Helicopter Add on??

[Pilatus]

Has any fixed wing pilot ever done an helicopter add on. Im thinking about geting one next summer when i get the money. If so, how much did you pay and how rewarding was it towards your aviation goals.

Thanks
Chris

 

[msw]

After many years of F/W flying, I got a helo add-on about 5 years ago. Lots of fun and very challenging. But unless you have lots of money and are doing it for "fun"; or, you already have a job lined up that requires a helo rating............ why would you do it? BTW, figure on (ballpark) about $5000 for the private add-on and maybe another $6000- $7000 to continue on to a commercial add-on (based on a Robinson R22)

 

[bobbysamd]

Helo add-on

Michael Maya Charles wrote a great article on adding a rotor rating in the February, 2002 AOPA Pilot. It's on Page 80.

 

[Starsailor]

Continuing Add-on training

Hey all,

I started training for my Private Add-on about 2 years ago in the R-22 (I second what NWA Guy says about that ship -- frenetically fun to fly), but was doing the training out of town -- then comes 9/11 and my company's jumpseat privileges were dropped. Helicopter training just got a heck of a lot more expensive (for me at least) than it already was.

After starting the training, I realized just how fantastic it would be to have a job doing this as well as fly a jet around the country (i.e. be dual rated), so now I'm thinking of adding the R-H to the Commercial-Instrument, get a little turbine in a Hughes 500, and pray some corporate giant with jets and helicopters will hire me. I will likely go ahead with the CFI-H, because 100 or so hours in a trainer ain't gonna cut it transitioning to an S-76C+.

That was my story, now here's my dilemma/question: I'm looking to continue with my training (if I can even pick up and hover after eight months out), but I wonder if I should find a closer flight school, maybe take a short leave of absence and finish up at least the Private, if not the Instrument too. That said, changing flight schools may mean changing helicopters. Has anyone flown different trainers (Schweizer, Bell, Robbie) and if so can you post their relative merits? I'm not supposing I'll have too much difficulty transitioning (with only 10 hours, it's not as though I've got a lot of habits bad or good); I already know that there are some differences (like in the Schweizer you roll the throttle up counterclockwise, etc.). Any thoughts on whether or not the LOA is a good idea, or should I just plug away at it as I get the time (this training is going strangely like my PP-ASEL, though in that case money was the limiting factor, not time off)?

Thanks in advance for any replies, and thank you msw, NWA Guy and bobbysamd for your information already.

Pilatus: flying a helicopter is about the most fun you'll ever have for $180/hr (unless you're in EHAM, but that's a different kind of fun). I've learned a considerable amount about flying even in the limited amount of time I have in them. As to how rewarding it is, that would depend on what your 'aviation goals' are. Assuredly you'll get a different perspective on the world from above, especially getting there (up, that is). You'll learn different applications of the same aerodynamic principles you learned in your fixed wing training. As msw said, it is challenging flying -- like soaring (which I see you've done), you need to be in tune with your aircraft at all times. Worth it? Unequivocally yes.

Regards,
Starsailor

 

[Pilatus]

Thanks for all the imput guys. Im hoping to finsh my fixed-wing commercial by christmas. And go on and get my CFI and CFII.
I got my college paid for this year so i got some college fund to tap into i figure why not spend it on the helo add on, Its something ive wanted for a long time. But why is it some expensive. Also Does anyone know of some good school in the Florida area thats trains in the Robbie.

Thanks
Chris

 

[mccann]

re. helicopter training

Pilatus: recently went through the research process, my opinion (for what it's worth) is that HAI in Titusville, FL is one of the best available. They have both Schweizers and Robbies. Are you in FL?

 

[Whirlwind]

I did just the reverse...

I got my commercial rotorcraft-helicopter rating before getting my fixed-wing private add-on.

My fixed-wing CFI got a good number of laughs at my expense, due to all the helo habbits I've built up, and tried to use them in the airplane.

I fly helicopters (Schweizer 300CB) and airplanes (C-172) out of Addison (ADS), if any of you are thinking about this and want to go for a flight in a helicopter, drop me a PM and I'll hook you up.

Starsailor was not kidding, flying helos is indeed the most fun you can have, with your clothes on anyway...

Jason

 

[jergar999]

The company I work for operates both fixed and rotor, and for the first time the other day I took the controls of the Bell 222. Man, what a different deal. Move one control, and you will have to adjust the other two, I couldn't even get the thing to hover. I would love to do the rating too, but can't afford it.

 

[Whirlwind]

The company I work for operates both fixed and rotor, and for the first time the other day I took the controls of the Bell 222. Man, what a different deal. Move one control, and you will have to adjust the other two, I couldn't even get the thing to hover. I would love to do the rating too, but can't afford it.

Learning to hover is indeed one of the fun challenges of flying helos...

It gets easier faster than you might think, but it does take time to perfect.

As for the cost... well it isn't exactly cheap, but it isn't totally unreasonable either...

Jason