Reputable Helo Commercial Add-on (VA Approved)

[ozziecat35]

Title says it all. Trying to line up a job in the next 2 years, but they require both a CMEL and Commercial Rotor. If I have Uncle Sam paying for it via the GI Bill, does anyone have a recommendation for an accelerated commercial helo add-on? (Hopefully 2-3 weeks max.)

I have 0 rotor time.

 

[The Fez]

Where are you located? I'm currently doing my CFI upgrade at Universal Helicopters in Scottsdale, AZ, though they have locations elsewhere. For the add-on, you'll have to use the vocational flight training portion of the GIB, which, in the 9/11 version, caps at $10k a year. That goes FAST in helo training. I've flown 4 times and my bill is already $4k or so, but that includes ground training. Hope this helps.

 

[Rotor2Wing]

Title says it all. Trying to line up a job in the next 2 years, but they require both a CMEL and Commercial Rotor. If I have Uncle Sam paying for it via the GI Bill, does anyone have a recommendation for an accelerated commercial helo add-on? (Hopefully 2-3 weeks max.)

I have 0 rotor time.

Bristow Academy would be a great option. They have excellent equipment and have been training helo pilots for a long time! But like what fez said money will disappear fast flying helos! I've spent about $100k flying helicopters in past 10 years but most of that was flying for fun in a family owned helicopter that I paid the expenses to fly. I also had money back then too haha

 

[pnwchief22]

Phoenix area has several schools. I visited heli-expo in Vegas this week; lots of schools looking for new commercial - rotor rated pilots to complete CFI; then stay and teach. A panel of experts downplayed the college programs and supported getting the CFI + instruct or sight seeing until 1000 hours. Gold Coast out of Glendale, AZ has a good price for the add-on commercial.

 

[msw]

.............For the add-on, you'll have to use the vocational flight training portion of the GIB, which, in the 9/11 version, caps at $10k a year. That goes FAST in helo training. I've flown 4 times and my bill is already $4k or so, but that includes ground training. Hope this helps.

I spent right around $10,000 for my Comm Helo add-on about 15 years ago (approx 60 hours in an R22, IIRC) ........ I am guessing it has got to be quite a bit more money now. I spent virtually zero $$$ on ground training - I figured I can "read the book" (and did so, actually, read several of them) - and would guess most other Comm or ATP rated F/W pilots with average intelligence can do the same. There's no written exam for the Comm Helo add-on, so I think that the only "Ground Training" one should need is a few minutes, every now and then, to ask questions of your Instructor for the stuff you are confused about; and maybe a couple of hours of Ground Training for prep for the Oral portion of the Flight Test. I think a lot of these schools really run a scam on students with the amount of "Ground Training" they "require", or try to get you to take.

 

[Ian_J]

Where are you located? I'm currently doing my CFI upgrade at Universal Helicopters in Scottsdale, AZ, though they have locations elsewhere. For the add-on, you'll have to use the vocational flight training portion of the GIB, which, in the 9/11 version, caps at $10k a year. That goes FAST in helo training. I've flown 4 times and my bill is already $4k or so, but that includes ground training. Hope this helps.

Yikes! No chance the AF would have sent you to the IP course I'm guessing?

 

[The Fez]

Yikes! No chance the AF would have sent you to the IP course I'm guessing?

IP course? Me? That'll never happen. I'm just a TR so the chances of them dropping the coin to send me to IP school, which I won't even be eligible to attend for another 4 years or so, are pretty much nil.

It's all good though. I'm learning a lot on the civilian side that I wouldn't have otherwise. Can't fly in the military forever!

 

[Ian_J]

IP course? Me? That'll never happen. I'm just a TR so the chances of them dropping the coin to send me to IP school, which I won't even be eligible to attend for another 4 years or so, are pretty much nil.

It's all good though. I'm learning a lot on the civilian side that I wouldn't have otherwise. Can't fly in the military forever!

TR?

 

[The Fez]

TR?

Traditional Reservist. In the Guard we just called them "weekenders" but the AFRC side likes to call them TR's.

BTW, I'm still just a co-pilot, so I still have Aircraft Commander, and Flight Lead upgrades to complete before I'm even considered for IP school.

 

[Ian_J]

Traditional Reservist. In the Guard we just called them "weekenders" but the AFRC side likes to call them TR's.

BTW, I'm still just a co-pilot, so I still have Aircraft Commander, and Flight Lead upgrades to complete before I'm even considered for IP school.

Ah, gotchya. Here we call them m-days or just part timers.

How long does it usually take you guys to make AC? Here it ranges widely. We made one guy a PC at 400 hours - but he was pretty good. Average is around 600 or so and plenty are 800-900.

 

[elitehelipilot]

Did you find a solution. I am under the impression that our VA benefits require our coursework be done in a school that is part of a college in order to get the 100% comp. and typically that means pairing it with a quarterly/semester based curriculum.

 

[ozziecat35]

The 10k cap could be used, but that won't go far in helos.

 

[elitehelipilot]

Yeah, $10,000 a year won't even get you your private pilot license anymore. You'd be looking at a very long and painful process to earn ratings. You'd run out of benefit time before you run out of money, simply because you'd fly for a month and a half and then be done for the year.

Best bet, find a program with a public community college attached to it. Enroll in the A.A or A.S program for the flight dept. and get unlimited flight funding for your training. You'll finish in 2 years, or less, with all your ratings and an associates degree that most school probably offer a "transfer" version of so you can take it to a 4-year undergrad program.