because it’s much easier to ask questions as they come up, or have things explained differently. Knowledge areas that you’ll need to learn and will be tested on include physiology, emergency procedures, helicopter systems, weather, chart reading, navigation, and regulations.

A private helicopter license requires 40 hours of aeronautical experience. These 40 hours must include:

• 20 hours of training from an authorized instructor
• 10 hours of solo flight training to include
  • 3 hours cross-country
  • One cross-country over 100 miles with landings at three points
  • 3 takeoffs and landings at an airport with a control tower
• 3 hours of cross-country flight training in a helicopter
• 3 hours of night training to include a cross-country over 50 miles and 10 takeoffs and landings
• 3 hours of training within 2 months of the practical test

Remember that these numbers are minimums! Only a few pilots will actually get their license right at 40 hours. Most pilots will require somewhere around 50 hours before they’re ready for the practical test.

Costs for Getting Your Private Helicopter License

This is usually the first question that potential pilots will ask about their training. It’s a difficult question to answer because of all the different variables involved with helicopter flight training.

First, operating costs vary from school to school. This is a function of fuel costs at different locations, hangar & office rental costs, employee wages, etc.

Second, you are a big variable in the cost. Your motivation and dedication to your training will help keep costs down! And as mentioned earlier, many pilots don’t complete their training right at 40 hours. So it’s difficult to say how much training you will need, and this makes a difference on the total cost.

Make sure to be consistent in your training. Don’t take breaks for weeks at a time if you can avoid it. There’s that saying “two steps forward and one step back” – this is what will happen if you take large breaks during your training. You’ll have to go back and revisit some things that you already completed. Training a few days a week is an optimal pace. It’ll cost you more money upfront but will save you money in the long run. Training as the money becomes available isn’t a good choice.

But to give you a ballpark figure for an R22 (a two-seat training helicopter), a private license should run you between $12,000-$15,000.

After You Get Your Private Helicopter License

Build time when you can so that you can reach the ultimate goal of getting a commercial license! Ways to build time include pursuing your instrument rating or going flying with another pilot and splitting costs.

Never stop studying. You’re a brand new pilot now, and there’s a lot of knowledge to maintain! Not only that but a lot of it will be changing – the FAA changes airspace and regulations every year. Stay on top of it! A good idea to stay disciplined about this is to have one study topic per week. Make a calendar and tackle this topic throughout the week. This won’t just make you a better pilot, but your life could depend on it!

It’s never too early to start researching potential employers. Don’t get too hung up on one because it’ll still be a few years before you have the experience necessary to apply for these jobs, but it’ll give you a good idea of what’s out there and what you want to focus on during your training.

Getting your private helicopter license is an achievement that you should be very proud of – you worked hard for it and put aside part of your life to pursue this dream. You’ll never have more fun flying than during your helicopter training. Make the most of it!

Get Started With Your Flight Training Today

You can get started today by filling out our online application. If you would like more information, you can call us at (844) 435-9338, or click here to start a live chat with us.

John Peltier

You don’t often hear much about recreational helicopter flying – nowhere near the level of recreational fixed-wing flying. It’s generally considered a hobby for the wealthy, and employment for the rest of us. Costs for licensing, insurance, acquisition, and maintenance make it prohibitively expensive for pilots who may easily have the financial means to do the same with an airplane. Should this stop you from pursuing your helicopter license? Absolutely not! The most exciting thing I ever did as a civilian flight student was taking the doors off of a Robinson 22 and landing on a mountain peak no bigger than the footprint of the helicopter skids. This led to obtaining my commercial helicopter license, followed shortly by employment as a helicopter tour pilot.

Most pilots who get their helicopter licenses do so for career opportunities. The normal progression for helicopter pilots is to get a private pilot helicopter license, then commercial license, followed by a flight instructor rating, instrument rating, and instrument flight instructor rating. Some helicopter pilots will eventually go on and obtain their airline transport pilot license.

Just a note on the requirements outlined below. These are the minimums. It is very possible, most certainly likely, that you may require more instruction than the FAA minimum. Do not take this personally at all – your instructor is only setting you up for success! For complete details on all of the requirements, specifically flight & training requirements, see the Federal Aviation Regulations Part 61.

Costs will also widely vary from location to location, and also reflect current fuel costs. You should use the following numbers as ballpark figures only.

