Guidance Aviation or Northeastern Helicopters

[800sx]

Ive been researching flight schools for a long time and have come down to one of these two.

 

Im from NH and want to stay in the area, which is why I want to go to northeastern. The only reason I want to go to guidance is because they are at a higher elevation, and I want to work in the mountains. The thing is, Ive lived in that area before and I didnt like it at all.

 

Is training at higher elevation really going to make a big difference on my job prospects?

 

Ive looked up reviews on both schools and they both seem good, but does anybody have any further input?

[Flying Pig]

Don't fall for that mountain/High DA nonsense to make a decision. If there's is a school near where you live and it makes it more convenient just go there. Nobody cares where you do your ratings. Getting your ratings is about as basic as it gets. There are so many schools scrambling for business they use any difference they can to try to look special. Most entry level CFIs teaching at these "high DA" schools have no idea what mountain flying is themselves not to mention actually teaching anyone mountain flying. Nor will you spend any significant amount of time doing anything in the mountains out if your whopping 190hrs total time.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Flying Pig

[WolftalonID]

I will second that. Your mountain experience will come....but not really during training, so stay close while in school while you can....you have the rest of your career to chase work and every job after will build your skills further.

[Hover225]

After a long time researching schools, I decided on NE Helos. I'm a SSH refugee that came away with my Private, so I was very careful in my decision of where to finish. I will be heading there in Sept just after I get my daughter off to law school. The folks up there are genuine and have the students' best interest at heart. I can't wait. Maybe I'll see you there!

[pilot#476398]

The only reason to pick one school over another is if you believe you have a better chance at getting hired there to teach after training!

[Flying Pig]

I learned to fly at sea level in Carlsbad CA. My instructors first turbine gig was Temsco in AK. That was 12 years ago and from what I can tell, he's still there.

[pilot#476398]

I don't know what's so great about training in the mountains? If someone took an off-shore oil rig and converted it into a school, that'd be pretty cool!...or perhaps a school at the bottom of a deep canyon? Much more interesting than the boring old mountains.

[Flying Pig]

Well…..entry level certificate schools don't "train" in the mountains anyway. They fly past them or they shoot a pinnacle approach to a hill top. Think back to your training. There isn't a whole lot of extra time to dedicate to "training" in the mountains. No part of your check rides deal with mountain flying. "No…. a pinnacle approach isn't mountain flying" It would be cool….. way more fun than training in Florida where its God awfully boring to fly. But you aren't going to really learn anything. And your 500hr R22 CFI, hate to break it to you, isn't going to teach you anything worthwhile anyway. I flew for a couple years both fixed wing and helicopters in the Sierra, an MD500E and a Cessna 206. nothing I learned in my Private-Comm or CFI would have made any difference. Flying in, around or past the mountains is much different than working in the mountains. Like what was mentioned above. Your choice of school should be one that doesn't make it any more expensive than necessary to attend and/or what was pointed out above…. increases your chances of being hired as a CFI. Now, is there anything wrong with a school advertising training in the mountains? No. No different than a school in AK advertising that you get to land in the snow and experience a real white out in real world conditions. Advertise wat-chu-got. As a potential customer, just do your research and keep it in perspective.

 

Like what was said above. A school oriented around landing on oil platforms, taught at the PHI academy in a yellow and black S300C… yeah, that would be something to advertise!

Edited January 12, 2014 by Flying Pig

[pilot#476398]

Can't we make it a yellow and black R22 Mariner? That way I'd get the experience needed to fly for Boatpix!