Training, hours building and first job prospects in America
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Thanks to the mod for moving my message into oblivion and killing the discussion ..
This is an old thread which is only remotely relevant to my question. I am neither interested in initial training nor in job prospects in the US !
This is an old thread which is only remotely relevant to my question. I am neither interested in initial training nor in job prospects in the US !
Join Date: Sep 2014
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I am a US pilot with 1200 hours, nearly all Robinson time, looking for Turbine transition work. Have checked in with Papillon, Sundance, PHI, RLC, and Temsco.
Anybody know of other US options for Turbine Jobs with 0 Turbine experience?
Thanks!
Anybody know of other US options for Turbine Jobs with 0 Turbine experience?
Thanks!
Join Date: Aug 2015
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which school would you prefer?
Hey all,
if you would start zero to cpl training as international student, which school of the big 3 (Mauna Loa, Hillsborro, Bristow) would you choose and why?
My favourite would be since now Mauna Loa, because of the 12/14 climatic zones combined with sunny weather over the year for gaining fast experience in short time, but I heard the living costs are pretty expensive there and 1000USD is too less for monthly living cost calculation.
Please tell me, what was your experience at MLH, or the other 2?
BR, Rusty
if you would start zero to cpl training as international student, which school of the big 3 (Mauna Loa, Hillsborro, Bristow) would you choose and why?
My favourite would be since now Mauna Loa, because of the 12/14 climatic zones combined with sunny weather over the year for gaining fast experience in short time, but I heard the living costs are pretty expensive there and 1000USD is too less for monthly living cost calculation.
Please tell me, what was your experience at MLH, or the other 2?
BR, Rusty
Join Date: Jun 2009
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consider arizona
There are several training schools in Arizona that are good. The cost of living in Arizona is very competitive, especially compared to Hawaii. The weather is hard to beat, even compared to Hawaii as far a clear skies the vast majority of the year. I recommend Prescott, AZ as the temps stay very livable all year round as opposed to Phoenix.
Atlantic Helicopters Fort Pierce
If anybody needs first hand info on Atlantic Helicopters in Fort Pierce, Florida, let me know. They are EASA & FAA approved. I've just finished some training and hour building with them and can highly recommend them 
Ciao
Ciao
yes please, Muermel,
I was looking for that:
what program did you follow, EASA?
what was your experience before?
could you finish you goal promptly?
flying condition in fort pierce?
the instructors quality at Atlantic helicopter?
aircraft ok? what type? others...
Thanks
I was looking for that:
what program did you follow, EASA?
what was your experience before?
could you finish you goal promptly?
flying condition in fort pierce?
the instructors quality at Atlantic helicopter?
aircraft ok? what type? others...
Thanks
Hi Agile
I converted my FAA-CPLH to EASA-CPLH, quite a bit of work to do. Not really a conversion (no credit given in regards to the 14 exams at least). Finished my 14 exams in 3 sittings from May to Juli this year, the theory took 9 months, while I worked a full time job, so don't forget the 14 exams. It's not rocket science but it's A LOT of stuff to study and remember.
I hold a FAA-CPLH, CFI, CFII & IR with experience on the Schweizer 300, R22 & R44 but I didn't fly that much for some time so it took me a couple of hours to get comfortable again.
I finished everything I wanted to get done (build 65 hours EASA-PIC, fly 20 hours dual for EASA-CPLH, EASA-CPLH checkride in R44 and also R22 type rating) within 6 weeks. It was quite busy the last 2 weeks but if you have a plan and a timeframe and don't spend every 2nd day at the beach or pool you can get things done. I flew nearly every day, sometimes during the day and that same evening to get some night hours as well.
You have to have the plan before you go there and you have to take action, don't expect people to motivate you when you arrive.
Martin Sims, the owner, will do everything he can to get you up to speed and to accomodate you as best as possible but the student wants the licence and has to have the plan and timeframe set and his focus on the goal to get things done. If you want to party, go to the beach or chase the girls, that's fine but than of course things will take a lot longer to get done.
