Robinson Safety Course Question

[bobbycreager943]

Is the course required by flight schools if you want to instruct for them? Also, if required does the school pay for you to attend or is this an out of pocket expense? If it is out of pocket could this be written off on taxes?

[RagMan]

It is my understanding that in order to begin even training in robbies, or flying them for that matter, you had to complete the safety course prior to.

[heligirl03]

The course is required by Pathfinder insurance PRIOR to carrying passengers. I have never heard of a school paying for the course for instructors, and most people take it somewhere during their training so they can take a friend or relative up flying on one of those commercial cross-countries. The course is a blast, you learn a lot and meet a lot of great people. I suppose if your school (or the one you plan to teach at) doesn't use Pathfinder then you don't need it. But, that's usually not the case so you might as well just sign up and head to LA

 

EDIT: Most tax write-offs relate to a CURRENT field of work, whether it be equipment, training or whatever. Most people in initial training can't say they are currently working pilots. If you are a CFI adding a CFII, or a pilot adding an IR or ATP, or using the RHC course as a FIRC, it's my understanding that those things would be deductible.

[r22butters]

I haven't seen a job yet in a Robinson that didn't require the safety course. I'm also sorry to say that, at this level, you're going to have to pay for everything!

 

You should go to the course, its pretty cool, and you'll get to do some things on the flight that your regular instructor won't.

[crashed_05]

I'm enrolled for the Sept course. Can't wait!

[HelliBoy]

Feel lucky that its only 500 bucks. The same thing at Bell is 11k.

[edspilot]

Just as a reference, if you want to own or have a leased Robinson helicopter, I would say "all" insurance companies will require you to go the at least one RHC Safety Course.

 

I have my insurance through Sutton-James and I took the Safety Course before I bought my R22 and then at the one year mark I did a "safety audit" (their term) with a one of their approved "safety audit" check pilots. They say you need to do the safety course or a "safety audit" every year of ownership for their insurance.

 

The next renewal I will go back to the Safety Course just because it was very informative and it is good to be re-grounded to the factory. I plan on going back to the factory ever other year of renewal, just me, as long as the price stays around $500.00. You can not beat that price!

 

I might add, the "safety audit" was also very informative and enjoyable as the pilot I took it with was a former RHC instructor/demo pilot for Robinson in CA. He had alot of experience in the mid 90s to mid 2000s working there and knew the R22 inside and out! He now flys Med-Evac in Baltimore and does the "safety audit" for Sutton James on his days off.

 

Now back to your orginal question. Yes, to teach you will have to go the the course. No, most schools will NOT pay for you to go to the course. (especially in this market) Yes & No, as another has mentioned, it might be but usually not when starting out.

 

edspilot

[RkyMtnHI]

To clarify:

 

To teach at an operation that uses Pathfinder insurance you WILL be required to have gone to the Robinson Safety Course.

 

Some of the other insurance companies do not require the course, ours does not.

 

That being said, the $$ spent on the course will be some of the best coins you will spend in your training experience and you will love it, and, it will not limit you to working only for operations that use Pathfinder...

 

Just for the record; we DO require that our instructors attend the course, even tho our insurance does not.. others might be the same, and when i look at a resume... i always look for their course date!!

 

aloha,

 

dp