boston Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 Hi My name is Boston and I am a high school student in california. I am being presured to figure out what i want to do with my life by family and friends and so I would like a career as a helicoptor pilot. What i would like to know is how can i prepare, or what should be my first step, so that i can get into my career moving as fast as possible. Is there anything that I could do during college to prepare? Thanks for your time. -Boston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rookie101 Posted May 17, 2006 Report Share Posted May 17, 2006 Hi My name is Boston and I am a high school student in california. I am being presured to figure out what i want to do with my life by family and friends and so I would like a career as a helicoptor pilot. What i would like to know is how can i prepare, or what should be my first step, so that i can get into my career moving as fast as possible. Is there anything that I could do during college to prepare? Thanks for your time. -Boston hmm....well, I can somewhat sympathizes with you in your age (I am 18), what you want to do in life, etc...but first you gotta consider how college is going to affect flight training? Plus, it is going to be hard on you finacially if you are going to a four university for $50,000 bucks and then $50,000 more bucks for flight training . Don't let family pressure put you into a situation that you will regret!! Now, there are programs like Utah Valley State College that offer online aviation courses, which is very convienent, but it's still going to add to the cost of training. I myself plan on taking a two year degree through UVSC. Use the search feature, type in uvsc and you can find a topic titled "uvsc question," it has a list of the AS and BS costs, classes required, so on and so forth. Now to prepare for training read and study books. I recommend Princples of Helicopter Flight, technical, but very good. Also the Rotocraft Flying Handbook is listed on the FAA website for free (I will post link below) and if you can somehow get a copy of Fatal Traps read that one, been told it was very good (hell, the first print sold out!!). Aside from that this all that I am for sure on, the other thing I have been told was do your private pilot's license ground schooling when you can just before you get into the full swing of training, that way you can have your written test for your PPL done, but not for sure on that one. Good luck RFH- http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraf...a-h-8083-21.pdf rookie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hell-a-copter Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Boston, Dont even begin to think that a college degree even matters in the field. Most of the people who do the hiring are vietnam vets who mainly have a high school diplomia. If flying helicopters is what you really want then you should find a flight school that will let you fly 4 plus hours a day, and give you a job when you finish your CFI. There are a lot of good ones out there just ask questions and dont let some one feed you b.s. I went from 0 hours to CFI in 6 months and I started flying at 19. Then while your working as a CFI get a online degree from Embry-Riddle or Utah Valley. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birddog06 Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 You're young. Get your degree. Go to a fine state school near home (if possible), spend the extra $$ you save learning how to fly helicopters. If you work it right, by the time you graduate from college, you'll be either a new CFI, or a CFI with some hours. From there you won't have much catching up to do. You'll be 21 with a degree and flying experience. It won't take long to get the rest of your hours. It's nice to have a degree and/or a skill to fall back on, for many reasons.. And, once you have a flying job, you may even want to go back for a masters or something... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant B Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 I trust you have been up in a helicopter or fairly recently etc.? Otherwise I would always suggest taking a demo flight and see how you feel inspired from there... You are nice and young...the best time to try anything and everything! Respect your family but they are not you and you are not them. (Every good family deserves a helicopter pilot!) All the Best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotorWeed Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 GET the degree!!!! GET the degree!!! Any number of things can happen to you that will make you unable to fly. That diploma will always be your ace in the hole through out your entire life. I would get the degree, and while you are in college obtain your PPL helicopter. Then after graduation decide where the "helicopter lifestyle" is what you want. RW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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