How hard is a helicopter addon?

[deadstick]

Preferably with a loudspeaker blaring "Ride of the Valkyries" out the door.

Oh, I don't know. I bet if you asked @Lawman you'd hear how Firebirds is the best helicopter movie EVER and that all pilots must yell "I am the greatest!" in order to pass AQC.

:stir:

 

[LostComm]

Subjective question I know... But I have been thinking of getting a commercial helo addon for a long time now. I think the regs say min time is 20 dual and 35 solo? I know they say it's harder for an airplane pilot to get helo addon than for a beginner who has never flown before.

Anybody here ever done it? How many hours did it take you?

I just finished a PP Helo add on. Did it in 31 hours plus a check ride in an R22. I hold an ATP for fixed wing. The hovering bit is correct, and the Robbie is extremely weight and balance sensitive. When the instructor gets out, it's a whole new machine.

The only other things that were different --and quite honestly that I don't believe I quite mastered-- were auto rotations. You're not required to do any from altitude to the ground for a PP, so it's extremely difficult to know what right looks like. I wrote up a helo add on check ride experience in the checkride forum. Best of luck,
Lostcomm