Flying conditions are generally best in fall/spring cause the weather calms down a bit. People tend to think that Florida means Sunshine 24/7, which isn't true. You have sunshine pretty much every day for at least 50 % of the day but in the summer it get's very humid and hot so be prepared for violent Thunderstorms and Rain like you wouldn't believe it. They pop up locally very quick and also disappear quickly too but in the summer you will usually have at least 1 TS or Shower in the afternoon between roughly 12 and 4, the mornings are usually best for flying. Fall and Winter is much nicer cause it's far less humid and hot so the weather is much more calm and stable.
Don't get me wrong, weather is generally good but TS in the afternoon or evening are always possible and WILL happen frequently.
The airfield KFPR is quite busy cause there's lots of GA traffic and business jets going into the Bahamas and the Carribean so you will be getting used to busy radios and traffic patterns
Also they have a big FW flight school based there so that also keeps things interesting. But the ATC guys are generally very helpful and try to make things as easy as possible for the couple of helo-guys there
The instructors quality is outstanding as the owner, Martin Sims, has been a EASA-Examiner and Instructor for over 25 years and knows every trick in the book when it comes to instructing, getting you current and comfortable in the cockpit again, spotting things with your flying that you would have never seen as issues or reasons for mistakes you keep making. He also knows the 22 and the 44 inside out, so that helps too. You will be impressed also by his knowledge of the EASA-Regs and how to work them to your advantage as best as possible.
They have 2 R22s, a R44 and also have access to a 206 if I remember correctly. The good thing is a very experienced mechanic is on site so I never had to cancel a flight cause of technical problems. There was some scheduled maintenance carried out but that's normal.
One thing to remember: Atlantic Helicopters isn't the cheapest school out there but they provided me with quality training I might have gotten somewhere in Europe but for a lot less moneywise cause flying in the USA is a lot cheaper. Also don't be fooled by cheap hour building in the USA, cause a CFI will usually be with you in the aircraft and he will log the hours as instruction and will sign your logbook accordingly so YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LOG THEM AS EASA-PIC time. FAA PIC time is counted differently than EASA, keep that in mind. Or the school wants you to fly at least 10 hours or so dual before they let you go solo and by then their cheap hourly rate isn't so cheap anymore.
I did exactly 3,5 hours with Martin Sims before he send me off solo. I could log the dual time towards my 20 hours for the conversion anyway (not a loss!) and after that started building the hours towards my EASA-PIC time while flying solo.
Cheers
I converted my FAA-CPLH to EASA-CPLH, quite a bit of work to do. Not really a conversion (no credit given in regards to the 14 exams at least). Finished my 14 exams in 3 sittings from May to Juli this year, the theory took 9 months, while I worked a full time job, so don't forget the 14 exams. It's not rocket science but it's A LOT of stuff to study and remember.
I hold a FAA-CPLH, CFI, CFII & IR with experience on the Schweizer 300, R22 & R44 but I didn't fly that much for some time so it took me a couple of hours to get comfortable again.
I finished everything I wanted to get done (build 65 hours EASA-PIC, fly 20 hours dual for EASA-CPLH, EASA-CPLH checkride in R44 and also R22 type rating) within 6 weeks. It was quite busy the last 2 weeks but if you have a plan and a timeframe and don't spend every 2nd day at the beach or pool you can get things done. I flew nearly every day, sometimes during the day and that same evening to get some night hours as well.
You have to have the plan before you go there and you have to take action, don't expect people to motivate you when you arrive.
Martin Sims, the owner, will do everything he can to get you up to speed and to accomodate you as best as possible but the student wants the licence and has to have the plan and timeframe set and his focus on the goal to get things done. If you want to party, go to the beach or chase the girls, that's fine but than of course things will take a lot longer to get done.
Flying conditions are generally best in fall/spring cause the weather calms down a bit. People tend to think that Florida means Sunshine 24/7, which isn't true. You have sunshine pretty much every day for at least 50 % of the day but in the summer it get's very humid and hot so be prepared for violent Thunderstorms and Rain like you wouldn't believe it. They pop up locally very quick and also disappear quickly too but in the summer you will usually have at least 1 TS or Shower in the afternoon between roughly 12 and 4, the mornings are usually best for flying. Fall and Winter is much nicer cause it's far less humid and hot so the weather is much more calm and stable.