Private Pilot – Helicopter License

It all starts here! Take an intro flight and if you like it, go on to pursue your initial helicopter license.

FAA Requirements

• Be at least 17 years old
• Read, write, and speak English
• Log 40 hours of flight time, which includes 20 hours of instruction and 10 hours of solo flight
• Pass a written test
• Pass an oral test
• Pass a practical flight test

Estimated Costs

• Ground instruction & testing – $2,000
• Aircraft rental & flight instruction – $12,000
  • Total – $14,000

Commercial Pilot – Helicopter License

This is the big requirement to be able to make money with your helicopter license. Some employers may require extra training. The estimated costs are in addition to your private pilot helicopter license.

FAA Requirements

• Hold a Private Pilot License
• Be at least 18 years old
• Read, write, and speak English
• Log 150 hours of flight time, which includes 100 hours of flight in powered aircraft and at least 50 hours in helicopters.
• Flight time must also include 100 hours of pilot-in-command time (35 in helicopters), 10 hours of cross-country flight, and 5 hours of night.
• Pass a written test
• Pass an oral test
• Pass a practical flight test

Estimated Costs

• Ground instruction & testing – $2,000
• Aircraft rental & flight instruction – $30,000
  • Total – $32,000

Certified Flight Instructor Rating

This isn’t really considered a helicopter license, but rather a rating. A rating appends privileges to a license – in this case, it allows you to use your commercial helicopter license to teach others to fly helicopters.

FAA Requirements

• Hold a Commercial Helicopter Pilot License
• Be at least 18 years old
• Read, write, and speak English
• Log at least 15 hours pilot-in-command in helicopters
• Pass a written test
• Pass an oral test
• Pass a practical flight test

Estimated Costs

• Ground instruction & testing – $3,000
• Aircraft rental & flight instruction – $7,000
  • Total – $10,000

Helicopter Instrument Rating

Again, this is a rating that allows you to use any helicopter license for the privilege of flying in instrument meteorological conditions.

FAA Requirements

• Hold a minimum Private Pilot License, or enrolled in training
• Be at least 17 years old
• Read, write, and speak English
• Log 50 hours of cross country flight as pilot-in-command, 10 of which must be in helicopters
• Log 40 hours of flight by reference to instruments only, 15 of which must be with an instructor
• The 40 hours of instrument time can be combined with the cross country requirement
• You may also substitute up to 20 hours of instrument time by using an approved flight simulator
• Pass a written test
• Pass an oral test
• Pass a practical flight test

Estimated Costs

• Ground instruction & testing – $2,000
• Simulator rental & instruction – $3,000
• Aircraft rental & flight instruction – $8,000
  • Total – $13,000

Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument

This rating will allow you to teach other helicopter pilots how to fly in instrument meteorological conditions.

FAA Requirements

• Hold a Commercial Helicopter License with Helicopter Instrument Rating
• Be at least 18 years old
• Read, write, and speak English
• Pass a written test
• Pass an oral test
• Pass a practical flight test

Estimated Costs

• Ground instruction & testing – $500
• Aircraft rental & instruction – $1,500
  • Total – $2,000

Airline Transport Pilot Helicopter License

This helicopter license isn’t something you’ll just go get after your first helicopter lessons. The flight experience requirements are high and will usually take years to obtain.

FAA Requirements

• Hold a Commercial Pilot License with Instrument Rating
• Be at least 23 years old
• Read, write, and speak English
• Log at least 1,200 hour of pilot time, which includes 500 hours of cross-country time, 100 hours of night flying, and 75 hours of instrument time.
• 200 hours of this flight time must be in helicopters. Night time and instrument time has other helicopter-specific requirements outlined in the regulations.
• Pass a written test
• Pass an oral test
• Pass a practical flight test

Estimated Costs

• Because the flight time requirements are so high, you will most likely only get this flight time through flight as an employed helicopter pilot – so you’ll be logging it on the company dime.

In Conclusion

There are as many reasons to get a helicopter license as there are helicopter pilot job descriptions. And helicopter pilots fly a wide variety of missions! Getting your helicopter license will be a challenge, but at the same time will be some of the most fun you’ve ever had. You’ll be rewarded with unique jobs all over the world if you complete the challenge.

Many helicopter schools have programs where you can combine training. For example, combine the private pilot helicopter license and instrument training. Or combine the commercial pilot and instrument training. This is a great way to cut costs and get to your end goal sooner than if you got each license on its own.

