confused......
evening fling wingers.
as i apparently have more money than sense, i'm pricing up the cost of becoming a rotary instructor. currently i hold a cpl/ir(a) with the fi(a) all nicely stashed in my licence.
so my current understanding of what i need to do is as follows. could someone please let me know if i have missed anything out or completely lost the plot.
ok, to begin with get the ppl(h). according to lasors this can be yours for 39 hours tuition. fine. happy with that.
next i need to hour build up to 105 hours before i can start the cpl course. again no problems so far. looks like 66 hours banging round solo like a loon....
fine and dandy. next i need to do the theory side of things. according to lasors again, as i have completed all the atpl writtens for fixed wing, all i need to do is principles of flight as all the other exams are the same as the atpl(a) exams. that'll save a few squids....
then i start to get confused. now, because i hold a valid ir(a), the modular cpl(h) course is quoted as 20 hours vfr and 5 hours on instruments. so this takes me up to 130 hours on heli's.
i also need a night qualification training to gain a cpl. so the course is 5 hours (again a bonus of the ir). however, according to lasors, the nq can only be issued once you have logged 100 hours post ppl issue! now, for the cpl issue, only the training for a nq is required. do you still need the 100 hours post ppl aswell if you are applying for a cpl. if so then that puts a rather large spanner in the works. i suspect not, as i think this 100 hours is for people with a ppl wantig to fly at night, and a cpl has the night qualification embedded. however, if someone could clarify this i would be grateful.
anyway, back to the numbers. 39 (ppl) + 66 (hour building) + 25 (cpl training) + 5 (nq) = 135 hours.
you need 185 hours to get a cpl issued, however, 50 hours are credited from fixed wing if you hold a cpl(a). hurrah! hopefully that will be enough for the cpl(h).
good gravy me thinks. to start an fi(h) course you need 300 hours on heli's. a bit steep, but them there are the rules. the fi(a) means that i don't need to do the theory side, just the expensive flying part. a quick question about the fi. as a newbie, you are restricted to no first solol flights. as this restriction is removed from my fi(a) does this mean that i am automatically unrestricted as an fi(h). also, i have the night and instrument instruction restrictions removed from the fi(a). do these automatically get assigned to the fi(h) aswell? its not clear in lasors..
as for costs. well,
the ppl 39 hours @ £240 = £9380
hour building 66 hours @ £125 hours = £8250
cpl training and nq = £5970
add on test fees aswell = £1000
which gives me not much change from £25000. ouch!
somehow build hours up to 300, then add another 7200 for the fi rating aswell.
not much change from £33000, plus i have a mountain to climb post cpl to get the experience for the fi course. so if anyone has any tips or stories to help me that would be much appreciated. i do have a plan b up my sleeve, but the above way is the one i want to persue.
assuming all done in minima's, then i will walk away with 330 hours in helis, cpl(h)/fi(h) and a substantially reduced bank balance. beats working for a living anyway.
cheers
pil