Helicopter Commercial Pilot License (CPL-H) practical course
 

Any contemporary recommendations, thoughts or advice on the best providers in the UK for the Helicopter Commercial Pilot License (CPL-H) course?

Places I'm considering include:

• Advance Helicopters, Shoreham
• Heli Air, Thruxton
• Heli Centre, Leicester
• Helicopter Services, High Wycombe
• Heli Group, Denham
• Phoenix Helicopter Academy, Blackbushe

Helicopter Services at High Wycombe, Leon and the team are legends.

dont go near the one at number 3 . Leon and his team without a shadow of a doubt are the people, my daughter is going there next year. Enough said !

Talking about legends. "HQ aviation" in Denham, as well as a fun place to be.

You can find pros and cons about any training provider.
Make a list of your top 3-5, visit them. (unannounced) and see what kind of feeling you get from the different setups.
Look at the availability of helicopters and instructors and the price you're gonna pay (which can vary a lot).
Then at 2 of them do a short trial lesson and make your choice.
Your location might also be worth mentioning as travel time/cost might also rack up the total costs of your cpl(h).
And the type you want to do the cpl on: R22/R44/G2
If you're London-Reading area:
- Helicopter Services Wycombe
- Heli Air Wycombe / Thruxton
- Phoenix Blackbushe
Good luck.

Thanks everyone for the good advice and tips - cheers.

There's also an EASA approved school in the US if you want to make an adventure out of it as well. Home - USATS United States Aviation Training Solutions Inc. - Helicopter Training School - its the ex-Bristow Academy. They have a chap based in the UK that I can connect you to if you want. PM me if so.

All of the above is great advice, something else to think about is the training environment. I know we as helicopter gods tend to shy away from those lovely folk in the Air Tragic Control building, but most of the above training providers are based at predominantly FISO or A/G type bases, so you dont really get a handle on learning in the rather controlled manner of an airport such as Gloucester or Liverpool where there is total control from Ground up to Radar, which gives an awful lot of practice talking to those lovely people in the tower.

Only mentioning this, as there is some "interesting" phraseology going about out there at the moment, even from those pilots flying with "professional" callsigns from commercial outfits.

I would strongly recommend the guys at Arcus Helicoters based at Nottingham. Relatively new outfit, but with very expericed FIs who strike a brilliant balance of professionalism and a relaxed environment in which to train. Friendly, welcoming and always have time to discuss progress, future sessions and flying in general.

They also put enthusiasm for flying above an outwardly visible desire to remove as much cash from you as possible in as short a time as possible.. Ctomo, you may or may not choose to consider that last comment in respect of your previous post.

FF

CTOMO, where do you want me to start ? honesty and integrity to start with.

CTOMO, the advice that was given to me at the time was "don't go there its a factory". instead I went to a small outfit with an outstanding chief pilot. really glad I did because, I have been taught things that no fresh-out of the line instructor could have ever taught me.

The only reason I ask guys is that they offer a CPL scholarship in that area which is an absolute deal breaker, factory or not.

Does anyone have any good recommendations of schools in the Northwest as that is where I live now? Doesn't seem to be any CPL scholarships up here.

I am actually gutted as I used to live right near High Wycombe and actually did some work experience with Leon and the team at Helicopters Services about 15 years ago but had zero funds,

One tip, just avoid any ***cock ATO title ;)

and is this from personal experience? or because you know someone there that you don't like?

Ctmo

Ask anyone in the industry as to what happens there ! Some of my line pilots were trained there, you wouldnt believe what they say about the place, just as Jeepys says
Yup and I have personal experience with a certain persons honesty and integrity and I was only trying to help them out of a hole. Wont be wasting my time ever again.