ATPL(H) or CPL(H)?

[choppertop]

No mention here of the excellent CPL(H) ground school run by Ground Training Services Ltd of Bournemouth [I have no connection to them in anyway, nor any axe to grind].

GTS got me through the whole thing via home study in six months flat, while holding down a full-time job running my own business. And for less than two thousand quid!

And why, if you're just going to instruct and do a bit of VFR charter work, would you bother with the ATPL(H)? Get in quick under the interim arrangements and you won't even have to do a CPL performance paper.

If I decide my brain is big enough and my pockets deep enough and the salary prospects tempting enough to do an IR, I'm told the two ground school modules are no sweat if you've coped with the CPL(H).

CPL(H) for me, any day.

[helicopter-redeye]

CT, I think Roger's dropped the CPL H course now - he was just going to focus on the ATPL and IR courses (with the emphasis in A rather than H for the ATPL)

h-r

[Whirlygig]

veering toward the ATPL(H) at the moment; if for no other reason than the extra information!!

I can't help but think you would be just as well off using the extra cash saved buying and reading say, Ray Prouty's book or Shawn Coyle's without putting the extra pressure on yourself to pass exams you probably won't need.

You only really need the ATPL exams if you plan to go off-shore, otherwise, CPL and IR exams should suffice for anything else.

Cheers

Whirls

[kpd]

Do gts do CPL(H)

Choppertop checked gts webpage but can't find CPL(H) only CPL(A)??

[Heli-phile]

Dont

Likely you will have to do both a type rating on the test machine as well as the IR flight test itself. IR is a difficult achievement and making life harder for yourself (at huge expense) is less than Ideal.

[R22 Driver]

cpl flying course

hi guys,
there seems to me to be a lot of discussion about the pro's and con's of doing various courses in different countries, but very little about where exactly to do the course once you have decided on a specific country.
I have done all my training and hour building in the UK for a variety of reasons and was always struck by the lack of information available to those wishing to do a CPL/ FIC course.
I think through shear dumb luck i really landed on my feet. I did both the CPL and FIC with helicopter services at Wycombe at the start of the year and i have to say that they were excellent. I realise they are quite well known for their instrument rating courses but i had never heard of them before i started the training.
i dont want this thread to turn into an advertisement for the company, thats not what i'm trying to accomplish. i simply want to advise those who are considering doing a CPL/ FIC course in the UK that in my humble opinion this company is extremely good. the instructors are all extremely knowledgeable and helpful and they get you to a very high standard before putting you up for the test. once you have passed they will even help you in the search for that elusive first job.
i cannot reccomend them enough,

safe flying

[helimutt]

speaking as someone who went through the Helicopter Services system in the not too distant past, they have a wealth of experience for the courses they run and agree Leon has a good setup. (he doesn't like Geordies anymore tho!!) They may get you up to standard but it's up to you to pass the test. I let them down on their pass rate unfortunately, but after a 'couple' of attempts, got through the IRT with them.
The key to the whole training industry is research. Go through every resource you can find. Speak to as many people as you can who may be able to recommend somewhere and search the internet, ie PPRuNe.
Ask the pro's where they would recommend. Cheap courses are usually cheap for a reason. Advertised at a lower price then more training necessary to get you up to standard perhaps? No, that doesn't happen. Shouldn't have said that.

[Messerschmitt]

Regarding time building in US, I have phoned a school there and they informed me that you will not be allowed to work as an instructor to build your hours if you have any type of foreign licence, since the government will not give you the J1 Visa.

If anyone knows otherwise please do share.

[darrenphughes]

I know you become ineligible for the J1 if you have more than an FAA Private or more than 50 hours experience. That rule could also incorporate any ICAO Private, although I don't know for sure. Just don't tell them when you're applying for the Visa. After you get it than you can then proceed to get your FAA ratings while using your aeronautical experience to meet the FAR requirements. I've never heard of immigration checking up on your aeronautical experience while you're in your course, although I could be wrong.

Just be careful about the little lies you tell so that you don't get caught out by them!! This angle probably won't go down very well with some of the Americans on here, but if your future career depends on it, you gotta do what you gotta do!!

