Recommended Schools in Dallas??

[flynlow]

Hey People,

 

Just wanted to get some opinions on good training in the Dallas area. I am 28 with my fixed wing ratings at about 900 hours and currently working on my add ons. Just finished my private and want to move to a school as to where I have a chance at getting a job teaching. I currently live in Ohio and want to move to a location with nicer weather so I can train more consistently. I have narrowed my searches to the Dallas area as I have family there, or the Bristow Academy in Titusville. I hope I am thinking along the right guidelines here, just wanted some opinions and direction if someone is willing to take the time. Just want to make sure I get the best training I can for the buck. Also, robbies are probably out since I'm 6'4" and about 220 pounds. Would I be wise to find a school that offers training in both the robbies and Schweizers?? Ok well any guidance is greatly appreciated.

 

 

Blessings!

[PhotoFlyer]

Sky Helicopters in Garland would be at the top of my list, followed by Summit in Addison. Both fly the 22 and 300. I did some flying with Rocky Point, but not enough to form an opinion. Longhorn Helicopters is in Denton, I haven't done any flying with them so no opinion. It's been a couple of years, but I think thats all the Dallas area schools.

[jehh]

You're going to be a tight fit for the R-22, but don't totally rule it out. I'm 6' and was 210 when I taught in R-22s, so it all comes down to how tall your upper body is, if you fit in the aircraft with a headset on.

 

The airplane time will help later in your career, and it will cause you to stand out in a crowd of resumes. It will also save you money on training, since you can skip a number of hours and written tests along the way. What aircraft you should do your commercial and instrument training in depends on what you did your private rating in. The thing is, insurance drives this business, so you want to make sure you're as employable as possible when you're done.

 

Shamless Plug follows:

 

Ok, first thing... I own Summit Helicopters, so naturally I feel that we provide excellent training, great customer service, and a good mix of helicopters.

 

Why train with us? We're located at a very busy Class D airport, with the ability to train right here at the airport. You'll get very good at the radio, and working with a mix of aircraft. This counts for when you're flying offshore or EMS and have 3 to 5 radios to listen to and lots of aircraft to watch out for.

 

We offer a complete program that includes the Schweizer 300CBi, Robinson R-22, and Robinson R-44, as well as a brand new Fly-It Helicopter simulator. You'll get time in all of those, making you qualified to work just about anywhere.

 

We hire about 50% of our graduates, those that we do not hire, we offer job placement assistance. I can tell you that if you train with us, you'll be qualified to work for almost any school. We focus on getting you employable not just at our school, but at all schools, to maximize your job prospects in the event we don't offer you a position.

 

Give us a call, we'd be happy to answer your questions and send you an information package.

 

972-385-4785

www.flysummit.com

[TheLorax]

i flew into sky once on a night x-country and it was awesome. TONS of helicopters both r22/44 and schweizer, super-nice facilities, 2 hangars, simulator, cool place. i would recommend it to anyone. (they have a bar in their office).

 

i also wouldn't take my chances on a 50/50 hiring rate at summit.

[jehh]

i also wouldn't take my chances on a 50/50 hiring rate at summit.

 

Anyone who tells you they hire more is either telling you what you want to hear to get your money, or they have a bunch of CFIs who don't have enough work to do. It just isn't possible to hire all your CFIs and keep them busy, the numbers don't work. We're honest and upfront with potential students, we tell it like it is and do not paint a rosy picture just to get you to sign up. You're not here to buy a job, you're here to earn a job.

 

Besides, I wouldn't want to hire everyone, not everyone has a professional attitude, takes this seriously, studies hard, etc. Do you want to be trained by a CFI that got the job by default, or because they earned it? That door swings both ways.

 

At the end of the day, if you do a great job in training and have earned a job and I can't hire you, I'll help you get a job. I'll write you a wonderful letter of recommendation, help you with your resume, provide interview prep assistance, speak to potential employers for you, and help you stand out from the pack.

 

Fly Safe!

[TheLorax]

helicopter academy/boatpix hires 100% of their students.

 

 

!

[Boatpix]

helicopter academy/boatpix hires 100% of their students.

 

 

!

HelicopterAcademy.com DOES hire all of there students that are in the program to CFI and 300 hours and this is how it works. Most schools train you to 200 hours and then you flounder finding that you need 300 hours to meet Pathfinder Insurance which most all schools use because they have a lower loss ratio with a 300+ hour CFI than a 200+ hour CFI (also, if you wreck a beat up old helicopter with Pathfinder they give you the value of a beat up old helicopter rather than a new one so the insurance cost is cheaper or fairer depending upon how you look at it). Regardless, when HelicopterAcademy.com trains you to 300 hours they are also training you to operate their significant photo contracts such that they can put you in a far away place in the US and have you fly, photograph, label and send to client the images that they are contracted to take. A 300 hour CFI that has come through the HelicopterAcademy.com program has shown time and time again that they can be a "key man" in the whole company machine that has allowed them to grow and prosper and that 300 hour CFI is rewarded with a happy a fun experience and within a year will be flying a turbine as 1000 hours in 365 days is easy in that program. Oh, and at $200 per hour they are the cheapest training in the world. Call them for references as there are many.