I read the FAQ...

[Matt Lush]

Hello all!!

 

Let me just preface with: I've read a lot of the FAQ there, and some of the other posts.

 

I'm 34 years old, living in Dallas working in the Home Depot Regional Center making about 30k a year. My wife, who is locked into the Dallas area indefinitely, makes $100,000 a year.

 

I did 11 years in the Army (enlisted), and am trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I have to say I feel passionately about learning to fly a helicopter. I probably missed some of the questions in the FAQ but, if you guys could just throw me a few morsels of information I'd deeply appreciate it!!! I was curious about....

 

1. I read about "AIDS". Is this still the case? I don't want to lose my wife!! This is my second and hopefully LAST marriage!! What are my chances of getting a steady job in the DFW area? Am I close enough to the GOM (I'm guessing this is the Gulf of Mexico??) to ferry people to the rigs and then fly back to Dallas nightly? Or weekly? Or is it monthly?

 

2. Can I use my Army G.I. bill for training?

 

3. Does anyone know anything about Summit Helicopters in Dallas? Are they a good choice for a school? I have to say I like their website, they seem very open and upfront.

 

4. MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION!!!!! I have a hearing loss from the Army. I've gone to faa.gov and tried to get information, but I'm striking out. Is my hearing loss a serious issue? I don't wear hearing aids, but my wife does have to repeat herself about 30-40% of the time. As a frame of reference, my hearing loss was enough that I could have left the Army if I wanted, I told the Medical Board I wanted to stay though, and they let me change MOS's. (jobs).

 

5. If hearing is a problem, will they accept hearing aids as a solution?

 

6. I saw the answer to the vision question, I do wear contacts, so I think I'm okay, but would there be a problem with BOTH Eyesight and Hearing?

 

 

Many many thanks to you guys in advance!!!!!!!!!!

Edited October 22, 2007 by Matt Lush

[FlyingDodo]

As far as the medical question's go, try this. FAR part 67 is all about medical certification. You'd only be concerned with a third-class for a private pilot, but since you want to go commercial you need to meet at least the second-class requirements. If that doesn't answer you, try searching for an AME (Aviation Medical Examiner) near your location on the faa.gov site.

 

Summit Helicopters. The only thing I know about them is that they do their Private training in the 300CB, then the R22 for Commercial. Can't say if that's a good or bad thing, but it is original.

 

Good luck!

[Pogue]

1. I read about "AIDS". Is this still the case? I don't want to lose my wife!! This is my second and hopefully LAST marriage!! What are my chances of getting a steady job in the DFW area? Am I close enough to the GOM (I'm guessing this is the Gulf of Mexico??) to ferry people to the rigs and then fly back to Dallas nightly? Or weekly? Or is it monthly?

 

Talk with your wife about it, not us... my wife is very supportive. :-) The GOM'ers can comment on location and schedule, but I would think DFW would make for a reasonable commute.

 

2. Can I use my Army G.I. bill for training?

 

The VA will not pay for your private license, but will kick in for everything after that. You will need to go to a Part 141 school for the VA to pay. Watch out for schools that say "We're working on it." That won't cut it. There is not problem with getting your private Part 61, but anything the VA is paying for must be 141. (The numbers refer to faa regulations about how the school is run.) They pay 60% up to 110% of the minimum hours. It's worth the paperwork, believe me!

 

6. I saw the answer to the vision question, I do wear contacts, so I think I'm okay, but would there be a problem with BOTH Eyesight and Hearing?

 

I don't think you should have a problem with hearing as long as you're functional, but check with the medical people on that one. You may want to search the forum for CEP's - these are earplugs with earphones in them that you install in your helmet or headset. They make it a lot easier to understand radio communications. After working 6 years on an aircraft carrier flight deck, followed by a few years as a 13B I love mine! Eyesight's not problem as long as it's correctable.

 

Good Luck!

