Rotor transition from Fixed Wing

[TexanAV8R]

OK, reading the regs and came up with a good question:

 

This is 14CFR-61.109 (superfluous wording removed for space - but available here:

 

 

© For a helicopter rating. Except as provided... a person who applies for a... rotorcraft category and helicopter class rating must log at least 40 hours of flight time... at least 20 hours... from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo..., and the training must include at least—

 

(1) 3 hrs XC

(2) 3 hrs Night w/ 50nm & 10 TO/Ldg

(3) 3 hrs within 60 days of checkride

(4) 10 hrs solo w/ 3 hrs XC, 100nm, 3 To / Ldg

 

 

What I'm unclear on, is whether all 40 of what's listed in the base [c] section must be done in helicopters, or if only what's listed in subsections 1-4 are required in helicopters. Technically, I could get a few hours training in the areas listed in 61.107 (3-4 hours flight time), then do 10 solo, then 3 more with an instructor and be done... right?

 

Or do I have to do 20-30 dual in a heli, 10-20 solo, and then be eligible for a checkride?

 

Just curious what the interpretation of the reg is.

 

Regards,

Texan

[apiaguy]

This one has been hashed before here... opinions will vary... but I am quite certain you can just do the subsections required in the helicopter... yes, that means possibly only 19 hours! I know people who have done it in nearly that.

[Pohi]

Depends on what helicopter you use, and who your DPE is. Do a search, this topic has been beaten to death a few times on this forum.

 

Without searching again, I believe the final agree to disagree consensus ended up all depending on not what the right answer might be, but what your local instructor/dpe/inspector thinks the right answer is.

[eagle5]

Depends on what helicopter you use, and who your DPE is. Do a search, this topic has been beaten to death a few times on this forum.

 

I'll go ahead and give you a little bit of it.

 

Due to SFAR 73 if you train in an R22 you won't be allowed to solo until you have 20hrs in the R22, and you won't be able to work as a CFII until you have 200hrs in helicopters 50 in the R22!

 

If you train in a 300 your requirements should be less, however, as another poster recently found out, if you graduate with less than 200hrs in helicopters in a 300, and your school doesn't hire you, you're basically "up sh*t creek"!

[Pohi]

 

 

I'll go ahead and give you a little bit of it.

 

Due to SFAR 73 if you train in an R22 you won't be allowed to solo until you have 20hrs in the R22, and you won't be able to work as a CFII until you have 200hrs in helicopters 50 in the R22!

 

If you train in a 300 your requirements should be less, however, as another poster recently found out, if you graduate with less than 200hrs in helicopters in a 300, and your school doesn't hire you, you're basically "up sh*t creek"!

 

:-)

 

I agree 100% with what you say. I believe he is only asking about minimums for certification, not minimums for employment

[Flybull]

The 40 all has to be done in a heli. The 16 hours listed in 1-4 are specific requirements to be met within the 40 hours in a heli. I say 16 and not 19 because item 3 is only an added amount of required time if you haven't flown at least three hours within 60 days of your check ride.

 

As far as the "agree to disagree" issue..... all I'll say is try scheduling a check-ride for your heli add-on without 40 hours in helicopters..... you'll be sadly dissappointed when the examiner starts going through your logbook immediately after "how ya doin', let's get started."

 

BTW, if you are doing training in Robinsons, like I did for my rotor add-on, you'll need to be intimately familliar with SFAR 73.

[apiaguy]

Even if we can't agree on the exact minimum... I'm pretty sure a poll would have us agree that you DO NOT have to do ALL 40 in helicopters.

[Flybull]

I'd be interested to know "which" hours could be done in another aircraft.