Alchemy
Well-Known Member
How difficult comparatively is doing a commercial helicopter add on to a fixed wing certificate compared to private?
I am flying some Robinsons for fun and really like it. Again, just doing it for fun; have an airline job with no ability whatsoever to make money flying helicopters even if I wanted to. My only goal is to be able to rent one with passengers some day, which requires commercial + 100 hours helicopter time and going to Torrance for the Robinson safety course. I would need private + 150 hours + Torrance if I didn't do the commercial.
I have 4 hours, my CFI says I'm doing reasonably well. I can make traffic pattern or taxiway approach to a hover, maintain a hover pretty well, do stationary pedal turns and walk it sideways pretty well. My main issue is doing initial takeoffs (pick ups?) since I've only had 2 tries at it (we do most of the training at an army airfield that we can't touch the ground at, but can hover all day since there aren't swarms of GA fixed wing traffic like everywhere else). I guess since the Robinson doesn't compensate for translating tendency it's a little tricky. Getting into practice auto-rotations next lesson. It's a 141 school but I'm planning make the decision at around the 20 hour mark to asses whether or not I stand a chance of passing a commercial.
I could potentially do the private at first then do the commercial as I work my way up to 100 hours.
This 141 school has about the same hour requirements for a private or commercial add-on. Although I've hopefully done my last airline interview, I would prefer to avoid a bust because we all know how often that's asked about now.
Any advice appreciated.
I am flying some Robinsons for fun and really like it. Again, just doing it for fun; have an airline job with no ability whatsoever to make money flying helicopters even if I wanted to. My only goal is to be able to rent one with passengers some day, which requires commercial + 100 hours helicopter time and going to Torrance for the Robinson safety course. I would need private + 150 hours + Torrance if I didn't do the commercial.
I have 4 hours, my CFI says I'm doing reasonably well. I can make traffic pattern or taxiway approach to a hover, maintain a hover pretty well, do stationary pedal turns and walk it sideways pretty well. My main issue is doing initial takeoffs (pick ups?) since I've only had 2 tries at it (we do most of the training at an army airfield that we can't touch the ground at, but can hover all day since there aren't swarms of GA fixed wing traffic like everywhere else). I guess since the Robinson doesn't compensate for translating tendency it's a little tricky. Getting into practice auto-rotations next lesson. It's a 141 school but I'm planning make the decision at around the 20 hour mark to asses whether or not I stand a chance of passing a commercial.
I could potentially do the private at first then do the commercial as I work my way up to 100 hours.
This 141 school has about the same hour requirements for a private or commercial add-on. Although I've hopefully done my last airline interview, I would prefer to avoid a bust because we all know how often that's asked about now.
Any advice appreciated.