Need a little advice

[wannabe87]

Well, I finally got back from Iraq!! Feels great to be home, but now Im ready to start flying... Here is my question. I will have my PPL fixed wing in about two weeks. But... I want to fly helicopters... I am planning on flying with helicopter academy. But I have been told that I should just get all of my fixed wing ratings then do helicopter add ons. I feel like I really need to helicopter time, but this person told me that the operators will just ask for total time first. I was told that just getting my helicopter add on will be a lot cheaper for me, but I honestly dont see how because I even if I finish with 100 hours helicopter time I still need another 100 hours to even be able to instruct. I need advice on what to do here... I do know that my goal would be either flying offshore or utility, followed by flying EMS.. Please help me!! Thanks everyone!

Safe flying.

[apiaguy]

well, if you're already done with your asel private.... just shoot straight to the helicopter commercial add-on next.

U should be able to accomplish it in 50-70 hours of helicopter time (only 50 required)...

MAKE SURE your school will help you do this and not hinder you with the burdons of an unlicensed pilot.... you are a rated pilot working on your commercial!

 

you could use some additional airplane time to help you get your 150 total time and that would be cheaper... but if your going to be a robinson lover none of what I said will help you.

[kodoz]

I feel like I really need to helicopter time, but this person told me that the operators will just ask for total time first.

 

Welcome back. Your goal is to get to 200 hrs helicopter time to meet SFAR73. Helicopter Academy (and any other school that insures through Pathfinder) also wants you to have 300 hrs helicopter time. Your airplane time, unfortunately, won't help you with meeting the SFAR, Pathfinder, or GOM/tours insurance minimum requirements.

 

Also, when you start applying for jobs, be clear about what time is helicopter and what is FW on your resume. The FW time can hurt you if the employer can't readily figure out what time is in airplanes and what is in helicopters.

[Darren Hughes]

What they said! And, Helicopter PIC time is all that matters in the VFR helicopter world, especially when you're a low time pilot. Get your Private ASEL, then get your Private helicopter add-on as that will allow you to start building helicopter PIC time while working on the instrument and commercial. You can always add-on Comm fixed wing stuff later, if you want.

[rick1128]

What they said! And, Helicopter PIC time is all that matters in the VFR helicopter world, especially when you're a low time pilot. Get your Private ASEL, then get your Private helicopter add-on as that will allow you to start building helicopter PIC time while working on the instrument and commercial. You can always add-on Comm fixed wing stuff later, if you want.

 

In the helicopter world, all they care about is helicopter time. Get your Private SEL then do a Private helicopter add-on. You must do the helicopter add-on since pilots are now not permitted to skip the private certificate and can not do an add-on rating for a certificate level they do not hold. Helicopter PIC is still the big thing. But your solo time does count as part of your PIC time in accordance with FAR part 1 and Part 61.

[jumpngonuts]

In the helicopter world, all they care about is helicopter time. Get your Private SEL then do a Private helicopter add-on. You must do the helicopter add-on since pilots are now not permitted to skip the private certificate and can not do an add-on rating for a certificate level they do not hold. Helicopter PIC is still the big thing. But your solo time does count as part of your PIC time in accordance with FAR part 1 and Part 61.

 

 

When did that change?

[delorean]

well, if you're already done with your asel private.... just shoot straight to the helicopter commercial add-on next.

 

Can't do that......You have to get a Private Heli first.

 

If he had a commercial ASEL, then he could add-on the commercial heli, bypassing the private "privs" ride (unless that changed with the new pt.61.)

 

I think it's a waste to go straight for the commercial. You need to build up 35 hrs of PIC, which can only be done solo. If you do the private first, that's only 10 hrs of PIC; then all the rest of that dual getting prepared for the commercial, CFI, instrument, and CFII is PIC time. Straight to commercial and you're flying around by yourself for 25 extra hrs where you can't practice any of the stuff you need to be practicing for the CFI.......

 

You're not going to get a job with 50-70 hrs of helicopter time and commercial certificate, so why rush it? You'll need at least 150, more like 200-300 to get on the insurance somewhere. Get your private as fast as possible, then start logging all that PIC time.

[crashed_05]

If you use your CH33 benefits, you don't need to worry about the cost. I'm getting pvt through CFII free of charge thanks to the VA. Unless you have other plans for the GI Bill.

[Rogue]

ummm... I went from Private single engine land to Commercial Heli. I did my PIC time with my solo sign-off. You don't HAVE to do Private Heli first. If you got the cash then it doesn't matter, if you are using Montgomery GI Bill it makes all the difference in the world. My two cents - get the ratings - the experience will come. I found someone willing to hire a 50 hr commercial pilot. Its about equal to odds of winning lottery but it is possible.

[rick1128]

ummm... I went from Private single engine land to Commercial Heli. I did my PIC time with my solo sign-off. You don't HAVE to do Private Heli first. If you got the cash then it doesn't matter, if you are using Montgomery GI Bill it makes all the difference in the world. My two cents - get the ratings - the experience will come. I found someone willing to hire a 50 hr commercial pilot. Its about equal to odds of winning lottery but it is possible.

 

Rouge, when did you do this? That changed several years ago in the previous change of Part 61. Unless you found a FSDO that has their own interpretation of Part 61.

[Rogue]

I'm not a FAR guru and don't doubt what ya'll say. I did it this year, 2010. Only motivation was GI Bill won't pay Private but will pay Comm. Very highly regarded school, instead of the better to ask forgiveness policy I was actually "authorized" to do this beforehand by the DPE and Chief Flight Instructor. Maybe they weren't up on current policy? I have no idea. Other than the school's name which I think best to leave unsaid at this point, that is about all I can tell you about the situation.

 

EDIT - I would also note that this happened under 141 so 61 rules don't apply but for fun I pulled out the FAR and looked at 61.123 and I don't see anything precluding such a possibility.

 

61.123 ( h ) simply says "at least a private..." but doesn't specify in what and (f) specifically defers to 61.129 ( c ) which specifically says only 50 in helicopters inferring that you could substitute time from fixed wing which incidentally would assume a prior certificate of at least a private.

 

Out of curiosity could you please cite the reference precluding such events?

Edited March 28, 2010 by Rogue

[Rogue]

and it should be obvious but I make note also that the person that would have hired me with 50 hours hired me with the 115 garnered from 141 I could have went part 61 but just didn't have the money, gi bill and 141 worked out better for me as it were.

[Shaun]

Was the person that told you to get airplane time also the person selling you the airplane time?

 

Unless your GI bill will cover both airplane and helo ratings, it's a waste of time and money.

 

You can see the job requirements yourself on this site most of them are...

 

"Minimum helicopter experience requirements are: 2000 hours PIC, 1500 hours turbine, 100 hours PIC unaided night."

 

"PIC R/W 1500"

 

"Applicants MUST have 1000 hrs. PIC helicopter"