Is training portable?

[radioguy101]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Due to my career and financial situation, I'm going to be very slowly learning how to fly. I may or may not ever strive to get past a private pilot's license. I'm also going to be moving a lot. Ie, I'm here for 6 more weeks, then I'm moving somewhere else for 6 months, then somewhere else after that. Luckily all three cities I'll be in for the next three years have helicopter instructors.

 

So, if I do 3 or 4 hours of training here, when I move in a few weeks will my next instructor, generally, accept my previous flight time at another school? And when I show up somewhere else in 6 months, will that instructor "believe" that I have 15 or 20 hours by then? (Hopefully!)

 

Thank you

RG

[heligirl03]

Radioguy,

 

Each hour you fly will be logged and signed off by your instructor in your very portable logbook, so "believing" will not be the issue. Every hour counts!

 

Where you may run into trouble is that learning to fly a helicopter is a very perishable skill, highly dependent upon muscle memory and degrades with disuse especially in the beginning. Particularly in primary training, gaps of more than a few days between flights doesn't make it impossible, it just takes longer. If you can accept that it will be a bit of a "two steps forward, one step back" process and you will complete each step most likely with more total hours accrued (and more $$ spent) than someone pursuing it full time, no harm done.

 

Also keep in mind that each new instructor will want to be assured (by flying with you over time) that your skills meet expected levels of proficiency...for instance, if you solo 2 hours with one instructor and then move, do not expect to step into an aircraft with the new instructor and solo in the immediate future. It is your instructor's job to assess that you are competent and the only way for him/her to tell is to get to know you in the cockpit and that doesn't happen overnight or by reading previous logbook entries (perhaps this is more what you meant by "believing" as opposed to a literal question).

 

Hope this helps!

 

Other than that, good luck and most of all, ENJOY!

 

HG03

[Lindsey]

You would not BELIEVE how much it matters how often you fly, especially pre-solo, at least from my limited experience. I started off flying once per week, and I felt like I could *feel* proficiency slipping away as the days dragged by. Now I fly a couple times a week, and hoping to bump it up to 4x/week in a couple weeks. It makes a HUGE difference. If you can afford it, go for it.

 

If you have the time and money, you can definitely do 15-20 hours in the next 6 weeks. Have fun!!!

 

- L

[Shaun]

You would not BELIEVE how much it matters how often you fly

 

Yea, large portions of each flight turn into raising your proficiency back to where it was rather than learning something new.

 

I've been in normal and accelerated programs, everyone in the latter took far fewer hours to complete the rating.

 

But if you don't have a choice in the matter it can still be done, and changing training locations is a good thing, your training will be broader and it reduces the risk of one bad instructor coloring your skills.

[Goldy]

Radioguy,

 

Each hour you fly will be logged and signed off by your instructor in your very portable logbook, so "believing" will not be the issue. Every hour counts!

 

Where you may run into trouble is that learning to fly a helicopter is a very perishable skill, highly dependent upon muscle memory and degrades with disuse especially in the beginning. Particularly in primary training, gaps of more than a few days between flights doesn't make it impossible, it just takes longer. If you can accept that it will be a bit of a "two steps forward, one step back" process and you will complete each step most likely with more total hours accrued (and more $$ spent) than someone pursuing it full time, no harm done.

 

Also keep in mind that each new instructor will want to be assured (by flying with you over time) that your skills meet expected levels of proficiency...for instance, if you solo 2 hours with one instructor and then move, do not expect to step into an aircraft with the new instructor and solo in the immediate future. It is your instructor's job to assess that you are competent and the only way for him/her to tell is to get to know you in the cockpit and that doesn't happen overnight or by reading previous logbook entries (perhaps this is more what you meant by "believing" as opposed to a literal question).

 

Hope this helps!

 

Other than that, good luck and most of all, ENJOY!

 

HG03

Yeah...what she said ! Take it from a guy that spent 4 years getting to solo.....2-3 flights a year does not make a great pilot. It's a fun way to spend money, but do not fool yourself that you are training. Save up, get your groundschool and written done, and then fly like mad until you get your private.

Edited December 12, 2010 by Goldy