Recreational Fixed-wing - Worth It?

[Swissmatt]

Another question for the pros .. I heard it might be beneficial for my helicopter training to already have a fixed-wing recreational licence .. now before you get all revved up .. NOT for job applications .. but merely for the sake of being a few steps ahead in training .. e.g. Radio Operations, Navigation and the feeling of 'flying' a vehicle by one-self ..

 

Is it worth the 4.5 grand to get 25h of flight time and ground schooling OR should those be banked towards 9h of R22 time?

[Ryan]

If you're gonna get a FW licence dont bother with a Rec... get a Private licence. Do you really wanna be let loose in a C152 with maybe 25-30 hours total airplane time? I wouldn't.

[volition]

Totally agree with Ryan!!

[pc12dude]

Never did think the REC-licence thing was a good idea.

Kinda like 1/2 a licence.

[Cole]

Rec permit seems to me like the ticket peolpe get when the only medical they can pass is a cat 4. IMHO

 

One thing you might considder is just buying all your books and being incredibally firmilliar with all of the opperations (I.E. reading them all cover to cover, possibly several times over) for helicopter school. Radio is really very simple when you boil it down... Everything besides cockpit management/motorskills can be learned from the various books, knowing most of the ground school course inside and out befor you start is something I see being really benefitial.

 

Plus... 25 hours really doesnt seem to be enough to do anything... looking at my log book we were still going over some very basic stuff at that point.

 

I belive the x-country portion for a rec wouldnt be sufficient enough for you to really learn anythin either. Plus the priviledges one earns for all that hard earned money are very limited, no possibiliy of any endorsements, Day VFR only, all that good stuff.

 

I do remember someone going through our PPL course here for 9000... just a thought, twice the monery but alot more information.

 

Cheers!

Cole :groove:

[Yukonner]

Totally agree with the other guys........rec F/W is pretty much useless.....sure you might get the basic nav,met,knowledge...but its not as in depth as a PPL. Also, if you ever want to fly a F/W in the future with friends as a hobby....your Rec limits you to one passenger and you cant add on any type ratings or other endorsements....If your gonna do any F/W training....scrap the Rec and do the PPL, its much more worth it. I did the same sort of thing....right now I have Fixed PPL, night, and float ratings and plan to do my commercial rotary this next spring. Good- luck

 

Cheers!