Originally Posted by
rokami93
I am a fixed wing pilot (PPL-IFR, 1000hrs) and want to obtain a PPL-H anywhere in the continental US. I am not opposed to schools but would prefer to contract a CFI-H and rent a helicopter for daily instruction until I am ready to take the check ride. Any suggestions where to start looking for one?
Hi Rokami,
I am a professional fixed wing pilot who did a PPL-H add on last year. After 10k hours and 20yrs of safe flying, I was highly concerned about safety as the training accident rate is quite high. One of the problems is low time CFIs, the other problems are spotty maintenance and aircraft that receive rough handling during training. A helicopter that has either an engine or rotor overspeed event and does go through the appropriate "return to service inspections" is an accident waiting to happen, only the apparent cause will be unrelatable to the underlying mechanical deficiency and will likely be recorded as pilot error. This more common than people realize, read the NTSB database on R44/R22 and you will see what I mean.
As for recommendations I can make a few...are you willing to travel to California? Fabulous weather and scenery to enjoy while training. What helicopter do you want to train in? I found it beneficial to train in the model I was going to fly in after certifying.