Canada Ifr

[LL slave]

I was wondering about IFR helicopter flying in Canada, I've been flying mostly aerial work for a few years and am thinking of a change. Could use some advice on how to break in to this type of R/W flying and also some good places to train. The only place I know of is "Pro IFR" Boundry Bay, there must be others. Any comments from the people in the know would be greatly appreciated. My first visit to this fourm spent hrs reading here I'll be a regular for sure.

[Ryan]

From what I hear Pro IFR is a really great place to get your IFR rating. I guess they do some of the time in a Cessna so the cost gets cut down some. For what it's worth the school I'm attending does IFR ratings too. I'll PM you the goods on it. Good luck and welcome aboard! :up:

[GoldMember]

LL slave,

 

Check out Heli-College in Langley, I believe Lyle Watts is still in charge there.

[cap]

L L Slave -------what part of Canada would you like to train if you could find a good school and/or what part do you live?

[412driver]

john montgomery ar PRO IFR has an excellent set-up for IFR. :up:

[LL slave]

I mostly live at work, AB. BC. but other times in Ont. would be interested in any schools in Canada maybe the east coast there's lots of IFR stuff out there surely there must be a training outfit . If any of you guys are into this stuff some stories about how you got your start and what you think the best route to take would be great, I dont know anyone who does R/W IFR.

Cheers

[sharkbait]

IFR in Canada- you are either talking Helijet, Cougar, CHC Global or Canadian. Call them and ask whom they may recommend.

They have to train and PPC folks on 212 or 76 from basic IFR so would be able to give some good direction.

cheers

Sharkbait

PM with your phone number if you want further - I will call if in I am in Canada. Least I can do to help low timers- lot of guys helped me.

[Bladestrike]

Pick up a primer, like Culhane's Instrument Rating Groundschool. Know the IFR section of the A.I.P.. Learn all you can prior to forking over the cash, it'll give you a good headstart on regs and procedures and you can concentrate on the flying skills. Of course until you're taking the course some of it may not come together, but it'll help you get the most from your hard-earned money.

 

Pick up a Computer Procedures Trainer, either a pro one or Microsoft's Flight Sim, and spend a ton of time doing approaches and what-not on the King-Air (closest I think to the panels you'll actually be flying) with the flaps and gear down to keep your speed helo-like.

 

Concentrate on precision while flying VFR. Pick a rate of climb and stick to it like glue, same goes for rates of turn, holding altitudes, headings. Try to maintain an airspeed and climb and decend with your collective instead of cyclic. IFR guys typically fly with the same precision whether they are IFR or VFR, and shaking a decade of bush flying technique (at least mine) was difficult. Better to start the habit now.

 

I found all the regs and things to know a little daunting at first, but once you start to apply things on a regular basis it gets to be second nature, and you'll probally find (over time) the IFR much easier and more relaxing than VFR.

 

Once you get the ticket, I doubt CHC Global (International's new moniker) will pick you up until you've got some actual under your belt. EMS in Ontario is good for giving guys a start but be careful which base you get as some don't fly that much and it'll take you forever to get any real time, and Ontario isn't really known for it's IFR weather. The Halifax EMS op gets tons of actual and is busy. You'd be hard pressed to do better than Helijet as you get tons of actual in a heavy traffic enviroment flying with very experienced Captains, and you'll log alot of twin time rather quickly.

 

Best of luck to you

[Phil Croucher]

Culhane? <spit>

 

Try Canadian Professional Pilot Studies, in most flight shops

 

cheers

 

 

Phil

[Bladestrike]

I believe Culhane was the only helicopter orientated IFR book available when I did mine in the eighties, I'm sure there's better out there now.

 

I don't recall the exact numbers or if things have changed. but of the 40 hours IFR required for the ride/ticket, I believe you can do half on a certified sim, and you only need to do 5 in your group (helo). I did 20 hours on a King Air sim in Montreal, 15 hours under the hood in a Cessna 152, and I didn't even have a fixed wing licence, and only 5 on a helo prior to my ride (typically another hour or so), so you can save alot of cash as opposed to doing the whole deal in an eggbeater.