Commercial Rotor Add-on Q's

C150J

Well-Known Member
Hi guys -

For the commercial rotor add-on, do I need to take any additional writtens? I don't recall and rotor-specific information on my private and commercial writtens...

Also, it looks like I'll need about forty hours of flight time at a minimum. We all know about minimums - what's the average?

Thanks!
J.
 
If its an add-on, nope no writtens.

61.63b covers the reqs for an additional categoy rating, and 61.129c covers what you need to add on the commercial rotorcraft.

Basically, 50 hours in helos, 35 as PIC, and some other little things.

Or you could get a "private privileges" endorsement on your commercial cert where you'd only need 30 hours.
 
I have seen airline pilots come in and think that they can knock out the helo add-on in just the mins. But about 70 hrs later they are doing the checkride. The average has gone up since last year when they added the 180 auto and confined space to the ppl pts. To feel competent well, I still don't at 200 hrs.
Shane
 
wow - thats uhhhh disturbing there scotty to say the least. I would LOVE to learn how to fly helo's, right now I am CMELI and CSELI in airplanes... but I really don't want to burn up $150 to $250 for 200 hours and still not feel confident. Wow. What a bummer...
 
Don't get me wrong I do feel very confident in my ability to fly. That is not an issue; it just seems that there is always something new to learn. I was talking to an old timer the other day and he pointed out that there are about 50 different ways to thread the same needle. You may fly an approach to a pinnacle one day and the winds may make it a whole new ball game the next day. That is the beauty and what I love about flying helos. I was in WA this week for my comm checkride I learned so much from it I still can't believe it. The checkride it self was said and done in 45 minutes of flight time. I then spent another 1 hour just learning new things. I learned how to climb in an auto, how to land an auto with zero run out and put the ship into a tight confined area. I was amazed by getting out of settling with power by moving sideways instead of foward. That is the part of competent of flying I meant. Just when you get comfortable at one level there seems to be someone who opens another door for you to see more.
 
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