fixed wing or helo training first

[spubar44]

i just spoke to a helo pilot and he mentioned that i should get my fixed wing ppl first, then the fixed wing commercial license, then go and do the helo add on for commercial helo, since being a helicopter pilot is what i want to be. Going with the fixed wing license fist and then doing the helo add on still gets me to the commercial helo license but alot cheaper it seems, instead of doing the helo training only. What do you guys think? Is this the way to do it, or should i stick with just doing all helo? I only have about 16,000 available right at this point in time and that will only get me my helo PPL. Thanks for your input.

[edspilot]

Just one opinion.

 

If as you say you want to be a helicopter pilot, then you need to get all the helicopter time you can as you go.

 

If you go the FW route, yes it will be cheaper but the time "really" does not count towards getting hired as a helicopter pilot.

 

Also, if you (like most of us) start with a teaching job in R22 or R44s you will need the 200 min requirement to teach in them.

 

Back in the early 80s I did my transition from FW ATP & CFI (2500 hrs) to RW Commercial and CFI in just 75 helicopter hours in the Bell 47s. I then had to spend alot of time begging for time anyway I could to build it before anyone would seriously give me a job.

 

I do not think it is any better now, other than there are more helcopters out there, but that is about it.

 

I say get the PPL in RW and pay-as-you-go for the rest unless the credit market gets better by then. Pay as you go can allow you to continue to have another job to feed yourself and stay out of debt.

 

I know that this is probably not what you wanted hear but it is the reality right now as I see it.

 

Like I said in the beginning, just one opinion.

 

Good luck and just be committed to which ever way you choose, this will save you the most time and money.

 

edspilot

[spubar44]

Just one opinion.

 

If as you say you want to be a helicopter pilot, then you need to get all the helicopter time you can as you go.

 

If you go the FW route, yes it will be cheaper but the time "really" does not count towards getting hired as a helicopter pilot.

 

Also, if you (like most of us) start with a teaching job in R22 or R44s you will need the 200 min requirement to teach in them.

 

Back in the early 80s I did my transition from FW ATP & CFI (2500 hrs) to RW Commercial and CFI in just 75 helicopter hours in the Bell 47s. I then had to spend alot of time begging for time anyway I could to build it before anyone would seriously give me a job.

 

I do not think it is any better now, other than there are more helcopters out there, but that is about it.

 

I say get the PPL in RW and pay-as-you-go for the rest unless the credit market gets better by then. Pay as you go can allow you to continue to have another job to feed yourself and stay out of debt.

 

I know that this is probably not what you wanted hear but it is the reality right now as I see it.

 

Like I said in the beginning, just one opinion.

 

Good luck and just be committed to which ever way you choose, this will save you the most time and money.

 

edspilot

edspilot

 

That is exactly what i wanted to hear. I wouldn't have asked if i didn't want the truth. I wasn't sure if the fw hours would go toward rw hours. I am in the military and doing this in my off time. I have enough now to cover the ppl for just the rw, so i am going to do my intro flight on monday in the R22. Thanks for your input. I really didn't want to do the fw anyway, just seeing if it was as good as it sounded by saving the money.

[wopilot]

If you are in the military, if you get your PPL, then the GI Bill will help offset some costs later on as well. So make sure you look into a school that offers VA assistance.

[wopilot]

Also, if you (like most of us) start with a teaching job in R22 or R44s you will need the 200 min requirement to teach in them.

 

edspilot

 

 

200 total RW hours with at least 50 in the R2244 right? Not 200 in R22/44?

[cutter49]

I would have to agree with edspilot. 5-10 years ago I would have said differently but 16000 wont get you far in the fw world, at least not far enough to make a living at it. Just as well use that money to get off on the right foot if helos are the way you want to go. Good luck!

Edited August 29, 2009 by cutter49

[Collin]

hey if your in the military that can open up all kinds of options for you. First of all if you want to be a helicopter pilot who cares about fixed wing, fly what you want to fly. Secondly, there is a few routes you can go. I was in the Navy and used my VA benefits to begin my Bachelors of Science in Aviation Managment. Then when I got out i used my chapter 30 benefits to earn my CFI, now I am using my Chapter 33 benefits to earn the rest of my degree. Not only does the VA pay for the majority of your flight time they pay for all of your school. The best part about it is Southern Illinois University credited me 37 credits toward my degree because of my flight hours.

 

I am sure your familiar with chapter 33; which pays 100 percent of your tuition and gives you E-5 BAH. That extra income allows me to survive as a CFI.

 

So when all is said and done i will have a BS degree in Aviation Management and a CFII rating with the majority of it payed by the VA (all rotor time). If you play your cards right that $16,000 should be more than enough to achieve your goals. In my opinion kill two birds in one stone; fly helicopters and earn a Degree. You deserve it for protecting our country!

