Chinook, Bighorn, Kootenay Valley Helicopters?

[Daz]

My goal is to attend training (hopefully) this fall. If I have a long-term career goal, it would be to fly in the mountains (I'd love to be a driver for a heli-ski operation, as I've been working in the ski hill/avalanche business for a number of years now).

 

Bighorn, Chinook and KVH are three schools that have stuck out the most in my research. Some questions for those of you that completed training at one of these schools:

 

-What made you choose that particular school?

 

-What part of the training there *really* stood out and helped you with your flying career?

 

-Is there anything you would change about your training?

 

 

Now, a general inquiry... if you were hiring a 100-hour-wonder, and he displayed common sense, maturity, decision making skills and a great attitude, would one of these (or any) schools be a deciding factor for you?

 

In short, how are these schools respected within the industry?

 

 

So far, this is what I've come up with:

 

Bighorn Helicopters

PROS

-Relatives in Calgary where I could stay

-Seem to have a decent reputation

-Lots of practise around a busy airport

-Very similar syllabus to Chinook

-Plan to visit them in a couple weeks

CONS

-Might not see much time in the mountains

-R22 might be a bit of a reach for my shortass legs (need back cushion!)

 

Chinook Helicopters

PROS

-Seems to have good reputation

-Lots of practise around busy airport AND mountains

 

CONS

-Cost of living a bit higher

-9-hour drive to visit school

 

 

 

KVH

PROS

-Seems to have good reputation

-Lots of operational training in mountains, longlining, emergencies, etc (I've read all of Cole's posts and responses)

-Small class size, excellent student:instructor ratio

-Hope to meet Wendell as soon as our schedules line up (next week or so)

 

CONS

- Quiet airspace (is this really a con, though?)

 

 

There's also that whole Bell 47 vs R22 vs Schweizer 300 debate, but that actually plays less into my decision making. I figure that a 100 hour pilot is a 100 hour pilot no matter which machine I train in, and that a good rapport between instructor and student is probably more important. Or am I wrong about this?

 

FWIW, I will likely go for 10 or 20 of my 100 hours in a 206 and/or R44.

 

Look forward to any and all thoughts! Feel free to PM, email or whichever you choose...

 

Cheers!

 

Darren Burt

Invermere, BC

[__________]

I have herd negative things about chinook and bighorn from some close friends who trainned but again i think your experience will depend on how big the classes are and who your instructor is. i personally would stick to a school with small class sizes and one instructor the training will be better because the instructor will know your ability better, weaknesses and strengths so the trainning is more personalized. I know when i trained (7 yrears ago) that i was only charged for airtime. which makes a huge difference. some schools charge you from when you start the machine with the instructor thats $450 and hour and your wasting about 5-10 min at least every flight which adds up to big bucks. Now i think that most operators don't care which school you trainned with your all the same and you know nothing with only 100 hrs. And flying in the mountains is not a big deal because most of the exercises don't require mountian flying so you won't be in them anyway. it is good though to do a little flying towards the end of trainning in the mountains. The big schools have a good sales pitch so don't get sucked in and when they tell you all there students are in the industry working ask them if all there students are actually flying. becasuse it would be interesting to now the actual percentage of how many people finishing the course ever end up flying for a career. i know the numbers are low. And if you head out to vancouver check out Kieth Mc millan, hes working for PRO IFR now. i trained with him before he sold his school. Great guy easy to get a long with and awsome instructor although they fly the r22 now i preffer the bell 47 great helicopter to learn on.

[Cole]

PM in the works.

[Phil Croucher]

Negative things about bighorn? Both Paul & Richard are excellent instructors and they are only 20 minutes in a 22 away from the mountains.

 

All of those schools are well thought of, but you might also want to check out Rob Wood at Premier in Pitt Meadows, who flies a 47 or two.

 

Phil

[__________]

Negative things about bighorn? Both Paul & Richard are excellent instructors and they are only 20 minutes in a 22 away from the mountains.

 

All of those schools are well thought of, but you might also want to check out Rob Wood at Premier in Pitt Meadows, who flies a 47 or two.

 

Phil

 

 

I'll clarify the only negative things where with both schools that there where so many students at the time of training it was hard to book the heliocpter. which i know with the smaller schools you should be able to finish quicker which will save money in the end. school i went to max of 7 students 1 instructor and 2 bell 47's could fly almost any time we wanted to it was great. but i think it comes down to the individuals learning and how well they get along and can learn from there instructor. one friend at chinook wasn't learning so quick which was costing him money soon as he switched instructors he did fine and was much happier.

