How many Schools have closed lately?

[jabr800]

Seem like a lot of Hellicopter schools are closing lately?

When I got licensed about 9 years ago, the school I trained at in Denver (XL Helicopters), shut down a few weeks after I was licensed!

I travel the country as an Airline Pilot, and I enjoy dropping into helicopter schoools on layovers in cities that are new too me!

I've of course seen the Silver State Thing all over (I'm really sorry for all the students there), I hear Premier out in Denver and other places is finished, somebody said that Classic up around Seattle is about to close.

I'm just curious because I have a 19 year old son that I may subsidize lessons in a R-22 this summer, and I'd like to hear some brief comments on, I hate to say this but who's left, and maybe who's not so we don't waste a lot of time chasing nothing.

We reside in Central Florida, and there are some reasonable options within a 90 minute drive, but I think it would be a better experience for him to go to some other place for a while, and train far away from family and friends.

Thanks for any thoughts you folks have!

 

jabr800

[goromadgo]

Not sure about the flight school outlook, but my father lives in Colorado Springs and Premier was one of the schools I was looking into. After the original posts came up on here about a week ago he called them and they told him they were not closing. Haven't heard much more than that though as he is on a business trip. Anyone got any more info on this??

[klmmarine]

Classic Helicopters is not closing. See my post in the Flight Training forum.

[SunHelo Paul]

Classic Helicopters is not closing. See my post in the Flight Training forum.

 

SunHelo Aviation in St. Petersburg, FL is definitely not closing. In fact we are in the process of a major expansion of our facilities and service.

[ADRidge]

Bristow Academy New Iberia (formerly Vortex Helicopters) is still up and running. I think we're actually picking up the slack from some of these schools that have closed recently.

[BOATFIXERGUY]

Still can't confirm on Premier in Denver. I've got emails and calls out, but no responses. The phone goes to voice mail and states "sales and mentoring department." The web site also has removed Kenton and Cayse as senior flight instructors. I know that Kenton is taking a job in the GOM. Since I'm not at the airport any longer, I can't go knock on the door. Hopefully they are still around. They had a great group of instructors and I wish them all the best.

[RkyMtnHI]

Still can't confirm on Premier in Denver. I've got emails and calls out, but no responses. The phone goes to voice mail and states "sales and mentoring department." The web site also has removed Kenton and Cayse as senior flight instructors. I know that Kenton is taking a job in the GOM. Since I'm not at the airport any longer, I can't go knock on the door. Hopefully they are still around. They had a great group of instructors and I wish them all the best.

 

 

Just posted to the other topic on Premier. You can check my post there...

 

dp

[DEMO]

I'm just curious because I have a 19 year old son that I may subsidize lessons in a R-22 this summer, and I'd like to hear some brief comments on, I hate to say this but who's left, and maybe who's not so we don't waste a lot of time chasing nothing.

 

 

jabr800

 

I don’t know about your area, but in the Orlando area you would be hard pressed to find a R22. Most of the local schools, Air Orlando, Bristow, and Tropical Helicopter run the 300. I seem to remember a R22 in the Kissimmee area; don’t remember the name of the school and Lakeland has a R44. I have been to Air Orlando & Tropical, both are great schools. Tropical runs the Hughes 269c either two or three of them and at one time (Feb 06) had an Enstrom 280. Orlando has three 300cbi’s and one 300cb.