What School would you recommend for CPL(H)?

[warmkiter]

Hi

Started taking lessons in a school in LA area. Got now 20+ hours and looking forward to complete my CPL(H). What USA school would you recommed? Important factors for me

1. Quality of instructors and their availability
2. Enough dispachable helis
3. Professional attitude and a professional training facility
4. Location

I will have to travel from Europe for doing this. Got to take vacation from my dayjob(B744), so keeping the schedule is important. It would be great if the training is done in an interesting area. I enjoy the mountains a lot, so if its still in the performance range of the R22, wouldnt mind to learn to fly in a location with access to mountains. I know that the winter is coming and the WX is an issue in the mountains, especially if working on a tight schedule, but i will do some flying in Swiss alps later on and would be nice to learn it straight from the basics in a mountainous area.
The training will be done based on a FAA CPL(A). Got also a JAA ATPL with 9000h+ on Jet.

Thanks a lot for suggestions.

[Trans Lift]

Bristow Academy is a great school. Not much mountains but it has everything else you are looking for.

[chester2005]

I found LAHelicopters in Long Beach California very helpful, professional with good availability and Very Experienced Instructors

Highly worthy of recommendation
Chester:ok:

[R.OCKAPE]

Be wary of LA Helicopters

They tried to convince me I needed to spend a lot more money than was actually required.... full of crooked Aussies and Kiwi's

I went with Group 3 out of Van Nhuys ... check out their website for a comparison

[chester2005]

LA helicopters are very highly rated in the helicopter world they are most definately NOT crooked !!!!!!!!!!
More money than was needed for what???... Maybe your ability was less than you had been led to believe!!!!! and you chose to find a school that maybe did not have high standards???

LAhelicopters are industry recognised as an extremely good school for private and commercial pilots with some highly qualified and well respected instructors including Robinson Helicopter Instructors

Chester:ok:

[JohnJ]

I agree with Chester2005 about LA Helicopter's high standards and levels of professionalism, and believe they can cover all your requirements.

As for the comment about Aussie and Kiwi crooks, wasn't that the same response posted by the same person on a Long Line topic some time ago, even though LAH train pilots from 2 of the 3 largest heavy lift companies IN THE WORLD!

[R.OCKAPE]

However knowledgeable and capable the hobby / recreational pilots are here

I suggest you research the available training organisations first before committing as I did ... you could potentially save a lot of money.

I felt in my particular case LAH were not as sincere as their sharp marketing would have you believe .... or maybe it was as chester said ... my abilities were way below the standard required by the FAA.
and they picked that up through emails and telephone conversations

[Trans Lift]

That may be a problem at Bristow Academy. They can get very busy.


True, last year. Definitley quieter now though as far as I can see. I don't think availability will be as much of a problem.

[Islandcrazy]

Warmkiter

LA Helicopters are a professional and dedicated flight school who provide the highest standards of training on the west coast of the USA.

LAH would definitely be an excellent place that fits all of the criteria required. Completely agree with Chester and John J. Highly recommended!! :ok:


IC

[Runway101]

Hillsboro Aviation in Oregon might be worth a thought. Definitely more mountains than in Florida, weather also more like in Europe where you want to fly. Leading Edge in Oregon also enjoys a good reputation.

From what I heard the waiting list at Bristow is always very long, not sure in today market.

I guess at the end most schools want you to stay longer than required by the FAA. Especially the guy who does nothing else all day long than trying to get new students or new business. It's his job...

I am not sure how reliable the weather will be in pacific northwest in the next few months though. Might be a problem with your tight schedule.

Also, don't you need a visa and therefore a school that helps with visa for CPL(H) training? Or can you just show up if you already hold a PPL? I guess you already have TSA clearance if you have already trained, but isn't that only valid for the one and only school they approved it for? What I am trying to say is, that not all schools in the USA have experience with such things. Bristow and Hillsboro have no problems with visa procedures.