[skullcap]

I have herd negative things about chinook and bighorn from some close friends who trainned but again i think your experience will depend on how big the classes are and who your instructor is. i personally would stick to a school with small class sizes and one instructor the training will be better because the instructor will know your ability better, weaknesses and strengths so the trainning is more personalized. I know when i trained (7 yrears ago) that i was only charged for airtime. which makes a huge difference. some schools charge you from when you start the machine with the instructor thats $450 and hour and your wasting about 5-10 min at least every flight which adds up to big bucks. Now i think that most operators don't care which school you trainned with your all the same and you know nothing with only 100 hrs. And flying in the mountains is not a big deal because most of the exercises don't require mountian flying so you won't be in them anyway. it is good though to do a little flying towards the end of trainning in the mountains. The big schools have a good sales pitch so don't get sucked in and when they tell you all there students are in the industry working ask them if all there students are actually flying. becasuse it would be interesting to now the actual percentage of how many people finishing the course ever end up flying for a career. i know the numbers are low. And if you head out to vancouver check out Kieth Mc millan, hes working for PRO IFR now. i trained with him before he sold his school. Great guy easy to get a long with and awsome instructor although they fly the r22 now i preffer the bell 47 great helicopter to learn on.

 

 

Hmmm, interesting from some one who was upset about guys slagging a place you worked....now who's doing the slaggin? Do we really want to go there? How bout putting in the positive attributes of a place, two bit "my friend" crap is extremely uncalled for.

 

As far as mountain flying, any school that gets into the mountains has more tools which the pilot learning has on his side. Mountain flying teaches so much of winds that cannot be explained in classrooms that is worth tenfold more than the type you are training in IMHO. The type you train in is nothing(well except maybe not a brantly) compared to the attitude of company and attitude of pilot learning.

[sirlandsalot]

I have herd negative things about chinook and bighorn from some close friends who trainned but again i think your experience will depend on how big the classes are and who your instructor is. i personally would stick to a school with small class sizes and one instructor the training will be better because the instructor will know your ability better, weaknesses and strengths so the trainning is more personalized. I know when i trained (7 yrears ago) that i was only charged for airtime. which makes a huge difference. some schools charge you from when you start the machine with the instructor thats $450 and hour and your wasting about 5-10 min at least every flight which adds up to big bucks. Now i think that most operators don't care which school you trainned with your all the same and you know nothing with only 100 hrs. And flying in the mountains is not a big deal because most of the exercises don't require mountian flying so you won't be in them anyway. it is good though to do a little flying towards the end of trainning in the mountains. The big schools have a good sales pitch so don't get sucked in and when they tell you all there students are in the industry working ask them if all there students are actually flying. becasuse it would be interesting to now the actual percentage of how many people finishing the course ever end up flying for a career. i know the numbers are low. And if you head out to vancouver check out Kieth Mc millan, hes working for PRO IFR now. i trained with him before he sold his school. Great guy easy to get a long with and awsome instructor although they fly the r22 now i preffer the bell 47 great helicopter to learn on.

 

 

 

 

Well...Actually bighorn is an excellent school that DOES hire there students. I am talking from first hand experience, not rumors. If you work hard, don't whine, do what you are told, you will get a job. I am one of many that was hired, and I have several friends that where hired aswell. As far as helicopter availability? well, I finished my training in 4 months at bighorn, in a class of twelve, can't say there where any availability problems there! And the class of twelve, well made lots of good friends, we all shared the experience of training and helped each other through the good and the bad, I wouldn't have it any other way. With'in two years of grad, I had almost 1000 hrs!, yes the industry is hot, however my sucsess is largley due to the support I recieved from bighorn after I gave them my money and graduated! Now these are the FACTS about bighorn....thanx bighorn for everything!!!!!!

[T-rex]

They're all great schools. Calgary base is only about 10 minutes from some very techical mountian training grounds. Yes, Bighorn hires from their students, first the R22/44 thing, I just hired one of their former students (800 hrs) and have him one one of our B2 Astars!!!

[Cole]

I have also heard the 47 best translates to the 206 of the three machines. That being said, it wasnt a hard jump from the 300 to the 206.

 

Ill see if i can get the other student to send you a pm, mabey even one of the green guys.

 

Cheers.

Cole

[__________]

Alright, alright, you guys are absolutly right i should have not posted negative comments or at least somthing positve as well. didn't think they where that negative. i just wanted to say the smaller schools are just as good so look around don't take what you read on here to seriously some good advice anyone looking at schools needs to look around for what suits them. and agian chinook does have great instructors my brother did some training with KO great guy interesting character. and herd nothing but good things about Andy.