PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Training, hours building and first job prospects in America
Old 18th Aug 2005, 17:56
  #487 (permalink)  
Flying Lawyer
 
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I did some flying with Dutch Country Helicopters a couple of years ago while on holiday in the States and was impressed - excellent instruction, good facilities and superb customer service. I flew with the CFI, Darren Lucas - a Brit - and will definitely fly there again when I'm next in the Philadelphia/Washington area.

Lancaster itself isn't the most attractive of American cities but Philadelphia - a lovely city - isn't far away.
The countryside around Lanxaster is very pleasant and, being in the heart of Amish country, is very interesting - Witness (Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis) was filmed there. It's worth trying an Amish restaurant once, but you're unlikely to want to repeat the experience - not unpleasant, just rather bland.

IMHO (only a PPL) the Bell 47 is a superb trainer. They are rare in the UK so prohibitively expensive, but at $200 or so an hour in America, fantastic value for money.

If you go, it's also worth wandering down to Blue Ridge Helicopters in Virginia at some point. It's not a formal flight school, but a police pilot/Flight Instructor offers training in a Bell 47 at about the same price. Flying down the Shenandoah Valley and along the Blue Ridge Mountains is a truly unforgettable experience.
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