Private Pilot
The Private Pilot license is usually the first certificate and it is the foundation of a pilot’s training. It is also the first step on the path to becoming a professional pilot. The student must demonstrate through written, oral and flight examination that they have acquired the aeronautical skills and experience necessary to meet the requirements of the Private Pilot Certificate. Regulations require that you have 40 hours of flight time for this certificate but very few people get the certificate in 40 hours. Usually it takes somewhere between 50-60 hours but it really depends on the individual.
Instrument Rating
While this rating is not required during your initial training, you will need it later in your career if you fly certain commercial operations such as offshore or Medevac. This is where our “Fly It”simulator can really save you some money. We spend the first part of your instrument training learning the techniques of flying instruments in the simulator thereby saving you quite a bit of money as compared to learning these valuable lessons in the aircraft. After you have mastered the techniques it is a simple transition over to the aircraft where we utilize the R44 Raven II for the completion of this rating.
Commercial Pilot
This is the license you will need if your goal is to make a career flying helicopters. The FAA requires a minimum of 150 hours ( you will already have at least 40 from your Private flight training). Approximately 20 of these hours will be with an instructor. You can also use 20 hours of that simulator time you earned during your Instrument Flight training.
Certified Flight Instructor
Here is where you go to build those hours you will need to get a job flying helicopters. Most students will go on to get their CFI because that will usually be your first job. There really isn’t an hourly limit to earning this certificate it really comes down to how easy you pickup teaching.
Certified Flight Instructor in Instruments
This is the final stage of your training if you decide to go this far. To ensure that you are employable at a flight school this certificate will help you. When a school is looking for a flight instructor it just makes sense to hire a CFII instead of a CFI because that instructor can teach both VFR (Visual Flight Rules) and IFR ( Instrument Flight Rules) where as a CFI is limited to VFR only. It is not a requirement for your training but it will definitely make things easier later on in your career.
Our knowledgeable staff of teaching pilots utilize proven methods that have given HSI a 98% success rate. We are confident that you will be able to learn all of the project criteria and be on your way to becoming a Professional Helicopter Pilot! We also provide training for the additional ratings such as Turbine Transitions and ATP if you desire. Just give us a call and we will be happy to discuss the many avenues of training.