Basic Questions about CPL training in school

[trytrytry]

Want to confirm whats the accepted norm and what the student can ask the school to provide and decide accordingly.

1. Do you get only 1 instructor or many instructors ?

More importantly can you press the school to commit to 1 instructor only from the start till the end.If not shop around and choose the school that can  do so.

2. To keep prices low you train on R22 but how you can work in other helicopters after getting CPL.

Do employers allow that or you need to go back to school and get r44 and r66 ratings again ?

3. Is it worth it to get R66 or R44 ratings by doing 5-10 hrs mix along with major hours in R22 ( all within 100 hrs of your initial CPL) ?

4. How the schools take the fees ? Is it like alll of the 50-60K at the start or you pay only when you fly etc ? Trying to figure how the the payment schedule for fees are done by most schools.

Thanks a lot in advance for your time and consideration.

[Wizard]

If you can do your whole CPL on the 22, keep costs down and go from there. 

Once your done training your first job will be the biggest priority. If that company trains low time guys on their aircraft then it would be pointless to have spent more on endorsements if you don't need them. Each company could vary. 

If a rating will be required then you can decide at the time. I did the 44 rating in school and never flew it beyond the rating. I have friends who did only the 22 in school and have never been held back because they didn't have a 44 or 206 rating. 

 

Hope that helps a bit.

[pilot83]

12 hours ago, trytrytry said:

Want to confirm whats the accepted norm and what the student can ask the school to provide and decide accordingly.

1. Do you get only 1 instructor or many instructors ?

More importantly can you press the school to commit to 1 instructor only from the start till the end.If not shop around and choose the school that can  do so.

2. To keep prices low you train on R22 but how you can work in other helicopters after getting CPL.

Do employers allow that or you need to go back to school and get r44 and r66 ratings again ?

3. Is it worth it to get R66 or R44 ratings by doing 5-10 hrs mix along with major hours in R22 ( all within 100 hrs of your initial CPL) ?

4. How the schools take the fees ? Is it like alll of the 50-60K at the start or you pay only when you fly etc ? Trying to figure how the the payment schedule for fees are done by most schools.

Thanks a lot in advance for your time and consideration.

The fun things they don’t tell you in flight school are as follows;

1. Don’t expect to fly as soon as you are done school

2. You better know how to sweep a floor and clean toilets cuz those will be your first tasks.

3. Expect to be paid sh@t and work long, long hours cuz operators never take advantage of low time pilots. (They like to chalk it up to “show some incentive if you wanna fly my machine” )

4. Make sure your instructor no matter how many you have has at least worked in the industry, not like some schools who would rather have more likes on YouTube than actually teach.  Industry knowledge is very important.   It’s easy to get a loan from a relative and buy a machine then buy a school.  It’s the truly  passionate people in this industry who have mopped the floors and cleaned the toilets a thousand times. 

5. When your out of school and working keep studying learn FMs and hang around engineers. They are good to talk to.

6. Listen to other pilots and engineers, some like to hear themselves talk and some will take the time to really talk to you and pass on some of their mistakes so you hopefully won’t make the same as them.

Im sure someone will chime in about something I’ve said but these are my pointers.

[trytrytry]

How the schools take the fees ? Is it like alll of the 50-60K at the start or you pay only when you fly etc ? Trying to figure how the the payment schedule for fees are done by most schools.

[shakey]

Like pilot 83 said. Also its the pilots that will say yay or nay to putting the duals in for a ferry flight. Ive gone out of my way to help out a young pilot that helps make my life easier. Unfortunately it seems they are getting fewer and fewer and think they are owed a free ride. Don't be that low timer.

[shakey]

3 minutes ago, trytrytry said:

How the schools take the fees ? Is it like alll of the 50-60K at the start or you pay only when you fly etc ? Trying to figure how the the payment schedule for fees are done by most schools.

Don't give anyone the full amount. Pay as you go. If they don't like that move on.

[pilot83]

37 minutes ago, shakey said:

Don't give anyone the full amount. Pay as you go. If they don't like that move on.

I agree with Shakey pay as you go that way for whatever reason you don’t wanna continue you don’t need to try and chase down the remaining money.  Yup also agree on the duals topic as well.