Heliflight is good.

Having heard some stories from students of other aviation providers it seems as if Heliflight is an island paradise!!!As for thier instructors not having enough experience...what a load of parasite drag! As far as I can tell, Heliflight is a well run commercial helecopter operator, and a successful training orginisation to boot. It's also good to see that they'll give a young fella a go, the latest addition being a fresh new C-cat instructor. I'm sure after a few years of hard graft he'll have enough experience for AGL's liking.

Have fun children, and play nice:}

Three bent machines in 12 months?
Work that one out for yourself.

Skidbiter - you're a dick, you've proven it before with your anti Heliflight comments. Crawl back under your rock.

Autorotate.

Skidbiter

From examining your post over the past few years You must be one of the most miserable helicopter pilots...or should I say wanna be Pilots.... in the industry today......you clearly missed out on being breast fed and maybe were one of those babies locked in a cage and only let out on special occassions. from my contacts this company flys on average 9-10000 hours a year...haven t heard you bleat on about North shores accidents a few years back or Helipro or ChCh helis accidents......you obviously did not make the grade again...

Hey Skidbitter, if you compare the amount of hours flown per year its a few thousand more than your R/C chopper

Well I never thought such a simple question would invoke such a response.

For my two pennies worth, I have spoken with both Instructors at Heli Flight, and students, and have been impressed.

As for the accident rate, well it comes with the territory surely, the more activity the greater the risk (Ask Any Insurance Agent), and if they professed that they had a zero rate, I would raise my eyebrows.

Just as a side note, has anyone got any insights to Chesapeake Helicopters in Virgina USA, as a part 141 training facility, not that I have dismissed Heli-flight, am planning on going to NZ to get my PPL then USA to complete CPL. Would like an insight to Chesapeake so I can make a comparison between them and HAI.

Metch,

Why don't you look to Canada rather than the states?
Here you can get a better exchange rate plus a licence that is recognised worldwide for its quality. Plenty of mountains out west and lots of airspace to work in.
Bruce Harvey out of Taupo is a good option for training. You really can learn something from someone with that much time.

Metch, I am a student at Heliflight Wairarapa, so I thought I better stick my 2 cents worth in.

Firstly, any students who complain of being just another number only have themselves to blame. A CPL licence is not going to be handed to you on a silver platter! If you put in the effort, the instructors will take note of this and do all they can to help you get through. If you ass around waiting for things to happen, they won't.

Heliflight is a very busy organisation. I think that alone should say something.

Here is a bit about my time here so far:-

Ground school was held at the local polytech with a variety of lecturers from past students to instructors to an ATPL airline pilot for Met who claims he hasn't flown a VFR flight for 30 years!
I found the classes to be interesting and well run - I certainly would not have been able to get through so quick if I had been studying on my own.

Flying has been good. Heliflight have 1 A cat, 1 B cat and 3 C cat instructors who have a good range of knowledge. Having the choice of so many instructors means that any time a flight is available, so is an instructor. I also found that if I was having trouble with something, flying with a different instructor would sometimes show you another way of looking at the same thing.

They currently have 2x H300c's, 1x H300cb and an H500c. They also have a lot of students, so you have to be on the ball and be proactive in making sure you get a flight booked in for yourself. If you use the heliflight facilities for study, then you often end up with extra flights when students dont show up. (The just another number students)

The Wairarapa seems to be a good place to learn as the weather seems to be fairly stable, the Tararua ranges are a stones throw away, and you are pretty much smack in the middle of the country for x-counrty flights. As Heliflight also have a branch in Ardmore, you can always transfer there for a period if you want a change of scene.

I have had moments when I have been frustrated at not being able to get a flight for what ever reason, but if you show up every day and make the effort, there is always room somewhere.

So thats my bit - I'm sure other students have different views. Training is the easy part - finding a job is going to be a wake up call.

Heliflight fatal report released
 

Pilot may have reacted too slowly to rotor problem: CAA

06.02.2004
2.15pm A pilot who died when the helicopter he was flying crashed near Masterton may have reacted too slowly, or inappropriately, to a rotor problem, a Civil Aviation Authority report says.
Pilot Roy Cameron Kritos, 36, who was living at the Hood Aerodrome near Masterton, died at the scene of the crash about 4.45pm on January 17 last year.

Today's CAA report recounted how three witnesses had pulled Mr Kritos from the burning wreckage of the helicopter.

On the day of the day of the crash Mr Kritos had finished a flight with his instructor before being authorised to continue solo.

The helicopter had taken off about 4.20pm and been seen carrying out apparently normal circuits around the aerodrome, taking off and landing parallel to a runway. About 25 minutes into the flight, as the helicopter was climbing straight ahead after take-off and had reached about 120m, witnesses on the airfield heard a loud noise and saw pieces flying off it.

After one or two rotations about the vertical axis, the helicopter had fallen straight to the ground, landing in a barley field.

"One nearby witness ran to the scene, and seeing a fire in the cabin area, attempted to pull the apparently unconscious pilot from the wreckage. The pilot was trapped by the distorted cabin structure, and this witness was unable to both lift the structure and pull the pilot clear," the report said.

"Two more people arrived and with their combined efforts, the pilot was lifted cle ar of the burning wreckage."