Don't get me wrong, weather is generally good but TS in the afternoon or evening are always possible and WILL happen frequently.
The airfield KFPR is quite busy cause there's lots of GA traffic and business jets going into the Bahamas and the Carribean so you will be getting used to busy radios and traffic patterns
Also they have a big FW flight school based there so that also keeps things interesting. But the ATC guys are generally very helpful and try to make things as easy as possible for the couple of helo-guys there The instructors quality is outstanding as the owner, Martin Sims, has been a EASA-Examiner and Instructor for over 25 years and knows every trick in the book when it comes to instructing, getting you current and comfortable in the cockpit again, spotting things with your flying that you would have never seen as issues or reasons for mistakes you keep making. He also knows the 22 and the 44 inside out, so that helps too. You will be impressed also by his knowledge of the EASA-Regs and how to work them to your advantage as best as possible.
They have 2 R22s, a R44 and also have access to a 206 if I remember correctly. The good thing is a very experienced mechanic is on site so I never had to cancel a flight cause of technical problems. There was some scheduled maintenance carried out but that's normal.
One thing to remember: Atlantic Helicopters isn't the cheapest school out there but they provided me with quality training I might have gotten somewhere in Europe but for a lot less moneywise cause flying in the USA is a lot cheaper. Also don't be fooled by cheap hour building in the USA, cause a CFI will usually be with you in the aircraft and he will log the hours as instruction and will sign your logbook accordingly so YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LOG THEM AS EASA-PIC time. FAA PIC time is counted differently than EASA, keep that in mind. Or the school wants you to fly at least 10 hours or so dual before they let you go solo and by then their cheap hourly rate isn't so cheap anymore.
I did exactly 3,5 hours with Martin Sims before he send me off solo. I could log the dual time towards my 20 hours for the conversion anyway (not a loss!) and after that started building the hours towards my EASA-PIC time while flying solo.
Cheers
Thanks muermel, outstanding report.
I am along the same profile as yours (FAA PLL with a pass of half of the 14 exam). good to have 1st hand information.
I think Atlantic helicopter deserve more credit to be one of the few option for EASA helicopter in the US. they just seem to miss a good word around and maybe a more informative web site... ah... also some Cabri G2 s to learn the right way of working the pedal in Europe. (one can always dream!)
Yes I learned my lesson for summer flying in Florida, start flying as early as 7AM and stop at 3PM when the storms move in. Those storm make that R22 quite unsuitable for flying in a matter of minutes.
regards
I am along the same profile as yours (FAA PLL with a pass of half of the 14 exam). good to have 1st hand information.
I think Atlantic helicopter deserve more credit to be one of the few option for EASA helicopter in the US. they just seem to miss a good word around and maybe a more informative web site... ah... also some Cabri G2 s to learn the right way of working the pedal in Europe. (one can always dream!)
Yes I learned my lesson for summer flying in Florida, start flying as early as 7AM and stop at 3PM when the storms move in. Those storm make that R22 quite unsuitable for flying in a matter of minutes.
regards
Hi Agile
I hold a FAA-CPLH & CFI so the experience there might have been slightly diferent than yours might be but I dont't think that changes the general fact that it's avery good company to train with.
Get all the exams done before you go there (which I think is a requirement before commencing the modular training anyway) although you might finish the last ones in Orlando and than go down to Fort Pierce ( 2 Hours by car).
The owner is actually in the process of getting a site on Facebook and getting the word out there that there's another EASA-approved school in the US. Also getting a Cabri G2 is something he considers at the moment. But time will tell.
I've flown a Schweizer 300 and a R44 through showers and or around TS and in terms of shaking around a being tossed about they're all the same and scare you all the same.
