Hi Ptichka, first of all congratulations on finding yourself in such a fortunate position. Some immediate thoughts:
1. 407 is 6 pax + pilot. I’m an Astar guy myself and would recommend them because I know them. Drawbacks are one less pax than 407 (tho you can get a twinned ‘loveseat’ for the front and carry 6 pax as well). Either machine will be squishy at full capacity but doable. Both excellent helicopters, anecdotally my understanding is that 407s are more maintenance intensive than Astars. Consider an AS350B3, AS350B32B1, or lastly AS350B3e (H125) if new is important to you. You can easily trim down your budget if you go lightly used in any model.
2. I think you’ll be wasting money on an IFR rating if your primary intent is skiing and tours. Maintaining currency in ifr will be a challenge for your circumstances. VFR in the mountains heliskiing is challenging enough, don’t fool yourself into thinking an ifr ticket will get you out of IIMC in the mountains. Just don’t go there in the first place.
3. You’ve selected a reputable, if expensive training outfit.
4. Not sure what 500hr Sky Ace is but in Canada you will still be known as a ‘100hr wonder’. 500hrs is still very low time for heliski ops (i highly doubt any pilot in North America is doing production skiing at 500hrs) and I urge you to really arm yourself with what heliski flying entails before you dive in. Most winters in Canada there are a couple of serious incidents with heliskiing. Almost always pilots with thousands of hours, almost always pilot error with weather and/or whiteout being a factor. Not saying your dream is impossible but more mountain training instead of ifr training would be a better investment imho.
5. Best case would be to have an experienced mountain/heliski pilot train with you on location in Japan for a significant amount of time. Call it 20 hours minimum.
Best of luck in pursuing your dream. Arm yourself with knowledge, train with experienced heliski pilots when the time comes and be bloody careful. It’s a serious game.
Originally Posted by
Ptichka
Hello everyone,
I would kindly ask you to critique my career plan outlined below, which is hopefully not too obtuse.
I find myself under highly felicitous circumstances, allowing me to pursue my dream of controlled flight while making a living from it. I want to become an owner/operator of a single aircraft providing services in heliskiing and sightseeing in Hokkaido, Japan. My education is in business administration, and I'm a successful, ambitious entrepreneur. At nearly 40, I find myself at a changing point in my life, with Japan solidifying itself as my next long-term home. I have engaged in market research and have identified a viable niche business opportunity. Naturally, I will refrain from divulging the particulars on a public online forum.
I want to purchase an IFR-rated Bell 407 GXI for the operation. I have spent countless hours comparing it to the venerable Squirrel and Koala, and it seems that it is the best fit for my target market, being able to take seven passengers and a large utility basket. Would you agree with my choice? Do you have any other type suggestions? My budget is $4.5 USD.
Regarding training, I do not have any piloting experience. I'm adept at operating many types of heavy equipment and am a great fan of coordinating multiple inputs to achieve smooth machine operation. I have thoroughly studied the FAA's Rotorcraft Flight Manual and have had in-depth discussions with several knowledgeable people; thus, although far below the level of a novice, I have a basic understanding of the mechanics of flight and some of its perils. I plan to train in Canada and have found a highly reputable training operation - TopFlight, in Penticton, BC. They teach skids down autos in the 407 and do a lot of specialized training that interests me.
I plan to complete my CPL, IFR, night, mountain flight, and other courses over 300 instructed PIC hours. I'm content with investing the funds into this training for obvious reasons. Once I'm at my new base, I intend to spend the first year familiarizing myself with the area of operations and putting in another 200 hours to become a certified "Sky Ace" per North American rules.
I have gathered that the first 500 hours are the formative period, mainly determining the attitudes and practices the pilot will use in their future work. Would you say that my training itinerary provides me with enough training to safely engage in the abovementioned business?
Lastly, has anyone here flown in Japan or is familiar with the area?
Candid feedback is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time,
Paul