In this month's blog series, we're focusing on individual ratings and certificates in flight training -- helping you understand what they can be used for and what the training entails. For helicopter flight lessons, let's start at the beginning: the Private Pilot Certificate.
At HAA, we're focused on career flight training, so the students completing their Private Pilot with us are taking the first of three steps toward being able to fly commercially; they're not getting a private license for fun and recreation (even though it is fun every time you get behind the controls). But this is also true about helicopter flight in general: it's highly practical as a career path, with the cost of training very well calibrated to future earning potential, but mostly impractical as a hobby, except for those who are both adventurous and wealthy. Yes, you could rent a helicopter for a recreational flight once you get your private, but you're likely to pay $5-600/hr, due to the high cost of helicopter maintenance.
So let's focus on where the Private Pilot Certificate fits in your career training, since that's why you're here. As you probably know, the aerodynamics of helicopter flight are quite different from that of an airplane, and understanding those aerodynamics and how they translate into specific flight maneuvers is the essence of private pilot training. You'll learn the core principles of those aerodynamics in ground school, and you'll quickly have the opportunity to apply those principles behind the controls of an R-22 training helicopter. This process of concept-and-application, with persistent repetition, is how you safely begin to master helicopter maneuvers.
You'll also immerse yourself in the regulatory environment of helicopter flight during your private pilot training. This may sound like the less glamorous side of the training, but it's part of what allows for the thrilling side, since it governs how close to objects you can fly and how to use the helicopter's exceptional maneuverability to fly in places that no other aircraft can.
In your helicopter flight lessons, each new concept builds on the prior ones, and all are taught with an experienced flight instructor at your side in the helicopter, until you're ready for one of the great thrills of your lifetime: soloing for the first time. Our students tell us that nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment from mastering those delicate and responsive controls all on your own.
The last stage in the private pilot certificate process is another one unforgettable experience: the cross-country flight. This is where you'll be especially glad you're here with us in Oregon and not at one of those flat-lander sunbelt flight schools, because we offer the most stunning flight environment on earth. You'll be able to transition from breathtaking river gorges to volcanic peaks to the glittering lights of a big city, all from a perspective that few people will ever experience.
Your Private Pilot Certificate is finally awarded after a checkride with an FAA-designated examiner. At that point, you will have met the FAA minimum hour requirements of 35 hours of ground training and 35 hours of flight training, but remember: everyone learns at their own pace. Students who persist in their training -- by flying several times per week -- tend to finish in the fewest hours, but there are no guarantees. Most people complete their training in 50-60 hours, and then move on to next week's topic -- the Instrument Rating.
Your blog post content here…