Hours to Private Helicopter

[helopilot2be]

How many hours did it take you to get your private pilot helicopter certificate? And what did you train in?

 

For me it was 53.5 hrs.

Exclusively in the R 22

[J.Grant]

35.0 hours in the R-22

[IFLY]

Too many hours in the R-22

[clay]

35.2 in an Enstrom F-28A

[ChprPlt]

75 in an R22

[Wise Guy]

45 hours AS 350BA

[Witch]

130 in the R-22.

 

I'm a slow learner.

[Witch]

Naw, it was more like 50-60.

 

Later

[MN Heli Flyer]

2 hours in a R 22 and 58 more in a Schweizer. The check ride was in a 300 CBI. The 58 hours was over a two year period.

[Miloe]

Almost 70, split between a 300cb/300cbi.

Another slow learner here.

[Kelly N.]

About 80 for me (R-22). My CFI wanted me to go earlier but I don't like doing things unless I'm sure. I'm not really a risk taker I guess you could say. Of course, I do fly helicopters. . .

 

I'd probably learn a lot quicker if I expected less from myself.

 

I look at it from the perspective that it's all good experience and if it makes me safer in the long run, I don't care if it takes longer up front.

 

Safe Flying,

Kelly

[Hovergirl]

I was over 100 hrs before I switched instructors and then another 30 hours after that to unlearn sloppy habits/learn good ones with my next one (who was a good teacher and good fit for me.) I was a slow learner and transitioning into studying, but was even slower to raise a fuss if things weren't going right. I'm definitely working on becoming more cantankerous and Comm and CFI have been going much better.

 

And that's all been in the R22.

Edited January 5, 2009 by Hovergirl

[ADRidge]

56 hours I got my stage 3 (141 PPL) done. School then moved to part 61. Myself and about 15 others ended up having to try to fly ten more hours each in about four VFR R-22's. Took me another two months to do. I think I came in at 69-72, somewhere in there.

[will]

this is moderately depressing, as i am sniffing 80 hours, and i've still got a minimum of 6-8 more just to finish some of the mandatory requirements (solo cc, etc.).

 

hovergirl, i think i'm in the same boat as you. once i hit commercial, i might inquire about an instructor switch. i do believe i'm the first student my instructor has ever had.

 

i remain undaunted.

[heli.pilot]

It took me fifty-something, all in the R-22. I've gotta say though - I don't look down on anyone who took longer, and I'm not in awe of anyone that did it quicker! The bottom line is it really doesn't matter. If your plan is to go all the way through to CFII it will all work out and (within reason) any additional time it takes to get your private will just go towards the hours you need for your commercial or SFAR sign-off etc.

 

To Will, and others in the same situation, don't get too stressed about it. One month I was all stressed out about still not having my private at fifty-something hours, and a few months later I was wondering if I would ever get done burning hours to get to commercial check-ride minimums. Don't beat yourself up. You might want to slug your instructor... but don't beat yourself up...

[Hovergirl]

this is moderately depressing, as i am sniffing 80 hours, and i've still got a minimum of 6-8 more just to finish some of the mandatory requirements (solo cc, etc.).

 

hovergirl, i think i'm in the same boat as you. once i hit commercial, i might inquire about an instructor switch. i do believe i'm the first student my instructor has ever had.

 

i remain undaunted.

 

Even after I did switch instructors I periodically flew with someone else, when my primary instructor was sick, on vacation etc. and I ALWAYS learned something more. It's like everyone has individual things that they see and emphasize in their students and the more (good) people you fly with the bigger picture you will get. If you find you're going over the same things more than one or two lessons with your instructor it may be useful to just get another perspective, even (especially) before that private checkride. Someone else will see new things, put things into different words, and you will probably get more confidence in your own skills by switching things out a bit. Even if you don't end up switching instructors permanently, I think it's good to periodically get a different view and get comfortable with different people on your left.

 

Good luck!

 

HVG

[Hedge36]

37 hours in the 300CBi.

 

Move.

 

36 hours in the R-22.

 

Moving again.

 

 

But boy will I have my commercial hours when I want them...

