I think alot of your answers might be found on the sticky at the top of this forum.

As with fixed wing, you can do either ATPL(H) exams or CPL(H). Bristol Ground School does ATPL(H) only, Atlantic Flight Training does CPL(H) only and CAPT does both (and with a more heli bias).

Cheers

Whirls

Whichever school you choose, make sure they do the rotary-specific course, and not the transitional one. I'm not sure whether anyone is still offering the transitional course, but it's very fixed-wing oriented, which is really only useful to a helicopter pilot if you plan to do your CPL(A)/ATPL(A) as well.

Sam - we are the only school offering a helicopter-specific CPL(H) distance learning course. You can expect it to take somewhere between 4-5 months, based on 20 hours study a week - quicker or slower according to your personal circumstances.

There should be a big blue ad somewhere to the right of this page, but just in case there isn't, most of the questions you have should be answered at Caledonian Advanced Pilot Training.

Please feel free to PM if you have any more questions

Phil

Veritair at cardiff are about to go live with a CPL(H) distance learning course. They have everything you need (and I mean everything) from private pilot right through to IR. Give them a call. Realistically it'll take longer than 4-5 months. Dont forget you have 9 exams to do and they're not easy - otherwise everyone would have it!

Beg to differ biggles - the only guys at our place who don't do it in about 4-5 months are those that don't do the work or have to suspend for family reasons. There shouldn't be much difference between the PPL(H) and CPL(H) when all is said and done, leaving aside obvious differences like turbine engines, assuming the flight school did their job right in the first place.

Veritair's would be the old Dragon course.

Phil

So is the new JAA heli course available now?

If Ventair is the old Dragon course, then I am not so sure that I would recommend it. Your best bet is to stick with CAPT online or Bristol, depending on whether you want to do CPL or ATPL.

Yes, CPL(H) and ATPL(H) (and IR(H)) distance learning helicopter courses have been available from us for the past 2 years!

Bristol's is still an interim (i.e. 737-based) course.

In association with our training partners we can offer everything right through from PPL(H) to the IR and FI ratings. We are just about to announce (well, OK, I'm doing it now) an "integrated modular", by which I mean you can walk in off the street, get your PPL(H) straight off, study for your CPL(H) and end up with about 185 hours plus a JAA IR, which will include a twin rating.

You will also end up with CRM, Fire, First Aid and Dangerous Goods certificates, plus a couple of points off your insurance bill (in association with certain underwriters) and an avenue into selected AOC operators for hour building.

phil

Can anyone settle an arguement please.

Will a CASA ATPL H convert over to a JAA CPL H without doing all the CPL exams?

How many hours? It might.

Cheers

Whirls

Heliringer

This is all about the JAA or non-JAA country thing.

Check JAR-FCL 2.015 & JAR-FCL 2.016.

According to that you can get an exemption from the theoretical training but would have to take the exams and the flight test.

Its turf but not that tough.

I believe that if an ICAO ATPL holder has a gazillion hours, they are exempt some, if not all, the theory exams.

Cheers

Whirls

I guess if there is a will, there is a way :ok:

Has anybody from these forums been through the ATPL(H) with Caledonian Advanced Pilot Training? I like the look of their set up but it would be nice to hear from anyone who has used them previously - THANKS :ok:

CAPT Online Modular Course
 

After having a very good discussion with the Chief Pilot at CAPT, I was was really quite impressed.
I like the helicopter specific aspect to their course.

Could I get some more input from anyone that has used their courseware?

I am trying to decide between Bristol GS and CAPT

With Bristol, you will learn about 737s. With CAPT, you will learn about helicopters.

Easy, wasn't it? ;)

I'm just finishing up my distance learning course with CAPT. Last 2 exams next week for the ATPL. It's worked out just fine. They were quite accommodating towards my unique circumstances in getting me finished up. Phil is always quick to reply or return phone calls. Their service seems to be improving all the time, cause I see their progress tests are all take-able online now which is better than faxing the results like before.

As far as I can remember they had quite reasonable pricing compared to the other companies. I think that was one of the main reasons I went with them in the first place.

Try to do a residential course with them if you can. When I was there for the consolidation classroom time, I got the feeling that I would have got through the whole thing a lot more efficiently if I had to have been there in the classroom every day than studying on my own, I think that would be true for any distance learning course versus on site teaching.

Staten Island?
 

I note from your profile that your on Staten Island?

You fly out of Princeton?

Yeah, how'd you guess? I'm one of the instructors at Nassau Helicopters. Just now noticing you're in NY. Where you based outta?