Helicopter training in South Africa

[ob(H)elix]

Why is there such a big gap between PPL qualification and CPL pertaining hours needed. 200 hrs in SA and only 150 for CPL in the good US of A.

Any good reason?:confused:

[Leftpedal]

I believe the VFR comm is now available in RSA, which only requires 150 hours. And isn't it possible to get a comm in Canada with only 100 hours?

[discobeast]

Leftpedal,

Are you sure about those hours (150) needed for VFR Comm? I had a look at the CAA website but no dice. Could not find anything on it? Where did you get that info from?

Cheers.

[Leftpedal]

The VFR comm has been talked about for a long time now, but a colleague recently assured me that it had finally arrived. Im still trying to get the details myself. The rumour is 100 pic hours and 150 total time. There's supposed to be fewer exams to sit too. If anybody has the official gen, please post here.

[B Sousa]

As with most the problem is that you cannot get a job in the states flying helicopters with less than 1000 hours (usually) and most want 1500 with turbine time.
Question is what do you do in the meantime. Most choose the CFI route.

[Gunship]

Gents I know I might get knocked by the younger guys looking for jobs.

It is sad to hear peeps going for 150 and even 200 hrs for a CPL. I pressume there are pilots that can hack it a those hours and jump in immediately as a professional commercial pilot.

I would say that 200hrs was no ta thumb suck but a good time from changing from a ppl to a cpl pilot.

That includes SAAF pilots that qualified (those days) at about 170 to 190 hrs.

Pressume these days it is also less ?