[bluestack]

I'm an ex-instructor at Ocean Helicopters in West Palm Beach, FL.

Not affiliated with them, I'll keep this brief so as to not sound like an advert.

Good school, and on the East Coast.
When I was looking at training locations Oregon looked great, but didn't fancy the downtime during the winter.

At Ocean, we had loads of people from the UK come over on scheduled time off, then return, and so on, so they know exactly where you're coming from.

Also, a LOT of the instructors are of UK/Ireland origin, in fact one of the more experienced guys is JAA certified (even though the school isn't), at least there's some synergy there.

As far as professional goes, PM me and I'll give you some of their repeat customers.

[BHenderson]

My opinion:

Group 3, Van Nuys - Pilot Factory
LA Helicopters - Pilot Factory
Bristow Academy - Pilot Factory
Hillsboro - Pilot Factory

With your experience I don't think you'd be happy with the above, perhaps Bristow as an exception. I chose SRT Helicopters (http://srthelo.com).

pm for more info.

[Azhigher]

You could also look at Quantum Helicopters in Arizona. Not so big that availability is a problem, but not so small that there are aircraft shortages or a lack of overview. They are close to mountains, but they are desert mountains (If that makes a difference)

[albyskoons]

I used Quantum after a recommendation from a friend in the UK.

I spent four weeks with them, and have to say I was very impressed with the availability of aircraft and instructors.

A nice, modern training facility too.

I'd certainly use them again - although I'd avoid summer next time!!

[lotusmutus]

I would definately recommend going to Mauna Loa Helicopters in Hawaii. They have 3 schools on 3 different islands. You can get mountain training done and get the best of everything else that you wouldn't get in one place on the mainland. Valleys, volcanoes, mountains, beutiful scenery. I trained there and then instructed there for over a year. The instructors are fantastic and the owner Ben is a real great person. You will get the best training and also experience some real situations every day, such as mountain wave turbulance up on the way to Waimea airport. They utilise the r22 and r44. Check out there site for more info, just do a google search. They just got accredited a few months ago, one of only 3 schools in the US, after Hillsboro and Bristow. The good deal is that they arn't too heavy on the mil preferential treatment. You are all treated the same.

[diethelm]

Albyskoons:

It may be 112 but there is only 6% humidity. A comfortable dry heat.

[albyskoons]

Don't get me wrong I love the weather there,..... when I'm not stuck in an R22 :}

[warmkiter]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions and information.

Most of the schools suggested here, have been on my list and i have been in contact with some of them.

I have had the the luck to obtain various types of intruction in the past 20 years/9000hrs and the bottom line is: how good is your instructor? In military and cadet programs the instructors are selected and trained to a high degree and quarantee a certain level of standarts. Commercial flightschools have a much greater spread. Had some great young guys in early 20´s, who were natural teachers, commited, great communications and methods.But also some 20 000+hours, grumpy, waste of my time, old farts.

When learning to fly Helicopters in a R22, it is tough to find professional teachers. Most of the guys are collecting hours for their next careerstep. Cant blaim them, but its my time and money we burn. None of the mentioned schools really stands up for a higher degree of teaching and its more or less luck with whom you are going to be scheduled.

I think i have to stick to the LA area, because its on my list of destinations and i cant get more off than 2 weeks in a row. So it means got to travel several times to complete the training.

Tried to find info about TSA clearance and Visa. According to some information it is not neccessary to get a visa if i got a FAA CPL(A) and i just want to add a class rating (H). What is your opinion or experience?

Blue skies

[chester2005]

Officially you need a visa to do " a course of training" if you are on holiday and the flying you do is ancillary to your being there officially you can do it on a visa waiver or tourist visa.
That being said it pays to not mention flight training of any description when going through the immigration.
TSA require you to register with them only if doing an initial licence or multi rating or instrument rating, as you hold a FAA CPL already you're ok to do the rotary add on.
Chester:ok: