helofast
20th Oct 2013, 16:13
Hello folks,
This is my first post. I live here and realize there is very little information about helicopter flying in this area of the world so here's a brief summary for those of you who might be interested.
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/crna.gif
Long story short – employment for foreigners in the country is VERY difficult due to the fact that even though there is a "relatively" large fleet, many of which have been imported in the last 10 years, there is a small group of experienced pilots that "freelance" for all of them, plus these factors:
-A (growing) number of local, recently graduated CPL pilots that remain unemployed.
-Small amount of helicopters (even when there are several, they each don't fly much)
Training-
only one flight school (AENSA - Escuela de Aviacion (http://www.aensacr.com)) They used to have two R22s but one crashed during hover practice in an instruction flight.
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_65575.jpg
Government-
The Police Air Wing just acquired two new MD600s. Prior to that there were three MD500 that were constantly grounded. One crashed on takeoff from an airstrip in southern Costa Rica, pilot killed. After a massive earthquake in the Atlantic Coast in 1991, neighboring Nicaragua donated one of their MI-17s, which was later sold to Colombia in 1999 due to the large operational cost.
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_72172.jpghttp://www.crhoy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/busqueda-turrialba-3-300x199.jpg
R44s/R66-
there are plenty of them, mostly acquired as a “trend” of businessmen owning them through shares. They each don't fly much, almost all of them are managed/hangared by AENSA as well.
http://www.aerotourcr.com/spanish/img/slider_interna/1.jpg
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_25837.jpghttp://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_57800.jpghttp://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_53213.jpghttp://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_57036.jpg
AS350/EC130/206/407/MD902
There are a couple of each model here. Mostly private used as well as charters, or contracting work out to the government (natural disasters mostly).
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_31558.jpg
Great video of the MD902 flying around CR (for example this one has a permanently appointed pilot)
Helicopter Explorer 902 MD Costa Rica. - YouTube (http://youtu.be/8UmkG7yvAs4)
Crop spraying-
There are a couple of companies operating helos for aerial spraying. Models include a couple Bell 47s, Bell 204, and SA315 Lamas. This segment had previsouly seen a large number of foreign pilots but as more locals become CPLs that seems to no longer be the case.
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_70350.jpghttp://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_24873.jpghttp://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_72017.jpg
“Heavy” helos-
a company called Aerodiva owns a Bell 205 which does see a lot of work. When it began due to lack of local experienced pilots this company did reach out to foreign crews but local crews have taken over.
There's another fully refurbished 205 imported by a mining company that was not given permission for mining exploration and it has never flown. (It is kept in mint state in a hangar at the main airport)
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/2013/10//t/tn_avcr_72459.jpghttp://www.aerodiva.com/index_files/pics/body/ae_14.jpg
Feel free to ask any questions.
This is my first post. I live here and realize there is very little information about helicopter flying in this area of the world so here's a brief summary for those of you who might be interested.
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/crna.gif
Long story short – employment for foreigners in the country is VERY difficult due to the fact that even though there is a "relatively" large fleet, many of which have been imported in the last 10 years, there is a small group of experienced pilots that "freelance" for all of them, plus these factors:
-A (growing) number of local, recently graduated CPL pilots that remain unemployed.
-Small amount of helicopters (even when there are several, they each don't fly much)
Training-
only one flight school (AENSA - Escuela de Aviacion (http://www.aensacr.com)) They used to have two R22s but one crashed during hover practice in an instruction flight.
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_65575.jpg
Government-
The Police Air Wing just acquired two new MD600s. Prior to that there were three MD500 that were constantly grounded. One crashed on takeoff from an airstrip in southern Costa Rica, pilot killed. After a massive earthquake in the Atlantic Coast in 1991, neighboring Nicaragua donated one of their MI-17s, which was later sold to Colombia in 1999 due to the large operational cost.
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_72172.jpghttp://www.crhoy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/busqueda-turrialba-3-300x199.jpg
R44s/R66-
there are plenty of them, mostly acquired as a “trend” of businessmen owning them through shares. They each don't fly much, almost all of them are managed/hangared by AENSA as well.
http://www.aerotourcr.com/spanish/img/slider_interna/1.jpg
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_25837.jpghttp://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_57800.jpghttp://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_53213.jpghttp://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_57036.jpg
AS350/EC130/206/407/MD902
There are a couple of each model here. Mostly private used as well as charters, or contracting work out to the government (natural disasters mostly).
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_31558.jpg
Great video of the MD902 flying around CR (for example this one has a permanently appointed pilot)
Helicopter Explorer 902 MD Costa Rica. - YouTube (http://youtu.be/8UmkG7yvAs4)
Crop spraying-
There are a couple of companies operating helos for aerial spraying. Models include a couple Bell 47s, Bell 204, and SA315 Lamas. This segment had previsouly seen a large number of foreign pilots but as more locals become CPLs that seems to no longer be the case.
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_70350.jpghttp://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_24873.jpghttp://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/fotos/tn_avcr_72017.jpg
“Heavy” helos-
a company called Aerodiva owns a Bell 205 which does see a lot of work. When it began due to lack of local experienced pilots this company did reach out to foreign crews but local crews have taken over.
There's another fully refurbished 205 imported by a mining company that was not given permission for mining exploration and it has never flown. (It is kept in mint state in a hangar at the main airport)
http://www.aviacioncr.net/galeria/2013/10//t/tn_avcr_72459.jpghttp://www.aerodiva.com/index_files/pics/body/ae_14.jpg
Feel free to ask any questions.