The CAA report said the accident sequence had been consistent with over pitching of the main rotor, resulting in loss of control and the striking of the airframe by one main rotor blade.

Engine failure was unlikely to be the initiating factor in the accident, it said.

"The pilot may have reacted too slowly, or inappropriately, to a low rotor rpm situation," the report said.

Mr Kritos' logbook recorded 157.4 hours on helicopters and his instructor had confirmed Mr Kritos was of good ability and in good spi rits on the day of the crash.

The helicopter had been maintained adequately, and appeared to be in good pre-accident condition.

The weather had not been a factor, with conditions fine and clear.

- NZPA

Been let out of the cage today huh?
Seriously mate, what is your issue?
Is it because you don't have any mates, and this is the only way people will talk to you?
It's sad.

skidbiter you officialy are the biggest tool on the internet.What where you trying to say posting your last comments or should I say accident report.You dont really have to much to say about the last few crashes around the place or another company who had an engine failure with punters on board and stacking the machine recently.You must be the Rodney Hyde of this forum and have nothing else better to do.Please for the sake of everyone else keep it out of the green...

Training at Helipod NZ
 

I hold a CPL(H) Aus and plan to get a CPL(H) NZ. I am aware of what is required. Can anyone recommend a flying school?? I am currently in Auckland. Thinking about Helipod in Albany.

All replies appreciated.

Hughey, Are you after a smallish school or larger one.

Autorotate

Heli Pod Flight School NZ
 

Hughey

I was in NZ recently and did a couple of hours of refresher flying in an R22 with the owner/chief pilot Peter.

I was MOST impressed with

a. his piloting skills and

b. his instructional skills.

I have never been a big fan of the R22 but gained considerable benefit from the couple of hours I spent in the machine with him.

All the Best

heli_spy

Autorotate

Small or large. Any recommendations?

Thanks

HeliPro and HeliFlight
 

Hughey,

I'm not a pilot (yet, still raising the cash), but I was in NZ looking at a couple of schools in November '03.

I thought you were allowed to fly in NZ with your Australian licence with only a couple of endorsements or changes due to the 'Trans-Tasman' agreement or something similar (my memory escapes me, can't remember exactly what it's called)?

However, if that's not the case, or you want to gain the NZ CPL (H) anyway, here's some info I hope will help.

I was at HeliFlight in Auckland, Ardmore Airport, and HeliPro in Palmerston North. Both have bases elsewhere, but HeliPro have their training establishment in Palmerston North, whilst HeliFlight train both at Ardmore and Masterton.

All HeliFlights training (theory as well) is done on-site, whilst at HeliPro theory training is done at Nelson Aviation College in the South Island, and they prefer all exams to be passed before flight training begins - don't know how they would go about converting to NZ CPL (H).

HeliPro are the biggest commercial operator that also do training, so pupils get the chance to work alongside the pilots in all kinds of operations - they tend to do a lot of firefighting apparently.

HeliFlight seem to be geared towards pleasure flights and training more then other commercial operations, but that may change.

At both places I got a really warm welcome and was made to feel at home. The instructors that I had were experienced, not only in flight training. They both use Schweizer 300s

I know Helipod is a slightly smaller operator, but I didn't get the chance to go out to the base due to time constraints. I think there is an advantage there that it'll probably work out cheaper (accomodation etc.)

Anyway, I'd recommend you check out the other two as well, at least have a look at the websites, easy to find.

Sorry for the length of the post, but I hope this helps a bit.

Regards.

Hi All.
I did some hour building in New Zealand (sorry bout the world cup guys, maybe in four years! :D ) and after looking at numerous schools, I ended up at Heliflight.
The instructors are all very professional, safety concious and above all, very friendly and they love what they do.
All the students are a great bunch of people, and are welcoming to all.
I can't wait to go back to NZ and go back to Heliflight to do more flying. And I'll be wearing my English jersey aswell!!

:} :ok:

FlingwingChick

I just heard from a friend that Helipod had a prang in one of their Robinson's.
Anyone know what happened? I heard the boss was in court at the time.
Is their any truth to these rumours.:confused:
Flingwingchick

true
 

helipod's r22 went down. no-one got hurt too badly as i understand.

You know guys and gals; its humourous to watch all the replies to the question of "where to train". Why? because nobody on the planet actually has anything bad to say about the person(s) who taught them to fly.
This is interesting because everyone thinks that the person that taught them is the best pilot/instructor around. Its not until later that you realise how little they knew and how little you did when you came out of the CPL.

You are probably better to ask the question "What is the best environment to train in and who can supply that plus the experience"?
That question culls the list of suitors quickly. You then realise that the city schools will teach you lots about airspace but nothing about mountains and vice versa.
I have yet to see airspace kill any of my friends. Capice?

Also look at your instructor that will be teaching you. What have they done and where have they been. If it costs you $20 more an hour to fly with Bruce Harvey or some of the south island boys as opposed to joe bloggs at city helicopters who has 1000hrs of circut time in the other seat watching a student fly. Joe can work the radio better than a 747 captain and do a deadly circut but knows diddly about hills and 120ft longlines.
I have yet to see the radio and average circut skills kill any of my friends. Capice?

Think about it. Quality not quantity. Location not conveinence.

...now as for my instructor! Well he was the best ........;)