3 Comments

• #1 by Obelix on February 1st, 2011

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  You should go to Advanced Helicopter Concepts in Frederick, MD. It’s a really good school, with good instructors and a good maintenance team. Their prices are also very fair. It migh be a bit of a drive for you though. But you should look ‘em up online.

  I finished my private license in about 3-4 months but I did it pretty much full-time.
  Have fun!

• #2 by Cougar_SRC on February 1st, 2011

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  I’m definnetly not a Helicopter buff, but I do know that the cost of operation is very high (I believe it’s primarily due to very high maintenance demand). This translates to high training costs. You might want to consider getting your private in a small plane first (approx 40 – 50 hours, depending on ability/study habits), from any local field, and then getting the required helicopter hours to transition after ward. I truly believe that this would save you money in the long-run. It may or may not save you time, I’m not sure (I’m thinking along the lines of endurance, again I don’t know what that translates to for heli’s, for a small plane you could fly for 3 + hours). Good luck,
  Scott – Private Pilot – Single Engine Land – Airplane

• #3 by pa28_180flyer on February 1st, 2011

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  What scott says is VERY good advice. I have my Private, Single Engine Land, and went for a “discovery” flight in a R-44 helo trainer. I would love to add on but the cost is more than twice (per hour) just
  for the aircraft. the Instructor got $50 hr. Do the math.
  Alot cheaper to the the private in a single engine plane then do the add on. The biggest benefit in this is you can fly BOTH!!