Originally Posted by
reubensmurphy
Hello, this is my first question ever, so don't judge me if I sound like an idiot. I've recently got to the point where a helicopter may be a viable option, and don't know what to do or where to start. I live in the UK, near Canterbury, and regularly go skiing in Val D'Isere as I have an apartment there. There is a helipad nearby and so would like to fly to and from there, so any info on this would be great. What I would like to know is first of all, what helicopter should I go for? I can spend roughly 700k, though would like to know how I can do this- lease, finance etc. I would probably do roughly 200 hours per year. I've done one lesson and thought it was fantastic, and will carry on, when I know what to do.
Thanks in advance,
Reuben
I'd definitely recommend getting your PPL (H) as a starting point. That in itself will teach you a lot. Although, don't expect it to be done in the 40 hrs. Enjoy the learning process but expect 60-80 hrs to do it properly.
By default, many people go down the R22>R44>R66/B206 route and that could be an easy option. But the S300>H500/EN480B route or Cabri>Eurocopter routes are other logical options.
There is a lot to be said for ownership - it's your helicopter, you learn to know it intimately, and it's there for your use whenever you want it. Financially, it starts to become viable above 100hrs pa. 200 hrs pa is actually quite a lot for a PPL, but you need hours to improve proficiency.