Chopper training?

Question

I have been considering the undertaking of some sort of flight certification. Im in college and was considering the military afterwards to possibly get training. But, the more I want to fly a plane, I would rather try a helicopter instead. Does it help to know one before trying the other?

Answer 1

Fling-wings and starch wings are absolutely not alike.

Answer 2

What I tell people when they ask me what the difference between flying an airplane and a helicopter is that it is like the difference between driving a car and driving a motorcycle.  Do you need to know how to drive a car before you can drive a motorcycle or vice versa.  I say that because the "rules of the road" for flying either an airplane or a helicopter are basically the same.  How an airplane flies and handles differs from how a helicopter flies and handles.  

I know those who have never flown an airplane and can do wonders with a helicopter, but when I take them for a ride in an airplane then give them the controls, it is like giving a student the controls.  Same thing goes for taking a fixed wing pilot flying with me in a helicopter.  

Decide what you want to fly and go for it.  Later, like I did, if you want to get a rating in another category or class for the fun of it, then by all means go for it.

Answer 3

From what I can remember, if you want to be helicopter pilot in Army Air Corp (British Army). Then they teach you to fly fixed wing first.

Then basic rotary wing (Gazelle), followed by advanced rotary wing (on the Lynx or Apache).

Good luck.

Answer 4

All I can tell you is people I know who have had Fixed wing ratings take about 2 hours MORE to solo a helicopter than those who have no flying experience.

You have to unlearn a few habits.

Mine was watching the Airspeed go to zero coming over the fence on approach

Answer 5

Some people say it helps, but the flying is very different.  If you fly airplanes, there are a few things that you will have easier as a helicopter pilot, but not many.  Navigation is the same, some of the rules are similar, but the flying itself is very different.  It's also a very different career, as helicopters do some very specialized jobs.  I would look into careers in helicopters before you decide.  Also, the FAA gives you some credit for airplane training if you decide to fly rotor wing aircraft.  That means that it takes less hours to get your rotor ratings if you have fixed wing time.

Answer 6

This question can get quite complicated because there are so many different career paths in aviation. Even if you knew your ultimate goal with absolute certainty, there are still many ways to reach that goal. Each possibility has advantages and disadvantages, and no one is better than another. Do a lot of homework first to determine which path is best for YOU.

Civilian vs. Military

I would say that the advantage of the military is that they pay for your training and you always know that the training and experience is top notch. On the other hand, you will be making a commitment to them for several years, and getting a spot in flight school will be highly competitive.

The advantage of civilian training is that you have the flexibility to train on your own schedule, keep your job, and you can probably stay close to home. You won't have to make a commitment to uncle sam, and you won't have to compete with other people for training slots. However, civilian training is highly expensive (you will likely spend more than $60,000 for civilian helicopter training), and the quality varies greatly among the various flight schools. In addition, your first civilian jobs will likely pay poorly while you build experience.

Airplanes vs. Helicopters

Some people just want to fly helicopters, others just airplanes, and some have it as their goal to fly both. The most efficient path to reach your goals will depend on which of those categories you fall into. I think that the US military trains you on fixed-wing first regardless, but I am not positive.

With regard to flying both, your career will most likely favor one or the other, so you might consider taking demo lessons in each one, learning as much as possible from each flight school, and then choosing one. I personally feel that if you want to fly helicopters, then fly helicopters. If you want to fly airplanes, then fly airplanes.

Training in one is not dependent upon another. However, your experience in one type of aircraft will help you fulfill some requirements when training in another. So the second rating you get will have lower minimums than the first (but it doesn't mean you will finish in the minimums).

If you intend to fly both, starting in helicopters will be easier from a skill standpoint. That is, transitioning from helicopters to airplanes is easier than airplanes to helicopters. However, they really fly very differently from one another. From a knowledge standpoint, it does not matter which one you do first because regulations, weather, navigation, etc. will be taught by both and the second one will require less ground study than the first.

On Civilian Training Costs and Flying Both

People often make the argument that you should fly airplanes first to save money, even though your goal may be to just fly helicopters. They assume this to be true rather than actually tallying the costs to see if it holds true. They are basing this on the assumption that you will finish your helicopter add-ons in the minimum time. This is unlikely. Also, they often forget that a commercial helicopter license only requires 150, not the 250 hours required in airplanes. In my opinion, if you really want to fly helicopters, then start with helicopters.

Please investigate each option very thoroughly. No one on Answers can tell you everything you need to know, and every pilot out there has a unique perspective. Talk to many pilots, both civilian and military, talk to recruiters, visit flight schools, join online aviation forums, and do whatever else it takes to get the information you need from multiple sources. Prove to yourself that the path you have selected is the best one before you start.

Good luck!