Helihead Posted September 11, 2007 Posted September 11, 2007 Ok... I have around 100 PIC in fixed wing now. I want to get my commercial in helicopter and my CFI and instrument in Helicopter... Financially would it be better to get the fixed wing ratings first and then get the helicopter add ons?? .. I want to fly helicopters asap and always have wanted to. what do you guys and gals think I want to get my commercial helicopter and cfi safely and asap
Hedge36 Posted September 11, 2007 Posted September 11, 2007 Get flying helos now. It'll take you a while to un-learn all those bad fixed-wing habits.
Copterpilot213 Posted September 11, 2007 Posted September 11, 2007 This similar topic might answer some of your questions: http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/helicopterfor...?showtopic=7475
Collective Down! Posted September 11, 2007 Posted September 11, 2007 Ok... I have around 100 PIC in fixed wing now. I want to get my commercial in helicopter and my CFI and instrument in Helicopter... Financially would it be better to get the fixed wing ratings first and then get the helicopter add ons?? .. I want to fly helicopters asap and always have wanted to. what do you guys and gals think I want to get my commercial helicopter and cfi safely and asap fly what you want to fly... don't try to work out the financial advantage of doing the fixed wing stuff first. take it from someone who's dual-rated pilot and instructor in both... the airplane time doesn't mean jack to a helicopter employer. 2300 total, 300 in helicopter (including an ATP, CFI, and CFII in heli) and the airplane & total time doesn't seem to mean anything... in fact it will almost seems to work against me. HOWEVER, i personally think you will learn more doing your instrument in the airplane, then adding the helicopter-instrument afterwards. don't get me wrong, it won't be cheaper in the end, but you'll learn and understand more. most helicopter-only instructors have never popped a cloud. if you take this bit of my advice, go enroll in a part 141 instrument-airplane course because that will exclude the requirement for 50 hours of PIC cross-country and reduce the cost of your instrument-airplane rating... then do your helicopter training from that point. the instrument-helicopter add-on shouldn't take you more than the required 15 hours of dual instruction. but, you'll have to get the 50 hours of PIC cross-country (total of all categories) before you take the instrument-helicopter add-on checkride. knock out the commercial dual and solo cross-country flights during that time and that should cover about 8 to 10 hours of PIC cross-country right there. ...i'm standing by for the personal attacks from the helicopter CFII's that i probably offended
palmfish Posted September 11, 2007 Posted September 11, 2007 I agree, good advice. I would add that, although airplane instrument training does help towards the helicopter instrument rating, the commercial airplane rating is a waste of time and money if you don't plan on using it. An ILS approach is an ILS approach, whether you're flying a Cessna 206 or a Bell 206. On the other hand, in 20 years of rotary-wing flight, I have yet to perform a lazy 8 in a helicopter.
Helihead Posted September 11, 2007 Author Posted September 11, 2007 I want to fly helos. Thank I heard that fixed wing time didnt mean jack from more than one on this site. Thanks for the advice I was thinking the same about the instument starting in fixed wing etc. I am 97.43 % positive I will just start flying helicoptersnow and at the same time maybe work on instrument in fixed and transition to Helos ...great advice thanks again
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