private add on

[Nordstrom]

Hello all Heli People

I am fixed wing guy with 7300 hours looking to get a private heli add on.

Question? While I know its not the same, what are the possibilities of doing the add on in the prescribed amount of time set forth by FAA? 30 hrs?

Some say yes some say no. Figured one of you kind people could lend me some insight into this type of training.

Have friend who did a commercial add on in 50. But flight school that I am speaking with is saying 45-50 for private.

Thanks

[windowseatplease]

Depends on what type of heli. 30 hours for an R22 is unlikely, but not impossible, really depends on your ability. 30 hours for a Schweizer is very possible.

[darrenphughes]

It may take longer than 50 or it may take only 30. Considering that I went from zero to private in a R22 in 35 hours, anything is possible. It just depends on how long it takes you personally, and how condensed your training will be. If you were to do the training over 4-8 weeks it will probably take less flight time than if you spread it out over a longer time period. Choice of school will be important also. The fact that you have a commercial cert already will only speed up the ground school part, although there may be a negative transfer of skills in the flying end of things.

I also have a buddy who done a commercial add-on in a R22 in 50 hours. So 30 hours for a private shouldn't be too much of a stretch. Where are you based?

[anti-talk]

Most Add Ons we do take between 30 and 35 hrs in R22's if they have a bunch of FW time.

[ATPMBA]

The hours depends on when you solo.

Before you solo you have to learn how to hover.

Some people never solo. I have seen guys fly 60 hours of dual and they can't even hover, so they call it quits.

Use a flight instructor who has soloed other folks. The mistake I made was using a new CFI and he had not soloed anyone. He was way too catious and we racked up the hours. I new I was ready at hour 25 but he wasn't.

After solo you need a few hours of local solo to include some short solo X-C flights, night dual and at least 3 hours of dual test prep.

FW to heli is smiliar except for quick-stops and autorotations.
And never take your hands off the controls.

It should be fun and hopefully you will have the time of your life learning to fly helicopters, I did!!!!


PS- I did do an addon.

[Agaricus bisporus]

You're only learning to drive the wrong way around, it ain't that hard! The right way is motorcycle to car, you are just planning to do it backwards. OK, a wee bit harder than the first time, as far as controlling the machine is concerned, but you already have the nav, airmanship, instrument and operations side of things, they are no different. You have the nous. All you have to do now is learn to actually fly a helo, which is great fun, and forget all this rot about learning to hover - it may not seem natural at first but anyone can do it, (neither is gliding, is it) learn the P of F and get to grips with a machine you've always wanted to fly, but your Cessna never delivered...

Of course, a lot depends on you, your age, your attitude, continuity, all sorts of variables. You have control of most of that...

Go on, get on with it, and post back here about how much you love it, won't you?