Ciao
I hold a FAA-CPLH & CFI so the experience there might have been slightly diferent than yours might be but I dont't think that changes the general fact that it's avery good company to train with.
Get all the exams done before you go there (which I think is a requirement before commencing the modular training anyway) although you might finish the last ones in Orlando and than go down to Fort Pierce ( 2 Hours by car).
The owner is actually in the process of getting a site on Facebook and getting the word out there that there's another EASA-approved school in the US. Also getting a Cabri G2 is something he considers at the moment. But time will tell.
I've flown a Schweizer 300 and a R44 through showers and or around TS and in terms of shaking around a being tossed about they're all the same and scare you all the same.
Ciao
Last edited by muermel; 18th Oct 2015 at 22:35.
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Afternoon all, I've just been trawling the forums for a couple hours however most of the information is now a little dated.
I'm not far off completing my EASA PPL(H), and looking forward I would like to do a couple of weeks away and get in some hours building. Can anyone recommend any schools that are value for money in regards to hours building or r44 conversion courses, either in US/NZ/SA or even here in the UK.
Cheers in advance
I'm not far off completing my EASA PPL(H), and looking forward I would like to do a couple of weeks away and get in some hours building. Can anyone recommend any schools that are value for money in regards to hours building or r44 conversion courses, either in US/NZ/SA or even here in the UK.
Cheers in advance
Join Date: Mar 2016
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Hey all! I casually found out that pprune has a dedicated 'rotor' section only few days ago! I've thought it was exclusively addressed to fixed wing airmen... Well, just joined and read a lot of interesting threads inside.
First of all let me to introduce myself: 27 y.o. Swiss native, aeronautical industry employed (jet and prop. airplane factory mechanical/structural technician and helicopter line maintenance). I attended an excellent helicopter ATO, but in the worst period decidedly: at the end of last year some personnel including flight instructors, technicians and engineers lost their job due to company financial problems.
I achieved my CPL and IR on multiengine last january and at the beginning of my training I was firstly oriented to continue towards 250hours total time threshold to gain access to FI course. Now the situation is quite different and my attention is focused to Northern America. I'm searching info concerning American flight schools on Robinson22/44. Now the dilemma is: USA or Canada? Second instance: full EASA CPL conversion to FAA (or Canadian) and subsequent IR and CFI courses are possible or a new 'on stage' CPL training is necessary in hopes of finding a job as flight instructor over there?
Unfortunately I've no direct feedback from other FAA or Transport Canada student pilots transited into my habitual facilities. Looking into FAA and Transport Canada websites I noted some pilot license restrictions given as a result of conversion process. Please, can someone suggests something about proper direct experience concerning these particular issues? On the other hand if anyone needs info about EASA licensing I'd be happy to give an help!
Cheers in advance!
Lucas
First of all let me to introduce myself: 27 y.o. Swiss native, aeronautical industry employed (jet and prop. airplane factory mechanical/structural technician and helicopter line maintenance). I attended an excellent helicopter ATO, but in the worst period decidedly: at the end of last year some personnel including flight instructors, technicians and engineers lost their job due to company financial problems.
I achieved my CPL and IR on multiengine last january and at the beginning of my training I was firstly oriented to continue towards 250hours total time threshold to gain access to FI course. Now the situation is quite different and my attention is focused to Northern America. I'm searching info concerning American flight schools on Robinson22/44. Now the dilemma is: USA or Canada? Second instance: full EASA CPL conversion to FAA (or Canadian) and subsequent IR and CFI courses are possible or a new 'on stage' CPL training is necessary in hopes of finding a job as flight instructor over there?
Unfortunately I've no direct feedback from other FAA or Transport Canada student pilots transited into my habitual facilities. Looking into FAA and Transport Canada websites I noted some pilot license restrictions given as a result of conversion process. Please, can someone suggests something about proper direct experience concerning these particular issues? On the other hand if anyone needs info about EASA licensing I'd be happy to give an help!
Cheers in advance!