[slick1537]

Ive never been in the service, but from what I understand the GI bill is a very good thing for becoming a helicopter pilot. You will need to pay for your private out of pocket, after that I believe the GI bill will pay the rest up to whatever its limit is. My instructor told me the GI bill payed for 60% of his training cost. The schedules in the gulf vary, I have heard of 2 on 2 off, 7 on 7 off, or 14 on 14 off. I have also heard of people working 14 on 14 off then flying back to wherever they live every 2 weeks. You will do a hearing test when you go to get your medical. I know if it is not good enough, it can be corrected for, just like vision. IE, glasses and hearing aids.

 

PS, good luck with everything, this is an exciting field.

Edited October 25, 2007 by slick1537

[Gomer Pylot]

If you can convince the AME you can hear well enough, he'll certify you. The most common hearing test is talking to you when your back is turned, often walking down the hall, and seeing if you can understand him. If you can, you pass. I know several pilots who wear hearing aids, that's not a problem. I don't remember an actual 'hearing test' in the past 25 years. Find a good AME and stay with him, is my advice. I've gone through 3, unfortunately. One retired, one died, and I'm hoping my current one stays in business until after I retire. I had bad experiences with a couple of others in the interim, while looking for a good one. Having a good relationship with your AME is one of the most important things you can do. Don't use him as your family doctor, though, under any circumstances.

 

You can't commute from Dallas to the Gulf daily, but it can be done weekly easily enough. It's a long way to Fourchon from Dallas, but you can make it in a day. That means, really, that you'll be home 5 days out of 14 (or 12 out of 28) but that's the way it goes. AIDS is mostly a function of the parties involved. Working away from home half the time means there is more than ample opportunity for infidelity, for both parties, and if there is any temptation from that, it's going to happen. If you're both strong enough to refuse it, the marriage can certainly survive. Mine has, but being away more than half the time is always painful for both of us, and for our children. It takes a strong marriage in the first place to survive the lifestyle, but it can be done if you both work at it.

Edited October 25, 2007 by Gomer Pylot

[Matt Lush]

Thanks to all 4 of you for your replies!! I've gone further now, and checked out both Summit and Sky Helicopters. I get a better feeling from Sky, even though they're further away.

 

My 2nd flight is what hooked me. The first one, I couldn't stop worrying about the lack of doors on the R-22!!!

 

2nd flight, we had doors, and it was amazing. Instructor said I did great for being so new, (holding it steady and following a path), but I have a lot of work to do on hovering!! Just couldn't hold it...but then again I guess I shouldn't expect to be an instant expert.

 

I'm hooked. I'm looking at going to Utah Valley online simultaneously so I can use my G.I. Bill as well. Now I just have to schedule a Medical exam, and get my hours shifted at work from 9-6 to 11-8.

 

More questions! (Just a few!!!)

 

Dallas seems like a good job market, I'm hoping I can find something there after graduating, CFI and then hopefully something bigger and better after I get my hours. Opinions on Dallas?

 

Is three classes a week standard for training? Should I go for 4 or will my brain turn to mush and not retain what I need to? I'll still be working 40 hours a week while doing this, and studying at home of course!!! I understand it's 400-600 hours of homework/study for 200 classroom/200 flight hours.

 

Thanks again guys, great forum here!!!

 

*edit* Just came back from the doctor's, I've got my Class II! And only $40, not bad at all. I guess my next step is to arrange financing, although I want to take my wife down to Sky Helicopters, she's got some questions too. Does anyone have any experience with Sky Helicopters in Dallas? I read the one review on it, just wondering if there were other opinions out there.

Edited November 6, 2007 by Matt Lush

[jehh]

Summit Helicopters. The only thing I know about them is that they do their Private training in the 300CB, then the R22 for Commercial. Can't say if that's a good or bad thing, but it is original.

 

The idea is to get you the time required to teach in both types of aircraft. Bristow Academy does the same thing and was the inspiration for the program. The difference is that we also offer the Robinson R-44 which increases your chances of getting a job when you're done as it gives you more possible schools to go work for.

 

That being said, we'll train you in whatever you'd like, Schweizer 300 or Robinson. If a student comes to me and says they only want one or the other, I'm not going to turn them down. You're the customer, we'll take care of you either way.