Cloud 9 Helicopters
Hi All
Just thought I would pop a post in here having just obtained my FAA Lic with Cloud 9 t North County Palm Beach Florida.
I spoke to Geoff Painter the owner on many occasions before taking the plunge and he was very helpful.
I was leanring fixed wing in the UK and had about 60 hrs but weeather and work kept getting in the way and Helis wear always my goal so I booked a trial flight whilst in Vegas over Christmas and got on ok so I booked up with them.
4 weeks with them from April 2011 to May 2011 and I allowed for 60 hrs total just in case!
Training started the day after arrival and I must admit it took me a while to detrain some of my fixed wing habits but over the course of the the training I got 61hrs in and got my 5hr dual on the R44 ready for back in the UK.
The only thing I didnt allow for was the stress of trying to cram it all in, in 4 weeks!
The Airfield they operate from North Palm beach County Airport is great, the weahter was good most of the time but the wind gets up in the afternoon as it is Florida! So anyone that says its fair weather flying is wrong there is always a gust to keep you on your toes!
There is nothing better than flying a 44 low over the beach with the people below waving at you!
Geoff is great and I dont think there is anyhting he cant do with a 22 or 44!
I highly recommend them. I am back in the UK now and gonna study the commercial exams and then once I have passed them I will be back out there to do the hours building, IR and CFI hopefully.
My suggestions would be to get as much study in as possible beofre you go as that will give you more time to get the basics in and get a copy of the Rotorcraft Flying Handbook (faa-h-8083-21.pdf) and there are variuos software packeges outhere to get practicing for the exams Dauntless are the ones I used and it worked well.
Happy hovering!
Paul