[MN Heli Flyer]

It's like everyone has individual things that they see and emphasize in their students and the more (good) people you fly with the bigger picture you will get. If you find you're going over the same things more than one or two lessons with your instructor it may be useful to just get another perspective, even (especially) before that private checkride. Someone else will see new things, put things into different words, and you will probably get more confidence in your own skills by switching things out a bit. Even if you don't end up switching instructors permanently, I think it's good to periodically get a different view and get comfortable with different people on your left.

 

Good luck!

 

HVG

 

I agree with Hovergirl about getting a different prospective. You are the one paying the bill so you should have some say in your training. If you feel that your instructor is not giving you the attention you need to a certain area of training this needs to be addressed. It is the instructors job to find ways to develope the students skills. If this person is not able to do that then a flight with another instructor would be a good idea. Try to pick one that has been instructing for some time and has experience. A good instructor will be quick to recognize areas you are weak in and help to develop your skills.

 

Before I took my private check ride I had at least six instructors over a two year period. I would schedule a flight and when I arrived my instructor had changed. I did not agree with this but since I had to drive 140 miles one way for instruction I put up with it for a while. That was my mistake. I should have insisted on sticking to the instructor that I clicked with and not one I was not too fond of. I feel like I lost some ground and nearly quit because of frustration.

 

If you are feeling frustated about your training I recommend talking to the chief flight instructor or owner depending on size of school and let them know how you feel. Be diplomatic about how you approach this because when you apply for a job down the line the flight school may be contacted about your application. What I am trying to say here is just don't let emotions take over and get into a very loud conversation over the matter. Having concerns about you training is a natural thing. Let them explain and then suggest a flight with another instructor as an alternative.

 

Good luck with your training and I wish you the best!

 

MHF

[FauxZ]

Not to kill anyone's hopes and dreams, but commercial does require a certain PIC requirement, 100 hours, 35 in type, etc etc, not just a total time requirement. While I'm certainly a fan of quality instruction over time burning solo hours, you really need to push yourself to to get your private cert ASAP so you can start earning PIC time. Not only does this help with certs, but it makes it just that much easier when you start looking for a job.

 

If you're not sweating your way through your private checkride, you studied too hard. That said, if you receive your private cert and never get another day of training in your life, you are also doing it wrong. My 2 cents.

[heli.pilot]

Not to kill anyone's hopes and dreams, but commercial does require a certain PIC requirement, 100 hours, 35 in type, etc etc, not just a total time requirement. While I'm certainly a fan of quality instruction over time burning solo hours, you really need to push yourself to to get your private cert ASAP so you can start earning PIC time. Not only does this help with certs, but it makes it just that much easier when you start looking for a job.

 

If you're not sweating your way through your private checkride, you studied too hard. That said, if you receive your private cert and never get another day of training in your life, you are also doing it wrong. My 2 cents.

 

I see your point, however let's look at an example.

 

Let's say it took someone double the minimums to get their private - so they had 80 hours total (20 hours of that solo - PIC). That being the case, their PIC time will trail their total time by 60 hours, meaning they will have to wait until 160 hours total to meet the 100 hour PIC requirement for their commercial certificate. Not bad, they just have 10 hours more than the minimum total time for a commercial certificate.

 

Even if that 80 hour pilot going for their private certificate only had the minimum 10 hours of solo (PIC), and the other 70 hours was dual. Still, their PIC hours would only trail their total hours by 70, and they would be eligible for their commercial certificate at 170 hours total. That would give them 90 more hours to work on honing their skills and meeting the requirements for their commercial checkride, then 30 more hours beyond that to work on their CFI, before they go over the 200 hour mark.

 

Not that everyone out there is training in, or intends to instruct in, a Robinson, but for those who do, you will require 200 hours total in helicopters to get your SFAR sign-off.

 

So it is totally feasible for that 80 hour pilot to be all done with their CFI and SFAR sign-off at 200 hours, just the same as the guy/gal that got their private at 40 hours. It's even feasible to be all done at 200 hours total, although it would be tough, given 90 or 100 hours total time going in to your private (depending on the split between dual and solo).

 

I'm not suggesting that people just burn time and take a lazy approach, but I am trying to encourage people who have (for whatever reason) a "higher" number of hours when they get their private, that all may still be OK. I wish I hadn't stressed about it at the time. It's not a race.

