Best Training.

[Popaloops]

I am very intested in getting my commercial helicopter license. I have been reading this forum, I swear, for days now. My eyes have became glued to all these great threads posted by all members.

 

I apologize if it has been covered.

 

WHile doing training, would it be a great idea to take any advanced training, like mountain course or anything else?

 

As well as, I hear Great Slave Heli hires some of their student upon completiong, only a select few of course. My question is, is there anywhere like that here in BC? If not, any of schools that do alot of student hiring?

 

Thanks.

[Ryan]

I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but I don't think advanced training suits us rookies. First of all, who knows where the **** you'll end up when you do at last get hired. Say you fork out thousands more for a mountain flying course and then find work out of Regina...oops.

If you have the cash for extra training, I would use it for doing circuits and confined area practice after you get your licence. That's all I do when I can get enough pennies saved to get me in the air again. :up:

 

As for the school's who hire their own...can't think of any in BC. Then again I just woke up so the brain ain't quite up to speed yet. Seems to me though that these schools are a dying breed. Looks like there are less and less every year. Only ones that come to my mind right now are Gateway and Canadian out in Ontario.

[Skidz]

Schools I can recall out west who hire their own first (or so I've been told):

 

BC:

Alpen (Langley)

TRK (Langley - just got their operator certificate a couple weeks ago)

Valley (Hope, school in Merritt)

E&B (Campbell River)

 

AB:

None...

 

NWT:

Great Slave (Yellowknife - their school is in Villeneuve, near Edmonton)

 

Most operators have closed their schools for some reason. Dunno if it's due to insurance premiums or TC requirements when you do both.

 

As far as advanced training goes, as Ryan said, you don't know where you'll end up flying. The only exceptions are a turbine endorsement, and as I've recently found out, having a BCFS or AFS approved mountain course is a plus only because the operator hiring you saves about $20k from the get go as he'll never have to shell out for it down the line. The least expensive approved mountain course I found is given by BC Heli in Abbotsford (about 10K on 300CBi).

[Popaloops]

THank you for those list of schools, some I was aware of, some I was not. Neither did I think hired own students, that is helpful to know. I am going to contact some of them and ask a few questions. To anyone out there, out of those 4 schools in BC, are they reputable schools? Which would you recommend? I know people have different opinions, and they are all really helpful to hear. It would be really nice to attend a school that you at least have some opportunity of employment upon completion. It kind of makes my stomach feel a bit better when thinking of that very large debt I will run into.

[Skidz]

I wouldn't count much on that. Choose your school based on the quality of instruction first. Going to a school that hires 1% of their students doesn't mean jack if their training is second rate. Your work ethic when you start banging on doors is what'll get you noticed...

[Popaloops]

I have always been interested in BC Heli. Now I KNOW they do not hire. So when I heard there are some operations that do hire their students, of course I was all ears. Now I totally understand what you are saying as far as the 1% hire rate vs. instruction quality. all you feedback helps. thank you. I guess Ill put that idea down the flusher and pick a more reputable school.

[Nick]

have a look at Chinook too : great team of instructors and if you stay after working hours you'll learn a lot of usefull thing about this little word.

 

But the best thing about Chinook : they're cheap, and you'll need the money for your road trip, and the next road trip, and the next...

 

Forget about additional training, even a turbine qualification will not give you a job. Save the money to see as many operator as you can.

 

and leave BC for ever : I was there first and I'd hate shooting another low timer

[Guest jesse]

Not sure about that Nick, according to Chinook's website they charge $435.00 per hour for the Bell 47 and B.C Helicopters for example is charging $425.00 per hour for the Schweizer 300CBi. Now i dont know about you but why would anyone want to pay an extra 10 per hour which ads up to $1000 at the end of the course to fly an old wood blade helicopter when you could fly a brand new 300. I remember passing the 47's on the way to the practice area's in the fraser valley, with a bit of a head wind they didnt even look like they were moving.

[Helilog56]

Now i dont know about you but why would anyone want to pay an extra 10 per hour which ads up to $1000 at the end of the course to fly an old wood blade helicopter when you could fly a brand new 300. I remember passing the 47's on the way to the practice area's in the fraser valley, with a bit of a head wind they didnt even look like they were moving.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well Jesse, it's simple....different strokes for different folks. Do not sell the 47 short. That "old" a/c requires more more due diligence to handle. There is virtually no correlation between throttle and collective, requires more work for the pilot to manage. As an instructor also, I appreciated no limitations for doing full ons....we do them under zero wind conditions, and zero run on speeds. It is also great for putting it into settling with power also, carb heat must be managed, power availability really changes quickly with d.a., wt and bal configurations are very sensitive, etc, etc. The 300 is a fine a/c, I have instructed on virtually all types.....but I will admit, I will always have a soft spot for that "old" girl......

[Guest jesse]

Well ok even if you do have a soft spot for the 47 you have to admit that cleaning that bubble must become a pain you got alot more surface area there.