So what are you waiting for? Go get your helicopter license!

Get Started With Your Flight Training Today

You can get started today by filling out our online application. If you would like more information, you can call us at (844) 435-9338, or click here to start a live chat with us.

Learning to Fly Isn’t as Hard as You Think

Wondering how to become a helicopter pilot? The first steps to getting into a cockpit are clearly defined, and most people qualify to start training immediately. Here are the details you need to know.

You’re watching the quintessential over-the-top car chase scene and the star is making a getaway so fast the police can’t catch him. No back street short cut combination will put the cops at a great enough advantage to cut the hero off. Then the helicopters enter the high-speed chase. There’s no more hiding for the poor car. Air power is simply better. You think to yourself, “That would be a cool job. How do I get a job like that?” The answer: start flying helicopters. Get some experience. Then apply for the job.

Anyone can buy a discovery flight in a helicopter. A discovery flight is essentially an introduction lesson for you. Much like an introduction to martial arts class or an introduction to painting, you can buy an introduction lesson to flying. The lesson normally lasts about two hours. In that time you would get a basic introduction to the parts of a helicopter and how they work. You also get to fly with an instructor for about half an hour. The discovery flight is normally a short flight just around the airport. If you are savvy enough to point the way and you don’t live very far away from the airport, you could even ask the instructor to fly over your house.

You’ll need to find a school that teaches flying in order to buy a discovery flight in a helicopter. These schools aren’t usually the local high school or recreation center. A school that teaches flying can be found at your local airport. You are likely familiar with the international airport near you; these are the airports where airlines operate. In some cases international airports are too busy for learning to fly, but many flight schools do operate from these airports. Flight training also happens at local airports, which are likely closer to you. An online search for airports near your city will reveal the small local airports in your area. You can also use this (av-info.faa.gov/PilotSchool.asp) search engine on the Federal Aviation Administration website to find the address of flight schools in your state.

Once you find the flight school nearest you, simply walk in for a visit. Be sure to visit the flight school before buying the discovery flight. You’ll want to see the aircraft and meet at least one instructor. Though appointments aren’t typically required, you may want to call and make an appointment with the school. This will ensure you don’t have to wait around to talk to someone once you get there. In addition, it helps the school be prepared for your visit.

If you like what you see, ask to schedule a discovery flight. The cost should be anywhere from one hundred to two hundred dollars if the school has smaller aircraft. You’ll be charged for the aircraft hourly operating expenses as well as the flight instructor hourly fee. The aircraft cost can be negotiable if you are willing to reduce the time you spend in the air. Consider paying for half an hour instead of an hour in the air if you are strapped for cash. The instructor hourly rate is likely not negotiable. You’ll be charged for the amount of time you spend with the instructor whether on the ground or in the air. Be prepared to pay the bill for the discovery flight prior to takeoff or immediately upon returning to the airport from your flight.

If the flight is enjoyable, you may want to consider scheduling your first lesson immediately. You’ll be required to verify your citizenship prior to starting training with two forms of identification. Generally, you’ll need your instructor to teach you for twenty or so hours before you are ready to go it alone. Before your instructor gives you permission to fly alone in the helicopter, he’ll check your abilities to ensure you can fly a helicopter alone safely.

All pilots must also complete a medical evaluation. Before you can fly by yourself you’ll need to visit an aeromedical doctor to get a certificate stating you are healthy enough to fly. The doctor will check your vision to be sure you can differentiate between a red and green light and have 20/40 vision or better, with glasses if you need them. The doctor will speak to you from across the room at a conversational volume to find out if you can hear well enough to fly. You’ll also need to provide a urine sample for basic testing. Neurologic, mental, diabetic, and cardiovascular conditions may require a more extensive review by your doctor.

As you can see, the first steps for getting into the cockpit are pretty simple. Most people qualify to start training immediately. Find a school near you and schedule a visit and a discovery flight. If you like it, sign up for training. And don’t worry too much: a pilot medical evaluation for a pilot in training is far from intimidating.

So, now that you know the first steps on how to become a helicopter pilot, what are you waiting for? Get started today!

Get Started With Your Flight Training Today

You can get started today by filling out our online application. If you would like more information, you can call us at (844) 435-9338, or click here to start a live chat with us.