[spubar44]

I would have to agree with edspilot. 5-10 years ago I would have said differently but 16000 wont get you far in the fw world, at least not far enough to make a living at it. Just as well use that money to get off on the right foot if helos are the way you want to go. Good luck!

 

 

wopilot

 

yes, i am aware of the gi bill and flight training that is may cover after getting a ppl, but now tha ti had applied for the post 9/11 bill, i have chose the option to transfer the benefits to my spouse that is now using it to get her masters, and But now the post 9/11 bill does not allow the option to use it for any kind of flight training, so in short, I ended up supplying the education benefits to my wife and hosing myself at the same time. Of course when i did so, i wasn't planing on doing the flight training. So the money for me is coming out of my pocket.

 

cutter49,

 

Well for the 16000 k, that is just what i have sitting here as i type this for flight training. so i am wanting to make sure i choose the correct path with the help of others that have been through the process already to ensure myself, that i use the money wisely! After the 16k, i am gonna have to look elsewhere for the additional funds to get me to my goal of CFI or CFII.

Of course, unless you have money that you would like to provide me with? I'll go for that.

[Jeff]

If all you want to do is fly helicopters, then forget about the aiplane route. If you want to fly both, I recommend the following sequence of ratings to save money:

1. PPL Helicopter
   
2. PPL Airplane Add-on
   
3. Instrument Airplane
   
4. Instrument Helicopter Add-on
   
5. CPL Helicopter
   
6. CFI Helicopter
   
7. CFII Helicopter
   
8. CPL Airplane
   
9. CFI Airplane
   
10. CFII Airplane
    

 

If you want AMEL and MEI, then add those to the very end of the above list.

 

That 2 cents is free!

 

~Jeff

[crashed_05]

edspilot

 

That is exactly what i wanted to hear. I wouldn't have asked if i didn't want the truth. I wasn't sure if the fw hours would go toward rw hours. I am in the military and doing this in my off time. I have enough now to cover the ppl for just the rw, so i am going to do my intro flight on monday in the R22. Thanks for your input. I really didn't want to do the fw anyway, just seeing if it was as good as it sounded by saving the money.

 

Also, there are a lot of schools popping up all over that are approved by the VA for the Post 9/11 GI bill which will cover 100% of your flight training so long as you go for the aviation degree. That's what I'm doing now..any questions, feel free to ask.

[bqmassey]

edspilot

 

That is exactly what i wanted to hear. I wouldn't have asked if i didn't want the truth. I wasn't sure if the fw hours would go toward rw hours. I am in the military and doing this in my off time. I have enough now to cover the ppl for just the rw, so i am going to do my intro flight on monday in the R22. Thanks for your input. I really didn't want to do the fw anyway, just seeing if it was as good as it sounded by saving the money.

 

If you're in the U.S. Army DEFINITELY check out the Avotech program. It's going to expire soon, so you have to get on it NOW. But it will give you $4500 towards your PPL (yes, I said PPL) without using your tuition assitance money.

 

https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/education/VOTEC_Program.html

[spubar44]

no. I am in the coast guard. The gi bill only covers flight training if you already have your ppl. For the post 9/11 bill, that i have chosen to go with, does not cover any flight training at all. Of course i didn't realize that until it was too late, but at least my wife is using it to get her masters in education now.

[rick1128]

If all you want to do is fly helicopters, then forget about the aiplane route. If you want to fly both, I recommend the following sequence of ratings to save money:

1. PPL Helicopter
   
2. PPL Airplane Add-on
   
3. Instrument Airplane
   
4. Instrument Helicopter Add-on
   
5. CPL Helicopter
   
6. CFI Helicopter
   
7. CFII Helicopter
   
8. CPL Airplane
   
9. CFI Airplane
   
10. CFII Airplane
    

 

If you want AMEL and MEI, then add those to the very end of the above list.

 

That 2 cents is free!

 

~Jeff

 

Some helicopter companies like to have pilots who hold both helicopter and FW commercial. These companies operate a few FW aircraft as company hacks, that this gives them some flexibility.

 

However, I would skip the airplane PPL and do a FW add-on after you get your commercial. Do your FW instrument right after your FW commercial ride. Do your CFI-H as soon after your commercial ride as possible. Since the CFI ride is basically a commercial ride from the other seat, plus a longer oral and some talking. Then do your Helicopter Instrument and try to combine it with your Heli-CFII.

 

No matter how you do it, it is going to be expensive. However, with the Robinson SFAR you will need at least 200 hours of helicopter plus Robinson time to instruct in them. Keep in mind that unless you learn at a particular school, the school will want between 300 and 500 hours of HELICOPTER time before they hire someone.