Factory Schools

[DynamicallyUnstable]

I always see talk about "factory schools" like eurocopter/astar, bell, robbie.
Where can they be found as far as actual location and/or internet sites?
Are they just regular schools with factory specific training? I know that they are like a "camp" type thing for a few days or a week or so.
Thanks

[RDRickster]

http://www.robinsonheli.com/training.htm

(Let's keep this thread going until all the manufacturer's are covered. Next?)

[rotorboy]

Bell school was 4 days long. Three in the class rooms going over systems of the aircraft, preflights, looking a parts and pieces. It was ok but expensive. (100 bucks and hours for 20 hours) The flight portion is good , you get to do everything you can think of that your current employer would cring at if you even suggested it. Full downs every which way, forwards ,sides ways , from a high hover, slow , fast, BACKWARDS, stuck pedal, hydr off.
I got checked out in just under 3 hours.. some guys longer...

I would suggested that you be proficent before going, these guys are not there to teach you how to fly , but to feel comfortable in the aircraft. At a 1250 hr in the l4, it could get expensive fast..

hope this helps

rb

[DynamicallyUnstable]

Oooooh, full downs in a 206 or 407!!!:ok:

Gonna be fun!:D

[The Nr Fairy]

DU:

Full downs are a mandatory part of any s/e helicopter course in the UK, so full downs in anything from R22s to Koalas are a must.

And I must say, having spent an hour or two this week doing full downs in the 206, aren't they so bloody easy and slow compared to the 22 !

[DynamicallyUnstable]

Yeah, I've heard that the 407 has enough enertia in the M/R to lift the ship back off the deck after a fulldown! WOW!!!

[sss]

bells website has changed and is now

http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/training/

[kissmysquirrel]

After full downs in a 22, the 206 is a dream. High skids a bit trickier than low but dont you just love high inertia?:ok:

Oh, and hover autos to a full down from 500'agl in a 44? Great!!

[MD900 Explorer]

I would like to know the experience out there of people who have done factory type ratings and safety courses, and particulary, what they thought of the course they tried.

I have done the Robinson Saftey Course, and thought it was the next best thing to sliced bread. :ok: It certainly rammed home the sloppy pointers. I would like to know more about Eurocopter and Bell factory experiences too. :ok:

Regards

MD :ok:

[Helinut]

MD

I have done courses at the RHC and Bell Academy. Together they both convinced me that this sort of course from the people who know the aircraft best is a really valuable way of learning about the type. Without such courses, I feel that I am likely to be missing something important.

Both these courses had a major element and investment in the presentation of the aircraft technical aspects, so that really high quality training was given about the technical side of the aircraft without too much effort from the lecturer. Pilots fall into (at least) 2 categories: those who want to know as much as the guys who fix them, and those who don't. As a non-aviation engineer, I want to know how it works, so this appeals to me.

I had 2,000 hrs on the Robbos, when I did their course. Did the B206 course with about 50 hrs on type and then went back a while later for a refresher.(I had to pay for both courses myself - no chance of an employer being prepared to pay in this god awful industry! However, I believe it paid real dividends for me even commercially, because I could do the job better)

I have had some pretty dismal experiences with other type courses, even where they have been done by "distributors". It also depends upon the individual you get to instruct you, even at the factory schools.

In practice, though, it is difficult/impossible to do similar courses for some other types. Sadly, some manufacturers do not seem to take the trouble to provide such quality training for their products.

[Heliport]

Bell Helicopter's Customer Training Academy has begun classes at its newly opened facilities at Alliance Airport, Fort Worth, Texas.
The Customer Training Academy, widely regarded as the world's foremost civilian training school for helicopter pilots and maintenance personnel, has been in operation since 1947 when the company began instructing pilots to fly the Bell 47, and has trained over 90,000 students from more than 100 nations. Bell has also trained tens of thousands of military personnel over the years.

The new Bell school is equipped with 18 large modern classrooms and aircraft overhaul labs fitted for the newest learning technology tools including more than 41,000 square feet of hangar space for hands-on maintenance training.

Bell has built a newly designed helicopter training heliport a few minutes flying time from the Customer Training Academy.
The new practice area for flight training has been constructed on 100 acres just to the Northwest of the Texas Motor Speedway.
The practice area (PA) has three runways, a 2000-foot lighted North/South runway an 850-foot North/South runway and an 850ft East/West runway. There are four separate concrete landing pads.

The school has a staff of 65 people including instructors and administrative personnel, seven dedicated training helicopters as well as three sophisticated Cockpit Procedures Training Devices.
Students attend for anywhere from one day of refresher training to courses lasting several weeks. Currently there are 50 students attending for flight and maintenance training.

[heliman500]

THE NEW FH1100 FACTORY IS NOW OFFERING FACTORY TRAINING IN THE HILLER FH1100. VERY GOOD RATES. CHECK THEM OUT AT
WWW.FH1100.COM/FLIGHTSCHOOL.HTML (http://www.FH1100.COM/FLIGHTSCHOOL.HTML)

[212man]

S-76 and S-92 at www.flightsafety.com