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Whats up everyone?  I am currently enrolled to start flight training with SSH starting April 5.  I have never wanted anything more in my life than to become a helicopter pilot. I used to watch my father fast rope and jump out of these amazing machines since I was about 10 years old.  I couldn't get enough.  I have been addicited ever since.  Anyways, I was just wondering if my decision was correct in chosing SSH for flight school.  Don't get me wrong I have heard some great things about SSH but then turn right around and I hear some stuff that is also discouraging.  Anyways, what I really need is just some straight up honest feedback. Be blunt, I don't care.  If anyone has any info you can email me at oifmarine@hotmail.com or you can IM me at oifmarine2 or just post a feedback on this forum.  Thanks for the support and information.

Semper Fi,

Lcpl Corey Adkins USMC rotorheadsmiley

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I hear it is great if your a CFI but sucks if you are a student. CFI gets lots of hours and great pay. Students take almost 2 years just to get their CFI, and it does not matter how fast of a learner you are. It takes so long due to the program curriculum. Don't get me wrong here. I think SSH is a great school but the program takes forever to complete. For example ; somebody I know went and visited SSH and talked to some students, one students was so excited he/she could not wait he/she was about to get his/her PPL and had been there for 10.5 months and said that by this time next year I will have my CFI. My friend started at the school I'm at in Sept. and got his PPL in mid Jan. with only 48 hours total time. I started in mid Aug and received my PPL in mid Jan. with 97.5 hours total time. I'm not trying to dog SSH they have a great program but IMHO they drag out the ground and don't let you fly enough. Just my two cents. Good luck and have fun.

 

 Steve   rotorheadsmiley

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  • 3 months later...
TTF, I'm currently working for my CFI out in Boulder City, and I live in Vegas also. I dont think SilverState trains students unless they start from the ground up (contract). I definetly recommend Leading Edge Rotorcraft though, they have plenty of flight time usually, I fly about 3-4 times a week. Solomon Loop is the chief pilot/owner, and his rates are pretty reasonable compared to other schools. He's got 2 R44s and a Beta II with 150 hours on it. Schools number is 702-580-6703
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Jimbo, he always has something going it seems with the R44's whether its flight training, photo flights, filming, sightseeing tours, weddings, or shooting automatic weapons from the backseat at Frontsight (Gun Range).

 

TTF, I've been very satisfied with LERC, I've flown over a 100 hours in the last six months and just passed my commercial checkride earlier this month. Solomon is a very knowledgeable and down to earth instructor, and he should be, given that he and his wife are both A & Ps. He also does accelerated training if you had the time to do it that way, that's all on his website though at www.leadingedgerotorcraft.com

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Hey Chickenhawk,

 

 I visited LERCS' website and noticed the pricing for the various training programs.I read the price for the 150 hour commercial program is $ 28,500....is that on top of the $11000 for the private..??

 

 If $28,500 is for the entire 150 hours that is the lowest rate i think i have seen for the comm helo license..!!!

 

....and you are impressed with the training..??...looks like it would be a good area of the counrty to train in...??!!

 

 R.P.M

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  • 5 weeks later...
http://www.webwire.com/TopTenView.asp?id=4006

 

If you are a student of Silver State Helicopters, beware that there is a moving trend of companies not hiring Silver State students because of their immoral practices or poor training.

If you are a student of Silver State Helicopters, beware that there is a moving trend of companies not hiring Silver State students because of their immoral practices or poor training.

 

How you know? Any proof? ”Business owner” which Industry? I think, this time a year owner of Helicopter companies have different worries then “who is training where”.

Every flight school has top students and whinnies (sounds like you’re one of them), and in the end it comes down to yourself and your attitude, and no flight school will improve that.

You believe everything you read in JH? Well, … good luck.

 

Save a horse ride a cowboy

 

::potty::  ::jumpfire::

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Just helicopters is not the only place I have heard it.  I have heard it word of mouth from several operators.  Just Helicopters is the first place I have seen it online.  I have heard enough about silverstate to make sure I would look pretty hard at any potential applicant.  But then again, I would do that for any applicant.  

 

Grisu,

 

I have a busines in aviation.  I am no longer a student and haven't been one in over a decade.  What is with the hostility?  I am simply warning people of a possible trend that may effect their chances at future employment.  You may want to look in the mirror at your attitude.

 

And BTW, you don't get good students from poor instruction.  I had a very poor initial instructor and I had to unlearn a great deal.  Luckily, I found some very good instructors to teach me right.

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Without being slanderous, I would agree with CJ Eliassen.  If you talk with helicopter operators (not just training centers), you will find a negative perception about Silver State.  Regardless of what the facts are, perception = reality in business.  Besides, I believe you will find some of the financial practices of Silver State questionable if not criminal.
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Wow - the mention of SSH certainly stirs the pot.  It seems pretty clear that a great deal of the negativity out there stems from people with no personal experience with SSH.  As far as an owner/operator excluding pilots from SSH as potential employees, then I think that speaks volumes about their intelligence, character and desire to run a professional operation.  Then again, considering the source of the majority of opinions posted (JHF), perhaps enough said...
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helos4me, I'm not disagreeing with you... again, perception = reality in business.  For example, go to a Schweizer operation and ask them what they think of the R-22 for training.  The hostility generated speaks volumes, but that doesn't mean they don't run a quality training center.  It DOES mean they won't be purchasing an R-22 in the future, and that is a fact of life that has an impact... either personally or within the business arena.  To neglect the human factor, whether rational or justified, is a mistake.

 

All this said, there is more than a rumor of curious financial dealings at Silver State... another red herring.  Former students (I'm not one of them) are customers... and some say they haven't been treated well in that regard.

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I don't have any personal feelings towards SSH, but I will comment on what I perceive to be the situation as CJ is describing it.

 

SSH has established a negative reputation among helicopter operators and flight schools for various reasons.  Part of this is their arrogant attempt at taking over the industry through strategies (marketing or otherwise) that appear, at least on the surface, to be less than scrupulous.  This hurts the industry as a whole.

 

A "boycott" of this company and its products (namely the students) is one way for the industry to attempt to put a stop to the problem.

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But what would be the impact of that action on the students? It's certainly not their fault that the company allegedly practices  unscrupulous activities. Why punish the product?
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As I understand it, Silver State works by promising people jobs, their 250 hours time, whatever. They will give loans to anyone, even people with marigional credit. They then use these payments to pay the leases on their helicopters. Creative financing at it's best. But like most leveraged buyouts, they usually don't work long term. In Silver's case, once their helicopters start showing some age and unscheduled maintaince becomes an issue, they will have a bunch of trouble maintaining their cost structure. This is a long term thing though, and time will tell, for now, they're grabbing a bunch of people.

 

Keep in mind, I'm not affiled w/ Silver and I heard this third person.

 

James

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I have nothing to add about their business prectices, but they just purchased Civic Helicopters in San Diego.  I finished my training at Civic just as they were being bought.  The one thing I didnt like about SSH, was that they refuse to train you unless you are going all the way through Instructor.  So if you just want your private, Or in my case, I just wanted to go get my Instrument, they wont take you on unless you go through to your Instructor rating.  

 

Kinda weird

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