How To Pick A Helicopter School For Training
Helicopter training schools are a hot commodity these days. They are in high demand, and competition to get accepted is intense. With all of the options out there, it can be a daunting task to find the right school for your training. To help you out, we've put together this list of helicopter schools that offer programs tailored specifically to different specialties or individual needs. It's important to understand what type of course will best suit your interests before signing up for one: maybe you want a top notch program with extensive flight training and a great price tag, maybe you’re looking for something with more active flying over more classroom time. Whatever you're looking for, we've got you covered.
Best Cost-Effective Schools For Private Pilot Training
The average time required to complete a private pilot license is about 180 hours of flight time, which results in a cost of $18,000. Although this figure may seem a bit high at first glance, keep in mind that the average private pilot earns about $25 per hour flying which means the total cost goes down to around $7,300 or so when factoring in the cost of training (which includes instruction with an FAA-approved instructor and flight review). While this figure is still on the higher end of the spectrum, it's not much above what many good helicopter schools can offer.
The real challenge with private pilot training is finding a school with a good price to quality ratio. With that being said, here are some very important things to consider:
Class Size: The smaller the class size, the better the value. Ideally, you'll have one instructor for at least ten students. This will assure all of them get full attention and proper training at all times.
Flight Time: For obvious reasons, longer flight time is always preferred over fewer flights. In fact, it’s best to exceed flight hours every session or as soon as practical if possible—this will shows you're serious about your goal and show you can handle more than just basic training.
Experience: The more experience an instructor has, the better. This doesn't mean you need to join up immediately with a school that requires dozens of hours of time in the air, but rather it means having a few years of active flight time can be significant. If you don't have any prior flying experience, that's okay—we'll work with you to find an appropriate place that will bargain your training down to something more affordable.
Fees: Fees are always negotiable and one of the least difficult things to negotiate. Always ask how much is charged per hour (different schools charge by different rates). If the hourly fee is too high and you're strapped for funds, there are always other ways to negotiate—ask if they can reduce the price of ground school, maybe they'll even throw in a flight lesson here or there.
Overall: Look for a program that requires around 100 hours of flight time spread out over four to six months. This ensures proper instruction and gives you enough time to earn money while you're not allowed to fly (this is standard under FAA regulations until you earn your license). You'll also need a few months to prepare yourself physically, psychologically and financially to go off without any further training in case something goes wrong.
Cost: Look for schools that offer private pilot training starting at around $16,000.
Best Cost-Effective Schools For Commercial Pilot Training
The cost of commercial pilot licensing is $40,000—a small price to pay when you think of how many hours of flying are required (around 350). That may sound impossible but remember we're talking about the best schools here. With that being said, here are some very important things to consider:
Class Size: The smaller the class size, the better the value. Ideally, you'll have one instructor for at least ten students. This will assure all of them get full attention and proper training at all times.
Flight Time: For obvious reasons, longer flight time is always preferred over fewer flights. In fact, it’s best to exceed flight hours every session or as soon as practical if possible—this will shows you're serious about your goal and show you can handle more than just basic training.
Experience: The more experience an instructor has, the better. This doesn't mean you need to join up immediately with a school that requires dozens of hours of time in the air, but rather it means having a few years of active flight time can be significant. If you don't have any prior flying experience, that's okay—we'll work with you to find an appropriate place that will bargain your training down to something more affordable.
Fees: Fees are always negotiable and one of the least difficult things to negotiate. Always ask how much is charged per hour (different schools charge by different rates). If the hourly fee is too high and you're strapped for funds, there are always other ways to negotiate—ask if they can reduce the price of ground school, maybe they'll even throw in a flight lesson here or there.
Overall: Look for a program that requires around 100 hours of flight time spread out over four to six months. This ensures proper instruction and gives you enough time to earn money while you're not allowed to fly (this is standard under FAA regulations until you earn your license). You'll also need a few months to prepare yourself physically, psychologically and financially to go off without any further training in case something goes wrong.
Cost: Look for schools that offer commercial pilot training starting at around $18,000.
Best Cost-Effective Schools For Flight Instructor Training
The cost of flight instructor training is $30,000—a small price to pay when you think of how many hours of flying are required (around 300). That may sound impossible but remember we're talking about the best schools here. With that being said, here are some very important things to consider:
Cost: Look for schools that offer flight instructor training starting at around $18,000.
Best Cost-Effective Schools For Aviation Medicals
The cost of a private pilot medical is $2,500—a small price to pay when you think of how many hours of flying are required (around 100). That may sound impossible but remember we're talking about the best schools here. With that being said, here are some very important things to consider:
Class Size: The smaller the class size, the better the value. Ideally, you'll have one instructor for at least ten students. This will assure all of them get full attention and proper training at all times.
Course Length: Look for a program that requires around 45 minutes of training per session if possible—this will ensure you're exposed to as many subjects as possible without causing your students undue stress (although it will be a challenge to fit everything into a 45-minute session).
Flight Time: For obvious reasons, longer flight time is always preferred over fewer flights.
Conclusion
Choosing the right school can be tricky, but with a little research and some recommendations, you can almost guarantee to be able to find a good school that won't end up costing you an arm and a leg.
For more information on how to choose the right school for your flight training needs, check out these detailed guides: http://www.avoiceontario.com/news/article/guide-flight-instructor-training-schools/
This guide is intended for GDL applicants only. Private pilot and commercial pilot applicants are encouraged to visit flyinguniversity.ca as well as our other trusted partner websites such as skytutor.ca .