Student Loans

[412driver]

"I would also ask the school you want if they do full auto-rotations right to the ground."

 

they darn well better...it's required.........

 

i'm wondering why you mention that Ryan, have you heard of schools that don't do full-on auto's????

[100ft]

".....there are the odd schools out there that don't teach them all the way, and just do power recoveries."

 

I guess that meant "yes".

[downwash]

I'd be the last one to say that it doesn't matter if the school you choose does touchdown autos or not. However, at the time I trained in the military they didn't do touchdowns, only power recoveries, and they graduated lots of students who were, or became, very good helicopter pilots. Years later, when I was instructing, they did do touchdowns and, I believe, turned out a pilot much better prepared to deal with a real engine failure, or other emergency necessitating an auto.

 

All of this is just intended to say that, while training to touchdown is unquestionably highly desireable, it is NOT essential. Training to a good standard of hovering auto, followed by good training to power recovery, CAN give the student the ability to put the machine down safely in an emergency or at least reach the 'low and slow, state most likely to avoid serious injury. No, it's not the best, but it certainly can be workable.

[Ryan]

Yeah 412D, I have heard stories of trainers who don't do them right to the ground. Of course no names were mentioned. There was an article in Helicopters a while back that talked about this. Even mentioned one school busted by TC for not allowing their students to do real solos. They put the intructors in the heli as silent observers, and recorded the flight as a solo for the student. Imagine getting your commercial license and never having had a real solo!!

Scary.

[Hueylover]

The way i understand it, TC can ask and you would need to demonstrate the ability to do a FULL ON autorotation on your flight test.

 

I have heard of schools not doing them as well. I was told at one school that the "other" school does not do full ons then found out that the other school does in fact DO full ons. Rather blatant lying I thought. :down:

 

How about hearing from the instructors out there? What is the procedure at your school? Comments anyone?

[412driver]

"The way i understand it, TC can ask and you would need to demonstrate the ability to do a FULL ON autorotation on your flight test."

 

well yes and no, TC can ask but......

 

yes, we DO full on auto's but NO we wouldn't like a TC examiner, who flies a couple hours a month to do them. the last few flight tests the TC examiner asked the student what he wanted, full ons or power recovery. if TC wanted to pay for an hour or two to get current? well that would be different.

 

that being said here's my take. i tell the students, all full ons at the airport and away from the airport will be power recovery. that way there is no mistake when i give a forced approach away from the airport.

 

by the time our students go solo they have alot of full ons under their belt........

[Guest sharky]

Being still a green instructor, as well as pilot, I do exercise 7, get them prepped on entry/overshoot procedures. Then the bossman takes the students to the bottom. Full ons with the 22 and 206 depending on the winds. Around 10 kts for the 206, and well, nearer to 20kts for the robbie. Any less wind is power recovery.

[Heli Belly]

Action Jackson, don't know where you are with a student loan but you should consider a few other variables before going down this path. When you talk to the different schools and the instructors tell you there is work out there, and there is but it is very difficult to find. There are so many heli-flight schools across Canada putting out 100 hour pilots and the insurance companies aren't allowing many of them to fly. You will spend around $50,000 to be ground crew for about 3 years (if you can even find that) and then MAYBE you will fly. The schools don't give you the answers you need to hear, call some CFI's and they will tell you the truth. Just a thought.

[sweetlilsky]

At a certain point in time, if you still don't earn a above a certain amount (can't remember the exact numbers) you can have the amount owing on a government student loan reduced by half or I believe 10 000$. You should look into that.

[duf]

Scratch Laurentian Bank off the Aviation Loans List... They dropped the programme... I applied onlne and a rep called me to say so...