JJ Cavins Posted November 7, 2007 Posted November 7, 2007 I am currently working on fixed wing aircraft certifications and want to eventually start a career in Helicopters. I am in Santa Barbara, CA and I believe the closest heli school is in Camarillo with Orbic Helicopters. Anybody have any experience or opinions with them? I did a demo flight down there with the chief pilot who I found to be very amiable and professional. Looking for any comments on that flight school or any others in the area. (I could theoretically fly a c-172 and fly to another flight school if it was within 30-40 minutes (flight time) or so of SB. The closest was in Camarillo, I think there might have been some other schools north in Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo or South of me in Van Nuys, Santa Paula, etc... Thanks! JJ Quote
justfly Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 ...Anybody have any experience or opinions with them? I did a demo flight down there with the chief pilot who I found to be very amiable and professional...The owner, Ken Obi, is definitely one of the good guys and a talented, experienced pilot. But if that's who you flew with you probably already know that. He is one of the instructor pilots Robinson uses for the Safety Course. Quote
John90290 Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 I am currently working on fixed wing aircraft certifications and want to eventually start a career in Helicopters. I am in Santa Barbara, CA and I believe the closest heli school is in Camarillo with Orbic Helicopters. Anybody have any experience or opinions with them? I did a demo flight down there with the chief pilot who I found to be very amiable and professional. Looking for any comments on that flight school or any others in the area. (I could theoretically fly a c-172 and fly to another flight school if it was within 30-40 minutes (flight time) or so of SB. The closest was in Camarillo, I think there might have been some other schools north in Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo or South of me in Van Nuys, Santa Paula, etc... Thanks! JJ I've always been partial to Group 3 Aviation. Nice well maintained fleet and experienced instructors at one of LA's busiest airports/airspaces. It's fun to train locally at the Whiteman airport across the freeway, at the dry riverbed across the mountains near Valencia and even doing auto's into Burbank International. http://group3aviation.com/ Initial training is in a 300cbi. You can also opt for the R22 which just came back from the factory. They use two R44 for instrument training along with a cessna 172. Yoshi and Bret are the two instructors i've used and they were both great. Good Luck. -John Quote
Goldy Posted November 14, 2007 Posted November 14, 2007 (edited) at the dry riverbed across the mountains near Valencia -John John- Just FYI, the old riverbed is off limits now. Seems Newhall Land & Ranch didnt appreciate us ! If you come back to LA, go further west almost to Piru, or check out Magic Mesa in Canyon Country (my favorite hiding spot). JJ- there are a couple ships that fly out of Santa Paula, including a cool rebuilt Bell 47 in original Army markings....but no rotor flight schools that I know of. I do agree with John, VNY is the place to learn. Class D, 2 active runways, busiest airport around, ILS, ground, 2 tower freq's and a dedicated helicopter frequency... I was over saying hi to a buddy last week as a $5 Million dollar jet was landing, and a restored B-25 was firing up its radials getting ready to take off. DEA was flying overhead dodging 2 fire airships and two company R22's were coming onto final on the taxi way...as 2 fixed wings were in the pattern. Only at VNY !!! Goldy Edited November 14, 2007 by Goldy Quote
brushfire21 Posted November 14, 2007 Posted November 14, 2007 I was over saying hi to a buddy last week as a $5 Million dollar jet was landing, and a restored B-25 was firing up its radials getting ready to take off. DEA was flying overhead dodging 2 fire airships and two company R22's were coming onto final on the taxi way...as 2 fixed wings were in the pattern. Only at VNY !!! Goldy Just reading that Goldy made my head spin........ Quote
Roondog Posted November 14, 2007 Posted November 14, 2007 Is Dave Williams still around at Orbic(Camarillo)? I flew with him at Sun Air in 2000 when they still had a helo school. Have to say, some of my fondest memories of flying were there. Off airport at the riverbed. Quote
Goldy Posted November 15, 2007 Posted November 15, 2007 (edited) Just reading that Goldy made my head spin........ Yeah, you have pattern work and the usual small prop traffic on 16L, then all the jets and the ILS on 16R, then you have 5 helicopter routes in and 5 routes out of the airport....it gets fun sometimes!When you gonna come down and catch a ride? Goldy Edited November 15, 2007 by Goldy Quote
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