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R22 for a Schweizer pilot


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I'm currently at a school that flies mostly S-300's but they also have some R22's for flight training. I'll probably go through my CFI and commercial in the Schweizer and I'm seriously debating weather to even bother with the robbie. It pretty much adds up to more ground school, RFSC, and proficiency flight time that I'd rather not pay for if I dont think it's absolutely necessary. However, I realize that most schools do fly robbies, but will the rating even matter if most of my time coming into the job market is in an s-300? That's assuming I'll even end up with enough robbie time to instruct in it. I'm seeking guidance on this from all angles and if anyone has an opinion from VR (uncharacteristically, of course) I'd like to hear it. So the question is: To fly, or not to fly?

Thanks.

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Unless you need another 50 hours to complete your ratings it would be a waste of your money to fly R22s. If you elect to go ahead and get the 50 hours in the R22 required to instruct, you will also need a minimum of 200 total helicopter time as well as the Robinson factory safety course prior to getting a job instructing in Robinsons.

 

Having flown both, I would recommend just sticking with the Schweizer, it is a much more forgiving aircraft, and there seems to be an abundance of R22 instructors and relatively few Schweizer instructors, so finding a job should not be terribly difficult, though you will have to do some searching and call schools even though they may not have a job posted at the particular time you are looking.

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I did PVT, COM, CFI and CFII in the 300, IFR and all my COM XC requirements in the R22 - ended up with just over 50 hours in the R22, did the RHC course, got the SFAR, then got a job with a school that flew both R22 and 300. Since then, we dropped the R22, so I haven't flown a Robinson since July.

 

You'll find a job faster with the R22 time and the SFAR signoff - whether it's worth it is entirely up to you. If you don't want to fly the R22, don't bother with the training.

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