Aspiring Pilot with Questions

[goromadgo]

First off I wanted to say awesome site, this has answered many of the questions I have had about the flying world. I'm currently deployed to Iraq with a little under a year left on my enlistment in the Air Force. When I was on leave my father took me to Silver State in Pueblo, CO. We talked with the staff for a good 2 hours and then got to go on a demo flight in a R-44. I was already fed up with my current job and realized then that this is what I wanted to do for a living. Currently I'm a forward air controller. I'm supposed to be out calling in air strikes and working with the Army on the ground, but the job is becoming more and more of a desk job...the exact thing I joined the job trying to get away from.

 

I had a very good impression of Silver State Pueblo's setup when I visited, but since visiting they seem evasive in questions I answer. Sometimes writting them 2-3 times within a matter of weeks before finally getting a response and even then not answering the questions I asked to begin with. After doing research on Silver State I've decided to steer clear of that route. Instead I've been looking at other flight schools in the areas of Colorado Springs, CO and Camarillo, CA. My father (who has his fixed wing PPL) lives in Colorado Springs and my mother lives in my hometown of Camarillo.

 

I've grown up around aviation my entire life (Navy brat), flown r/c's as long as I can remember, decorated arm chair pilot , and have flown in all sorts of aircraft including Cessena 182s, C-5, C-130, Hueys, Blackhawks, Chinnoks, and twice in the F-16 (best time of my life!). Hell I've even done a SPIES extraction where I clip on to a rope and hang beneeth a flying helo! I've also been studying from King's dvds to get a head start and I've got an Apache pilot here that helps me when I don't understand something. I'm 23, married but no kids and don't plan on having any for at least a few years. I'm used to being moved from place to place so that won't mean much to me and the wife realizes that this will come with the job also. Really the only questions I have at the moment are:

 

• Does High Altitude really help down the road? Right now this is one of the main draws to flight schools in Colorado.
   
  
• Has anyone been to a flight school in the areas around Colorado Springs/Denver or Camarillo/Ventura County?
  My father was looking into both Premiere and Rotors of the Rockies in Colorado and I *believe* both schools are part 141, which is what I plan on attending. GI bill will help a little bit...keep my ramen supply going while I'm training
  

 

Thanks for your time and I'm glad I stumbeled onto these forums

 

Adam

[K-38]

First off I wanted to say awesome site, this has answered many of the questions I have had about the flying world. I'm currently deployed to Iraq with a little under a year left on my enlistment in the Air Force. When I was on leave my father took me to Silver State in Pueblo, CO. We talked with the staff for a good 2 hours and then got to go on a demo flight in a R-44. I was already fed up with my current job and realized then that this is what I wanted to do for a living. Currently I'm a forward air controller. I'm supposed to be out calling in air strikes and working with the Army on the ground, but the job is becoming more and more of a desk job...the exact thing I joined the job trying to get away from.

 

I had a very good impression of Silver State Pueblo's setup when I visited, but since visiting they seem evasive in questions I answer. Sometimes writting them 2-3 times within a matter of weeks before finally getting a response and even then not answering the questions I asked to begin with. After doing research on Silver State I've decided to steer clear of that route. Instead I've been looking at other flight schools in the areas of Colorado Springs, CO and Camarillo, CA. My father (who has his fixed wing PPL) lives in Colorado Springs and my mother lives in my hometown of Camarillo.

 

I've grown up around aviation my entire life (Navy brat), flown r/c's as long as I can remember, decorated arm chair pilot , and have flown in all sorts of aircraft including Cessena 182s, C-5, C-130, Hueys, Blackhawks, Chinnoks, and twice in the F-16 (best time of my life!). Hell I've even done a SPIES extraction where I clip on to a rope and hang beneeth a flying helo! I've also been studying from King's dvds to get a head start and I've got an Apache pilot here that helps me when I don't understand something. I'm 23, married but no kids and don't plan on having any for at least a few years. I'm used to being moved from place to place so that won't mean much to me and the wife realizes that this will come with the job also. Really the only questions I have at the moment are:

 

• Does High Altitude really help down the road? Right now this is one of the main draws to flight schools in Colorado.
   
  
• Has anyone been to a flight school in the areas around Colorado Springs/Denver or Camarillo/Ventura County?
  My father was looking into both Premiere and Rotors of the Rockies in Colorado and I *believe* both schools are part 141, which is what I plan on attending. GI bill will help a little bit...keep my ramen supply going while I'm training
  

 

Thanks for your time and I'm glad I stumbeled onto these forums

 

Adam

Hey welcome to the helicopter family. Forward air controller is a pretty intense specialty. I'm sorry that you are not getting to put all that training to it's intended use at the moment. I do not know about any of the schools you mentioned sorry. Glad to hear you steered clear of SSH though. I'm sure some of the guy's on here will be able to get you dialed in with some good info on the schools in question. Good luck to you.

[apiaguy]

In my opinion high altitude training in your beginning phase doesn't mean squat. Yes, it is helpful to understand the REAL effects and fly with limited power but it isn't going to make any difference until you start flying commercially and desiring to work in mountainous environments... and I can only think of the forest service as the one who is going to specify mountain/altitude flight time. So if that is your route by all means get as much time as you can... if you don't really know then don't worry.... pretty much any school is going to give you the basic training to accomplish what you will need for your first 150-200hrs.

[goromadgo]

K-38,

 

Thanks for the welcome This job was never meant to be a career for me, just something to do while I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I had a free ride to college, but since I didn't have a clue about what I wanted to do for a living I figured I could spend some time in the military. It's been a great experience and will help a lot in the long run. The job has given me awesome experiences, but with the road it's headed down it's just time for me to part ways and begin a new career that I'm truely excited about.

