FW to RW

iFLY87

Well-Known Member
I'm working on getting my RW added to my license. My boss is a Heli CFI and has been teaching me on the side. I have my FW ATP multi and Comm Single. I know I don't need a student pilot cert but do I need to take a Pre-solo written exam? Also i'm not sure of the best route but should I get Private RW first then Comm later?
Thanks!
 
I would skip the ppl and go straight to the commercial. Thats what I did anyway. It saves you a checkride fee. I do belive you still have to take the pre solo test, esp if its in the Robinsons, check the SFAR to be sure. It spells out most of the particulars for Robbies. BTW- after solo you can log the time PIC, at least thats how our DPE interpreted it, and it allows you to pretty much go straight to the commerical b/c of the PIC time you can log.
 
I would skip the ppl and go straight to the commercial. Thats what I did anyway. It saves you a checkride fee. I do belive you still have to take the pre solo test, esp if its in the Robinsons, check the SFAR to be sure. It spells out most of the particulars for Robbies. BTW- after solo you can log the time PIC, at least thats how our DPE interpreted it, and it allows you to pretty much go straight to the commercial b/c of the PIC time you can log.

Are you sure about that last part? Obviously, if you are solo without a CFI on board, you can log it as PIC. But if you do not have a Private Helo Rating, I don't think you can log PIC time as "sole manipulator of the controls" while practicing the maneuvers for the Commercial Helo - and thereby building PIC time towards that rating - with your CFI on board. When I did my FW to RW 15 years ago, I got out my calculator and figured out that it was cheaper to pay the $200 for the Private Pilot checkride, so that I could log PIC time while working (with my CFI) on all my Commercial Helo maneuvers ........ vs. not being able to count that time with my CFI as PIC time (if I did not have a Private ticket) and then have to just go out and fly around (more) solo to build up my PIC time to the Commercial requirements. But I could be wrong.
 
Are you sure about that last part? Obviously, if you are solo without a CFI on board, you can log it as PIC. But if you do not have a Private Helo Rating, I don't think you can log PIC time as "sole manipulator of the controls" while practicing the maneuvers for the Commercial Helo - and thereby building PIC time towards that rating - with your CFI on board. When I did my FW to RW 15 years ago, I got out my calculator and figured out that it was cheaper to pay the $200 for the Private Pilot checkride, so that I could log PIC time while working (with my CFI) on all my Commercial Helo maneuvers ........ vs. not being able to count that time with my CFI as PIC time (if I did not have a Private ticket) and then have to just go out and fly around (more) solo to build up my PIC time to the Commercial requirements. But I could be wrong.

You're correct.
 
Get PPL first. You can knock this out with as little as 17 hours if you were a quick study and proficient.

IF (big if) you can do that, you can get your Commercial in about 30 more hours in a helicopter.

I don't recommend this fast-track but it can be done......
 
c) For a helicopter rating. Except as provided in paragraph (i) of this section, a person who applies for a commercial pilot certificate with a rotorcraft category and helicopter class rating must log at least 150 hours of flight time as a pilot that consists of at least:
(4) Ten hours of solo flight time in a helicopter or 10 hours of flight time performing the duties of pilot in command in a helicopter with an authorized instructor on board (either of which may be credited towards the flight time requirement under paragraph (c)(2) of this section), on the areas of operation listed under §61.127(b)(3) that includes
 
c) For a helicopter rating. Except as provided in paragraph (i) of this section, a person who applies for a commercial pilot certificate with a rotorcraft category and helicopter class rating must log at least 150 hours of flight time as a pilot that consists of at least:
(4) Ten hours of solo flight time in a helicopter or 10 hours of flight time performing the duties of pilot in command in a helicopter with an authorized instructor on board (either of which may be credited towards the flight time requirement under paragraph (c)(2) of this section), on the areas of operation listed under §61.127(b)(3) that includes
Thanks for posting that. It's a relatively new change to the regulations that I missed that certainly does change things.
 
Back
Top