 

As a student, it is very important to KNOW FOR YOURSELF what the requirements are for whatever certificate or rating you are working on. Not just the hour requirements, but the standards too - go buy a PTS. That way YOU know when you have met the requirements, and if you haven't, what it is that you need to be working on. Driving to the airport before a flight, you should already know (and have a plan for) what you need to accomplish during that flight. Don't leave it up to your instructor to figure it all out, it's easy for things to fall through the cracks.

[MN Heli Flyer]

As a student, it is very important to KNOW FOR YOURSELF what the requirements are for whatever certificate or rating you are working on. Not just the hour requirements, but the standards too - go buy a PTS. That way YOU know when you have met the requirements, and if you haven't, what it is that you need to be working on. Driving to the airport before a flight, you should already know (and have a plan for) what you need to accomplish during that flight. Don't leave it up to your instructor to figure it all out, it's easy for things to fall through the cracks.

 

 

heli-pilot makes a good point here. It is very good to know what training is required and to know what the standards are you need to meet. On other hand don't get too wrapped up in criteria. An instructor may use one maneuver to help develop your skills for another maneuver. If you feel you have done well in one area and it seems like the instructor is still going over it again and again, ask them. Repetition is needed for some maneuvers to be mastered.

 

I think the important thing is not to get frustrated and communicate with your instructor about any of your concerns.

[heligirl03]

65hrs, 6mo, R-22.

[Darren Hughes]

35.3 in R22. I picked up a student last week that has 160 hours and still isn't ready to take a private check ride that he has scheduled 2 weeks from now. And, he's hoping to go all the way through CFI. His training has been spread out since 1984 though, and he's had a few set backs along the way. Kinda hard to get consistent over 25 years i guess.

 

The national average is somewhere between 50-60 hours. The 4 main variables I think are;

 

1) The Student and their ability to pick up new skills. For Private I've found that this can be the least determining factor, except in a few tough cases. The students availability to do the training consistently can also affect things greatly, like my 160 hour student.

 

2) The instructor and their ability to teach, their patience and ability to be flexible enough to allow each student to learn in their own way. This one is probably more important than the students ability to learn, because flying a helicopter isn't that difficult once they get the hovering out of the way.

 

3) The school environment. Is the school geared towards teaching students in a structured manner. Ensuring instructors, especially the low time ones like myself stick to a syllabus or plan of action each time they bring a student up in the air. Stage check flights, or at least more experienced instructors flying with students every 10 hours or so is a good thing. This way, areas where we need to focus more time on can be pointed out to us.

 

4) Local weather conditions. This can affect the students ability to learn greatly. If a student is stuck on the ground for weeks at a time, it's gonna take more hours for them to become consistent pilots, especially at the private level.

 

There's more to it than just those 4, but from what I've seen they're the main factors affecting the duration from zero to private pilot.

[Hedge36]

All great points. I'd add:

 

5) Aircraft availability. Some schools (most notably, in my experience, Bristow Titusville) give scheduling preference to students who are in a military training program or are operating under Part 141. Part 61 students get short straw. To be fair, this wasn't a huge issue when I was training daily in Titusville, but I understand it did become and issue before they formally bumped all Part 61 training to Louisiana and California.

 

Also, smaller schools with only one or two ships are bound to run into scheduling difficulties when one is taken out of service unexpectedly. This happened recently at my current school, where one R22 was grounded while the governor was sent in for overhaul... and the remaining ship flew out its 100 hours. Again, not a huge impact, but with several students on the schedule it did complicate matters some.

[Goldy]

35.3 in R22. I picked up a student last week that has 160 hours and still isn't ready to take a private check ride that he has scheduled 2 weeks from now. And, he's hoping to go all the way through CFI. His training has been spread out since 1984 though, and he's had a few set backs along the way. Kinda hard to get consistent over 25 years i guess.

 

 

Darren- you talking about me behind my back ?? (I started in 1986, didnt solo until 1990) I wasnt a slow learner, just broke so it took me forever to get any hours..I think I solo'd about 22 hours but I would have to go back a few pages to look that up!

 

Anyway- I would be interested to hear what you think of this student...why so long, why hasnt he picked it up....where is he deficient. I think there is a certain synergy that one can get with his/her instructor...sometimes its there and sometimes it isnt.

 

Goldy