[NSO]

Cabair Vs Heli-Air Vs Helicopter Services Vs Bristows

I am hoping to start studying for my Frozen ATPL(h) & ME IR soon, but I am having nightmares trying to decide on the best route and who with to train with. The problem is trying to decide between factors such as 'total flying hours Vs reputation Vs quality of training Vs rumours'....have been told by Integrated School (Cabair) that you can get a start careerwise with less hours because employers view the Integrated route differently to the modular route.....have been told by the modular schools that there is no difference from an employers perspective and that it is all about the number of hours!

Has anybody trained with any of these companies and if so where did you end up employment wise? any views or help would be greatly appreciated.

NS

[Whirlygig]

have been told by Integrated School (Cabair) that you can get a start careerwise with less hours because employers view the Integrated route differently to the modular route.

To mis-quote Mandy Rice-Davies, "Well, they would say that, wouldn't they".

When helicopter operators were recruiting (and none are at the moment), their requirements were for hours and experience (usually in the thousands of hours) therefore, whether the initial training is integrated or modular is usually irrelevant.

You're far better off going the modular route and use the money you save to get more hours or maybe an FI rating.

Cheers

Whirls

[Darren999]

IR Question

Do Police or HEMS units require an ATPL rating?
Do they require an IR?
Would the Commercial exams be surfice to apply for a position?
Thank you for your help...

[SECRET SERVICE]

Darren999

As far as I'm aware - at the present time neither police nor hems operation units require an IR.

Although the 11 pilots within the Met ASU have all recently completed their IRs.

There was a job advertisement recently to recruit an additional Met pilot and one of the requirements was for the candidate to have an IR.

It's guess it's only a matter of time before other forces follow suit. As for the Hems units I don't know?

Secret Service

[Whirlygig]

Police/HEMS in the UK do not need an IR as such but they do require a considerable number of hours night flying which means effectively, unless you have military training or gained several hundred hours night flying on a PPL, that you need an IR to get this experience.

Cheers

Whirls

[flap flap flap]

UK Police/EMS requirements are something like this

1,500 hrs total
1,000 hrs PIC
50-100 hrs night
500 hrs twin turbine
significant low-level ops experience

And... I think all police pilots will need an IR by 2012

[nellycopter]

Ok so this seems to be a really old thread,
I am thinking of doing my CPL(H)
I have 700 hrs pplh, I also have my own Heli to do any further training.
I struggled like hell at school with exams, so may need that extra bit of tuition etc...
Have there been many changes since the last post ?
Is there anywhere "up north" to do the course ?
What companies are still around ?
Are there any individuals that offer one to one ground school/ exam prep ?

Any comments or help would be appreciated..

Nelly

[paco]

Helicentre at leicester are working with us on that sort of thing

Phil

[Colibri49]

I hope that I don't sound patronising but there are many bright, intelligent and capable people in this world who can't read or write and struggle with book learning. I wasn't a good student at school and scraped through, when I should have done much better if I wasn't so lazy.

But the commercial helicopter flying world which has afforded me a good living for 31 years requires that you do written exams and tests periodically throughout. I'm not aware of anyone who does private one-to-one tuition and I never heard of such.

Your best bet to pass the quite onerous ground exams is to attend a reputable place like Bristol Ground School and give up on drinking and socialising most days of the week until you pass. You no doubt already passed the PPL(H) written exams to get your licence, which will give you a feeling for the workload and you can multiply that load by about 5 times for the commercials.

Really there is no alternative route to the licence than hard graft, after which you still might not get a worthwhile job. So do you REALLY want a CPL(H)? You don't seem as if you're short of money now and you could spend a whole lot more, plus the effort and time to get you no further.

[paco]

"I'm not aware of anyone who does private one-to-one tuition and I never heard of such."

We do, as do several of our instructors.

"Your best bet to pass the quite onerous ground exams is to attend a reputable place like Bristol Ground School"

They are not the only, or necessarily the best, game in town.

Phil

[Flyting]

"Your best bet to pass the quite onerous ground exams is to

... practice the online exams until you're blue in the face