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Best School For Condensed Private License?


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Hey all,

 

Been reading through this forum a bit and finally making my first post. I'm looking to get my Private License on an R22, and have been doing tons of research over many months, but am having a very difficult time finding a school.

 

I am in Syracuse, NY and there is no helicopter school here. Nearest I have is Independent Helicopter which is almost 3 hours away but seems to be a fantastic school.

 

Because of my work schedule, I would really like to do a condensed course if possible, which I have seen several schools offer (in a 3-4 week course). I tend to learn better in a crammed schedule anyway.

 

I can fly out to Florida or California and do a condensed course, but its SO hard to find a reputable school it seems like. All of them seem to have several good reviews and then one super super bad one. If I'm going to schedule a month off of work and have all the money lined up to do this, then I want to be sure I will have a good experience.

 

Can anyone recommend a legitimate, long standing school with experienced instructors that also offers a condensed course?

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Every school is going to have its good and bad reviews. I got my Private in about two months, but we did have guys doing it in just one. I had a great experience there during THAT training, but had a "not so good", experience there during my Instrument/Commercial training. Hint: if your instructor leaves for another job halfway through your training, things can go south pretty quick!

 

I finished my Commercial at another school, did it in just a week. I flew with three of their instructors, two I liked one I did not!

 

The point is, no one can really recommend at school to you, because what makes it good for them may not be good for you, or who made it good for them may no longer be there when you arrive!

 

I took time off work to get trained, would not recommend that! If things don't work out, you have to go back to work without your license,...then you end up starting over with someone else, which can cost a bundle!!!

 

Try Boatpix. They're not the best, but I hear they'll come to you?

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Do some demos with multiple schools and see if the instructors are a good fit for you. The name on the hangar doesn't mean squat if you get a piss poor instructor.

 

I would personally head to Colorado first and take a flight with Colorado Heli-Ops.

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Back in 2002, I started here (I think). They say you can do it in as little as three weeks. However, despite knowing that I was coming for many months, they were not ready for me. The schedule for ground school was not clear and unkown, the instructor (who spoke english with a very hard to understand French accent) was not on board yet (had to wait) and the hotel repeatedly lost power. I ended up staying until I learned to hover (about a week). Flight time was not readily available, either.

 

This was the school:

http://www.sunstateaviation.com/private-pilot-training/

 

But as I mentioned, it was 15 yrs ago so who knows how they are now.

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Very cool, I'll look into the BoatPix stuff. Interesting about doing HeliGround then the actual flight hours after.

 

Thanks for the input everyone, the instructor, of course, is always a variable. Really more of my concern is just the "legitimacy" or general track record of a place before going so far out of my way. I know my way isnt recommend overall (quickly, traveling, taking time off work), but I don't think I have much of any other option.

 

Any other school reccomendations would be great! I'll start to research.

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