Thanks for all the helpful replies!
Originally Posted by
r22butters
Hmm, hard to rent a helicopter (as a rated helicopter pilot) without first doing a checkout flight with an instructor. Plus the places that rent are schools, so I doubt they'd rent a chopper to you, for you to use with an outside CFI?
For just a PPL I'd try Helicopter Academy (Boatpix) as they have choppers all over the States and say they will often come to you.
It looks like it is easier to rent a fixed wing for instruction than a helicopter. Might as well buy a Schweizer 300 for training. I have found one which seems to fit my mission and will get a mechanic for a pre-purchase check. Does anybody know if all Schweizer 300 can be flown as three-seaters? (I really need to load two pax eventually)
Originally Posted by vaqueroaero
If you have a foreign address on your pilot certificate the TSA will cross reference it against your immigration history and if they find that you trained 'under the radar' then you may find yourself in hot water. This may take years for them to do, but this informatuin came from a TSA agent doing an audit on a flight school I used to be associated with.
Good you mentioned it. I did my TSA check out already years ago and hold an FAA-license for over 10 years. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, I will look into this. There are interpretations saying that for a fixed wing pilot, the H-addon is considered to be of a recreational character as much as time building or getting an IFR-rating. So no need to get a student visa following that argumentation.
Originally Posted by givdrvr
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.
Absolutely willing to travel to California! I am looking into a Schweizer 300 for training and also it will be the machine I will be flying later.
Originally Posted by gulliBell
And quite frankly, I find it totally bazaar that you can even privately rent a helicopter and hire a CFI and do training in it, with credit towards a license, without operational oversight from a flying training organization and Chief Flight Instructor.
What´s so bizarre about it? No matter which way you go, you have to take the same tests and checkrides.