 

Apiaguy,

 

Thanks for the advice! I haven't really been able to find anything about high altitude hours in any of my searches so I appreciate it. Silver State Pueblo was using this as a big selling point about how you would have all your hours as high altitude. Since it was a package deal to offset costs of the R-44 they dropped your external load training. Right now the job that sounds the most interesting is EMS, but I'm not going to go into this set on one particular job since I realize it's going to take time to get there.

 

Are there any Alaska pilots in here? We spent 3 years in Fairbanks and the wife perked up when I meantioned Alaska. What kind of jobs are there in the Anchorage area?

[heligirl03]

Plenty to be had in AK once you've got some long-line time. But you won't be home, you'll spend weeks/months at a time out on the North Slope, primarily drill/mining support. At least if you relocated to Anc your commute would be short and you wouldn't waste off days traveling home!

[AngelFire_91]

Welcome,

Born and raised in Colorado Springs here. I don't know too much about helicopter training since I didn't do any around there, I have done quite a bit of fixed wing around there. But from what I've heard about the Helicopter stuff, ROR doesn't venture outside of the area much, meaning they very rarely get into the mountians, and premiere is fairly new but from what I understand pretty good. Like I said though, thats only what I've heard so take it or leave it. But mainly I wanted to say "Hi" from a fellow Coloradin.

[goromadgo]

Welcome,

Born and raised in Colorado Springs here. I don't know too much about helicopter training since I didn't do any around there, I have done quite a bit of fixed wing around there. But from what I've heard about the Helicopter stuff, ROR doesn't venture outside of the area much, meaning they very rarely get into the mountians, and premiere is fairly new but from what I understand pretty good. Like I said though, thats only what I've heard so take it or leave it. But mainly I wanted to say "Hi" from a fellow Coloradin.

 

Thanks I am not a native Coloradin, as a matter of fact I've only spent 6 days in the state! I'm from California, but when my parents split my dad moved to the Springs. I loved the area and it's a lot more receptive to to of my big loves, ice hockey and snowboarding. I will miss out on the surf though! I also think it would be better to train in CO because of the weather, mountains, elevation and $$$! Cali is just so damn expensive! I've heard the same thing about ROR, staying in the pattern. They also use Schweizers. I believe Premiere has both R-22s and R-44s, but I'd have to drive to denver to fly the 22's. Only about 80 miles each way so it's not too bad of a trip to get my 22 hours. A big part of it is going to be if the schools are part 141. My Dad is checking the schools out for me, but he's gone half of the year on business. Plenty of time to decide though Look forward to seeing you around the Springs!

[copter doctor]

If you plan to use the G.I. bill to help with your training you will need to find a school that is 141 and V.A. approved, not all 141 schools are. You also will need to get the private rating on your own, V.A. only covers 60% of each rating past private. As far as work in Alaska goes you can get work doing tours with Temsco or ERA if you can get around the 1000 hr. mark. There are also some smaller operators but most of that is field work and seasonal. I spent about 4 years at Wainwright and one of my friends in fairbanks said it was -43 last month, about the only thing I don't miss about AK. Make sur you research any school you plan to attend. I live in Kansas and K-state just got a 300cbi and are 141 and V.A. approved for their fixed wing program and already submitted the paperwork for the Helo program, should be approved soon. Welcome to the Helo community and good luck.

[Goldy]

Hey there- I fly into Camarillo at least once a month, great little airport....good restaurant! I dont know anyone taking training there though. I know SSH has an operation there, and I think maybe Ken Orbic does. I fly out of VNY at TwinAir, we have 2- R22's, R44 and Bell 47. The R44 is equipped with a hook so they can teach long line. Fun place, good instructors. PM me when you get back into LA, I'll take you for a spin (in a helo of course). Maybe a "spin" isnt the right term I was looking for...

 

Good luck on your search.

 

Goldy

[goromadgo]

copter doctor - Thanks for the words about being V.A. approved. I had seen that before but totally forgot about that. I spent 3 years up at Wainwright myself with the Stryker Brigade, Sept 03-Aug 06. Good times, but yeah it gets COLD up that far north. Would much prefer to go to Anchorage, but I'll take what I can get. Plus there's a lot more to do down in Anc. Good luck with your helo school!

 

Goldy - Camarillo Airport is a nice little place. Spent lots of time around there! Used to go on Sundays with my dad up there. We'd eat at the Waypoint Cafe, go cruise down and watch the Ultralights and planes do touch-and-goes. All the way at the southern most hanger there is a group of guys that restore T-28's (my Dad worked on them in the Navy). Pretty awesome if you get the chance to go check them out! And thanks for the offer for the spin! Is that anywhere near Burbank Airport?

[Goldy]

Goldy - Camarillo Airport is a nice little place. Spent lots of time around there! Used to go on Sundays with my dad up there. We'd eat at the Waypoint Cafe,

Is that anywhere near Burbank Airport?

 

I'l be eating at the Waypoint Cafe tomorrow morning in fact !

 

Yes, VNY- Van Nuys Airport is just west of Burbank, next to the Budweiser plant off the 405 Freeway.

[goromadgo]

I'l be eating at the Waypoint Cafe tomorrow morning in fact !

 

Yes, VNY- Van Nuys Airport is just west of Burbank, next to the Budweiser plant off the 405 Freeway.

 

Ah I know where that is. Drove down that way quite often to play hockey. I remember the Budweiser factory, but have traveling the 405 parkinglot. Enjoy your food Not sure when I'll be back in California again. I used to take 2 trips a year on leave, but now since I'll be saving up leave to go terminal when I get back I may not make it to California for awhile. Thanks for the offer though! Will definitly hit you up when I make it back down there.