Lucas
@CorsAir2
Check out FAR § 61.129 C
eCFR ? Code of Federal Regulations
That's the aeronautical experience required for the FAA-CPLH. Plus the written test, which can be done with 4 weeks preparation, no problem. Obviously you need a checkride with a DPE (takes all day) about REGs, airspace, PoF, Human Performance, the whole shebang pretty much.
If you have a Greencard or can get your hands on some sort of Visa that permits a prolonged stay and legal work in the US, I'd say go for the US. Huge market, some entry level jobs available, much more dynamic than the EU. Especially as a CFI. I'm not saying there's no competition for those jobs in the US, but at least there are jobs.
I'm fairly certain that you can not get a F1 visa for you pilot training cause it is not initial training. You are doing a conversion so you proably won't get a student visa. Without that you're not legally allowed to work in the US after your training, so I guess a big part of your decision depends on getting some sort of VISA. Or get married with a US girl :-)
Can't tell you much about Canada, apart from the fact that the country seems to be awesome. But from what I read the situation for pilots there isn't the best right now.
Ciao
Check out FAR § 61.129 C
eCFR ? Code of Federal Regulations
That's the aeronautical experience required for the FAA-CPLH. Plus the written test, which can be done with 4 weeks preparation, no problem. Obviously you need a checkride with a DPE (takes all day) about REGs, airspace, PoF, Human Performance, the whole shebang pretty much.
If you have a Greencard or can get your hands on some sort of Visa that permits a prolonged stay and legal work in the US, I'd say go for the US. Huge market, some entry level jobs available, much more dynamic than the EU. Especially as a CFI. I'm not saying there's no competition for those jobs in the US, but at least there are jobs.
I'm fairly certain that you can not get a F1 visa for you pilot training cause it is not initial training. You are doing a conversion so you proably won't get a student visa. Without that you're not legally allowed to work in the US after your training, so I guess a big part of your decision depends on getting some sort of VISA. Or get married with a US girl :-)
Can't tell you much about Canada, apart from the fact that the country seems to be awesome. But from what I read the situation for pilots there isn't the best right now.
Ciao
Join Date: Mar 2016
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Hey Muermel, thanks for your reply! Yes, most of the previous flight experience required and descibed on FAR § 61.129 C are normally achieved during EASA flight training. I'm afraid the greatest obstacle for me would be VISA issue, if the option will be the conversion process only.
I've no words to describe my mood in this period... I feel so sad.
I actually have a lot of aeroplanes and helicopter work orders for final assembly lines and factory maintenance, but at flight school no new student pilot arrived since September 2014. Most of latest degree pilots I know haven't found a flight related job position yet. The luckiest guys who have found a seat are all EASA IR on ME and FI qualified, employed as co-pilots with almost 500hs total time entry level experience. I sometimes think that probably the end of European helicopter pilot job market is near... Isn't true? However a lot of companies buy new aircraft... Something is not clear to me so much.
At the end of the loop I think I'll have to spend other moneys again in order to obtain the actual f**k entry level requirements, not in Europe anyway: updated price lists, in my opinion, are nowadays simply embarrassing.
I'm sorry for my bitter words, but this situation seems to me a sort of nightmare.
“... and no PNR planned along this route...”
Muermel, can I send you PM?
Ciao
I've no words to describe my mood in this period... I feel so sad.
I actually have a lot of aeroplanes and helicopter work orders for final assembly lines and factory maintenance, but at flight school no new student pilot arrived since September 2014. Most of latest degree pilots I know haven't found a flight related job position yet. The luckiest guys who have found a seat are all EASA IR on ME and FI qualified, employed as co-pilots with almost 500hs total time entry level experience. I sometimes think that probably the end of European helicopter pilot job market is near... Isn't true? However a lot of companies buy new aircraft... Something is not clear to me so much.
At the end of the loop I think I'll have to spend other moneys again in order to obtain the actual f**k entry level requirements, not in Europe anyway: updated price lists, in my opinion, are nowadays simply embarrassing.
I'm sorry for my bitter words, but this situation seems to me a sort of nightmare.
“... and no PNR planned along this route...”
Muermel, can I send you PM?
Ciao