Approximately what cost am I looking at to get a corporate Helicopter License?

Question

I wan't to get my Corporate Helicopter Pilot's license. I know the cost will vary depending on school bu approximately what am I looking at?

Answer 1

Its not cheap. To fly a helicopter for pay for almost any company, you must have a Commercial Rotary Pilot's Certificate with an instrument rating. Most companies also want you to have a minimum of 1,000 hrs of time that usually includes some turbine time. That almost always requires that you also get your Instructor rating that will allow you to build up time.

Helicopter ratings are expensive. Silver State that just went out of business was charging their students around $70,000. You could probably find it somewhat less expensive but plan on at least $45,000.

I know there are some helicopter pilots on here who can probably give you a whole lot more info.

Answer 2

You should plan to spend between $50K and $70K to complete civilian training and start your career as a professional helicopter pilot. Paying for civilian training is usually the hardest part. Don't forget to consider the military as well if you think it might be for you.

You need a minimum of 150 hours flight time to earn your commercial pilot certificate in the US. Many students can finish their private, commercial, and instrument ratings in that time. A local flight school in my area charges $275 per hour. If we say that is the average rate:

$275 x 150 = $41,250

That is just for the flight time. Your medical exam, written tests, examiner fees, books, supplies, ground instruction, etc. will be extra.

With a commercial certificate and 150 hours, few, if any, employers will hire you due to your lack of experience. Most people therefore get a flight instructor certificate as well. Instructing will usually be your first job until you have about 1000 hours of flight time. Therefore, you may need another 20-30 hours at least, plus related expenses, to finish instructor training. You may also have to get additional hours to meet a flight school's insurance requirements for your first job. These additional costs will get you into that $50K-$70K range.

Once you instruct for a while, until you have about 1000 hours, you can then move on to flying offshore in the Gulf of Mexico or doing tours in Alaska or the Grand Canyon. These jobs will give you the opportunity to gain experience in larger aircraft.

I wasn't sure if you specifically wanted to be a pilot for corporations or not. There isn't a special license for that, but meeting the minimum experience requirements for those jobs will take several years and at least 2000-3000 hours beyond your initial training and certification.

To find a helicopter school near you, you can refer to this website. Do your homework on any school before you start, and never pay in full up front for your training.

http://www.verticalreference.com/helicop...

Vertical Reference is also a great site for the helicopter industry in general, and the forum in particular is a good resource for many of your questions.

For Further Information:

http://www.verticalreference.com/

http://www.justhelicopters.com/home/defa...

Aviation is an awesome and rewarding career, but you can get burned if just dive in head first. Talk to pilots, research schools, get information from several different sources, learn about the military option, figure the costs, and go into it fully prepared and knowledgeable about every possible path towards your goals. Don't start until you can prove to yourself that the path you have selected is the right one.

Good luck, and have fun!

Answer 3

No such animal as a corporate anything as far as the FAA is concerned. You could get  a comercial helicopter certificate though. Army taught me but I'd bet you'd be looking at about seventy grand. More for the instrument rating.

Answer 4

You can't get a 'License'.  It's a 'Certificate'.  I have one for Fixed Wing.  Mine (For Single Engine Land) ran about $6K. An Instrument rating would run another $5K to $6K.  I think rotary wing aircraft rent for about twice what fixed wing do, so you might estimate another $6K or so for each rating.

You can check out the AOPA website for further info. It's:

http://www.aopa.org

Or, if you have a small airport nearby, go and talk to a flight instructor there.  They are sometimes your best source of information.  My CFI was a Helicopter pilot as a career before becoming a CFI.

Good luck...