Private Pilot Helicopter Training

So you want to learn how to fly? We've got the answers to your questions about what it takes!

Pilot Certification in the United States is governed by the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA. The FAA has set certain minimum experience requirements for you to earn a pilot's license, among them:

• 40 total hours of flight time, including, at least:
  • 20 hours of flight time with a Certified Flight Instructor, or "CFI" ("dual" flight time)
  • 10 hours of flight time as the sole occupant of the helicopter ("solo" flight time)
  • 3 hours of "Cross-Country" training, or learning to navigate between airports at least 25 miles away from your home airport
  • 3 hours of training at night
• Pass a multiple-choice written examination (typically administered by computer) on material related to that required of a Private Pilot
• Pass a "flight test" and oral examination by a designated pilot examiner which examines your ability to perform specific maneuvers and understanding of subject area related to being a pilot
• Be at least 17 years of age (though you may "solo" at 16 years old and begin training at any time)
• Be able to read, speak, and understand the English Language
• Pass a Routine Medical Examination by an Aviation Medical Examiner (3rd Class Medical Certificate)

Specifically, your training must include maneuvers outlined in what are called the Practical Test Standards, which includes maneuvers such as normal take-offs and landings, hovering, cross-wind operations, slope landings, ground reference maneuvers, navigation, and so forth.

If you have already earned a license in another type of aircraft (airplanes, for instance), you can earn your helicopter rating (add-on) with fewer required hours. Due North Aviation has worked with many pilots who are transitioning from other types of aircraft and knows how to build on your skills as an aviator to make you a safe helicopter pilot.

Do people typically earn their license with only the minimum required time?

A lot of factors play in to the total amount of flight time that a student will require before being competent to be recommended for the flight exam. Typically, the national average for Private Pilots is between 55 and 65 hours of total flight time. However, students who fly often, study diligently, and make training an important focus of their lives have a better chance of completing their training more quickly and with less overall cost. In our experience, we expect that an investment of about $13,500 will earn most prospective pilots their Private Pilot Certificate.