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Best route to Rent or Lease R44 in Canada?


Rotorkid

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Hey guys new here, Just recently finished my Canadian CPL this past March of 19. I am endorsed on R22, R44 and B206 and am looking for the best way to get my hands on a machine for hour building. I have contacted several private owners on purchasing block time on their R44's and have 1 or two slightly interested but not fully convinced. Just wondering if anyone else has done something similar and had any good tips or ideas to get access to R44s or similar without ownership of the machine.

 

Cant wait to be apart of what looks like a great forum!

 

Cheers, Max

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Hey Max the Kid,

 

I did something similar but have the advantage of both US and CDN passports. You will not find Canadian owners or operators happy to lease or rent to such a low timer as yourself. My recommendation is to convert your CDN commercial to FAA (now just paperwork) and spend your money on obtaining FAA instrument and CFII ratings. That will make you more marketable than just hours burned in the sky. At that point you could lease an N reg R22 and find students so at least you break even.

 

Whats your end game? If you want to work back in Canada those time building hours are looked on with skepticism. Better to pay your dues for a few years as ground crew like everyone else. If leasing and building hours gets you the next job, for example Tuna Boat, then your idea could work.

 

As a US foreign student you can get the 2 year visa to go through training to CFII and then have the permission to work as a CFI for limited period. I know a few foreigners who have done this and it jump started their career.

 

It sounds like you have some funds available to you but I advise to use them wisely. Just hours logged time building doesnt get you a job in Canada. Its the quality of those hours and how you have progressed as a pilot thats most important. Operational experience is what any new pilot needs. Flight Instructing is the path in FAA land. In Canada its ground crew leading eventually to operational flying.

 

Yes I can share contact info on who leased to me. To meet insurance minimums I was just over 300 hours heli with CFI. I committed to 6 months lease and 100 hours month. I had recruited students and time builders for the previous 6 months, put 15K up front and went in the hole about 10K on the whole project. Knowing what I know now at 7000 hours it was ridiculously high risk. But it got me going in the industry.

 

PM me for specifics. Will give you my phone/email. Since I moved back to Canada I can share the good the bad and the ugly of the industry here.

 

Happy Landings,

 

Eric

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