Rental in LA

[birrddog]

Any recommendations for an outfit to rent a R44 or light turbine (206/500) in LA?

I will be there for a few days and would like to fly in the area (and possibly more often going forward).

I realize (certainly initially) flights will need to be dual. I hold an FAA ticket.

Looking online Van Nuys and Santa Monica look to be the closest airports to where I'll be staying.

Thanks in advance
Birrddog

[Runway101]

JJ Helicopters (http://www.jjheli.com/) at Torrance Municipal Airport. Owned by a very nice couple.

[dilligaf1900]

Celebrity Helicopters in compton! I'm sure some people will bring up the location and how "nice" of a place it is ;). However the cheif pilot Robin Petgrave (13,000+ hrs) is blunt and will prob tell you to take one of his CFI's the first few times up. If you show that you will not hurt yourself or his r44's he will let you take a 44. Any other questions feel free to PM me.

dilligaf

[birrddog]

Thanks for the references.

Birrddog

[herman the crab]

Compton is lovely... provided you don't stop the car anywhere and don't mind people taking potshots at you on the approach - my CPL examiner decided that it was an appropriate place to lose the engine as "...you've just had a bullet or three take the out the fuel lines"

HTC

[rotor67]

JJ Helicopters at Torrance
Group 3 Aviation at VNY
Twin Air at Camarillo
L.A Helicopters at Long Beach
Orbic Helicopters at VNY too

Group 3 comes highly recommended, I was a former student there.
Good luck!

[birrddog]

Thanks folks.

I think VNY is logistically best for where I'm situated.

Do you think JJ Helicopters gets a discount on their Robbies? :p

[birrddog]

Just wanted to report back that I ended up flying with Group 3.

I had a very positive experience, aircraft in good nick, friendly and professional operation.

I highly recommend flying in the area, it was quite interesting and surprisingly user friendly despite the multiple airspace's we flew through.

FWIW, the route was VNY, through the Valley to Malibu Canyon, Point Dune, back along the coast via Malibu to Santa Monica, at the boundary of LAX a climbing turn over the center of Santa Monica to Beverly Hills, over UCLA to downtown, then Glendale / Pasedena via Dodger Stadium, the observatory and Hollywood sign, and back to Van Nuys via Burbank. (or something like that).

I must say I have never seen so many Helipads on buildings in my life, it seemed every building had one.

Seeing all the helicopters at Van Nuys was great. LA appeared to be a very heli friendly town.