Helicopter pilot training in Chicago Area.?

Question

I am a beginners when it comes to this. In order to fly a chopper and take friends and family, what kind of license do I need to have first of? What places offer helicopter training in Chicago area? I have found alot of flight schools but I have not found a school thats offering helicopter training.

Can anyone suggest what I can do? I called up these small aviation companies and they have been of no help. Thanks for your help in advance.

Answer 1

You'll need a private pilot helicopter certificate.  There aren't many flight schools offering that, and it's much more expensive than learning to fly an airplane.  Helicopters have a much higher operating cost.

Here's a few schools around Chicago:

http://www.aandmaviation.com/ in Bolingbrook

http://sunaerohelicopters.com/ in Lansing

I'd expect it to cost between $15,000 and $20,000 before you can take any passengers up with you.  Good luck!

Answer 2

Here are a couple more in Illinois:

http://www.flywithcia.com/

http://www.rotorsandwings.us/

Here are additional flight school listings:

http://www.sacusa.com/1directory/states....

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.

Requirements for a Private Pilot Certificate:

You will undergo flight and ground training, a flight physical, a written test, and a practical test. A private helicopter license takes 40 hours minimum flight time, but most people go beyond the minimum. The average person might finish in about 60 hours.

Duration:

How long it will take depends on how frequently you fly. Some people finish their training in as little as a month or two. I have also seen others take several years just to get their private.

How often you fly will depend on three things: your schedule, the flight school's schedule, and the availability of funds. Any one of those may cause you to get stuck, and to take longer. Do some research, and plan ahead carefully to minimize delays created by any of these.

Costs:

Flight time is the bulk of the expense. If your average instruction rate is $275/hr., then 60 hours will cost $16,500. Your books, supplies, written test, examiner fee, etc. will be in addition to that. These things might add $500-$1000 for a private pilot. You can use the rates in your area to calculate a more accurate amount.

Choosing a Flight School:

There is no one best school out there. There are many good ones, and there are some bad ones. It will be up to you to find out if the school is good or bad, and you should do A LOT of homework before starting. You should not pay everything up front for your entire training, and you should insure that there will be enough aircraft and instructor availability to suit your needs. Reliable maintenance is also important to prevent delays, and of course to maintain safety. Finally, you should meet with the instructor you will be flying with and make sure you are comfortable with them. Find an instructor that you like and trust.

On Training Aircraft:

The two main civilian training aircraft are the Robinson 22 and the Schweizer 300. Investigate the differences between the two, as there are pros and cons to each. Some people prefer one or the other. I personally prefer the Schweizer.

For Further Information:

http://www.verticalreference.com/

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

Good luck, and have fun!