Upper Limit Aviation/Guidance Helicopters

[adwr070621]

Anyone have any opinions/experiences with these schools?

[jslider]

Awesome school. Check out their website at www.ulaheli.com

[helipilotm]

Awesome school. Check out their website at www.ulaheli.com

 

My opinion is I would look elsewhere. ulaheli has balled up helicopters left and right if I remember last count was 6 and they havent even been in buisness that long. I have heard good things about guidance.

[RkyMtnHI]

My opinion is I would look elsewhere. ulaheli has balled up helicopters left and right if I remember last count was 6 and they havent even been in buisness that long. I have heard good things about guidance.

 

 

Ouch, i searched the NTSB web site and only found one crash for Upper Limit (2006), i only did a quick search so my info might not be completely accurate.

 

I think it is very important to do a search about the school you are looking into BEFORE you sign up there. It is quite easy and some schools will totally lie. I know one school that has on their web site (and in a recent article) that they have had no accidents, but when you search them by name two pop up right away.. by looking closer and putting in the city where they operate you find even more. If they are blatantly lying to this degree you have to wonder what else they are trying to hide.

 

To search a school or operation just go to this page:

 

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp

 

Fill in as much info as you have; you might want to go back a few years further on the date range. If you have tail numbers it's easier to find information (and one school i know has photos with tail numbers of ships that they crashed in the past still on their website so be resourceful).

 

Put in the state, click on helicopter, put the name of the operation in the word string line. When the reports pop up, click on "full narrative available" for the rest of the info.

 

If you do a search and nothing pops up, go back and check your data input as you might have missed something. If still nothing pops up do a search on the aircraft type (300c or such) and search by city and state.. chances are more will pop up there and you can go thru them and search for pertinent information.

 

There is really good info to be found and you can learn by reading the reports.

 

This also gives you an idea about how careful you need to be as you don't want to be featured in one of these reports in the future....

 

Now, my disclaimer: if an operation has had one or more accidents it may have been something that they couldn't control, and in training those things happen, but if they have and the school is trying to cover them up then i would look very close, in fact, i would run away as fast as i could..

 

dp

[jslider]

My opinion is I would look elsewhere. ulaheli has balled up helicopters left and right if I remember last count was 6 and they havent even been in buisness that long. I have heard good things about guidance.

 

Helipilotm - You are completely misguided on your post. Upper Limit has not had 6 accidents. Please do your research before slandering companies on a well trusted website that impressionable future students are using to determine which school they may attend.

 

And thank you to RckyMtn for well thought out post.

 

Jason Askins

Previous Upper Limit student and current CFII at Upper Limit.

[RkyMtnHI]

Helipilotm - You are completely misguided on your post. Upper Limit has not had 6 accidents. Please do your research before slandering companies on a well trusted website that impressionable future students are using to determine which school they may attend.

 

Jason Askins

Previous Upper Limit student and current CFII at Upper Limit.

 

 

well said Jason, i was trying to think of a way to say the same thing...

 

well said.

 

dp

[brettjeepski]

Anyone have any opinions/experiences with these schools?

 

Don't forget to look at Mountain Ridge Helicopters in Logan or Bountiful. That is the school I go to and I love them! Can't beat them!

 

They have great instructors, the owners are amazing and care about their employees and students!

 

I am working on my CFI. Check out www.mountainridgeheli.com

[Sigma Chi]

Upper Limit Aviation is great! My recommend going for a tour and seeing what they have to offer and meet the ownership and staff. They are also VA approved and you can get up to 100% of your flight training using the Post 9-11 GI Bill. They are also 141, 61, 135, accredited, have a degree program and more. (801)669-4258 is there number.

 

By the way, DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE CHOOSING A SCHOOL!

 

Ask the schools , what is important to you.

 

Ex:

 

1. What certification do you have?

2. What are the chances on getting hired after you get your certifications?

3. Airspace do you fly in?

4. Helicopters, Why r22 vs 300c?

5. Cost?

6. Success in completing the program?

7. Chief pilot experience, and do they have contacts after you get 1000 hours?

8. How many students do you have?

9. How many instructors do you have?

10. How many aircraft do you have? Do those numbers match?

11. Is the school growing?

12. Ask current students if they are happy!

13. TAKE A TOUR!

 

P.S. If a school is bashing another school, that is a Red Flag. But bring that question back to to them and see how they respond. Good luck and do not rush your decision.

 

• 
  

[yourfavoriteweapon]

I have been looking at both Upper Limit and Guidance. They both offer degree programs covered by the GI Bill from the looks of it. I was leaning towards Guidance because of the high altitude training you receive from the get-go. Still researching some things about ULA.