How To Find Helicopter Flying Lessons

Need to know how to find helicopter flying lessons? Where should you begin when learning more about flying lessons in this type of aircraft? Helicopter flying lessons can be lots of fun, but there's some homework to do before embarking on your adventure. Find out more about getting helicopter flying lessons here.

1. Find a helicopter training facility. Some companies don't advertise, so you may have to do some searching online. You can also find out who offers helicopter flying lessons by calling charter aircraft companies or contacting airplane schools.
2. Visit a facility or school that offers helicopter flying lessons. Once you've gathered contacts, call the school or facility that offers helicopter flight training and make an appointment with the owner or president. Let them know you know you want to learn more about helicopter flying lessons, the school or training program and why you may want to take lessons with them.
3. Ask the owner or president of the helicopter school many questions. When you look over the facility and interact with the president or owner of the school where you hope to take helicopter flying lessons, get the following information: fee rates involved; sheets broken down into dual instruction, solo and rental rates; whether they have insurance coverage for students and renters; deductibles a student may be responsible for in insurance coverage; what instructors are available; experience and background of instructors; what helicopters the company has and what type you would have flying lessons in; maintenance schedule of helicopters by in-house mechanics or external mechanics; whether the hours meet FAA minimum standards for flight rating; and whether you put money down in advance. Get reference contacts of recent graduates and currently enrolled students and call them. Verify that the school is FAA Part 141 approved or has a syllabus you can get a copy of. Find out what costs are incurred in the way of materials (textbooks, plotters, extras, etc.) and ask what you must provide (helicopter headsets, equipment, etc.). Finally, find out the pass/fail ratio of the school where you plan to take helicopter flying lessons.
4. Tour the facility of the company or school offering helicopter flying lessons. As you tour the helicopter school, does the facility seem organized? Notice the number of helicopters; are there multiple helicopters? If only one helicopter is available schedules may be compromised if the helicopter must remain grounded. A backup helicopter at the least is a good idea!
   
5. Request a talk with a couple of the instructors at the school. When you get in touch with the instructors, quiz them some. Find out how the management is to work for. Do they enjoy their jobs? Is the maintenance of the helicopters good? Keep in mind the consistency of the instructor's answers verses the owner's or president's. Does the instructor of the school you may take flying lessons from answer your questions in line with what you heard from the owner or president? If a large discrepancy exists between what management and pilots say, that could be a red flag. Compare answers.
   
6. Be sure to thank everyone for their time, and that you leave with reading material about helicopter flying lessons. Does the material have the process each school has in helicopter training? It's always good to see procedures in writing.
7. Finally, compare the helicopter training programs you visited with each other. It's important to realize an FAA Part 141 approved school will be a better option than a non-141 school as a general guideline. Again, be sure the flight school has a syllabus if it's not FAA Part 141 approved. Compare insurance coverage plans, facilities, staff, condition of helicopters, flight records, ratings and overall quality of the school or training facility. These are crucial steps when learning how to get helicopter flying lessons.