Learning to Fly Helicopters - Common QuestionsHow do I schedule lessons? You may schedule lessons anytime. We are open from 8AM to 9PM, 7 days a week, open year round for helicopter lessons. You can learn based on your schedule, days, evenings, weekends - whatever works for you. You can schedule by phone, or using our online schedule once you enroll. How do I start learning to fly helicopters? The first step is to schedule an introductory lesson, also called a "discovery flight". This will include 1 hour with an helicopter instructor, and 30 minutes of flight time in the helicopter for $135. Once the discovery lesson is complete, you can purchase the books and start scheduling lessons with your instructor. What are the steps in learning to fly helicopters? The first part of learning to fly helicopters is what is called the "solo phase". You will acquire the skills necessary to fly the helicopter without your instructor. Once you solo (a huge moment in your flying history), you will then learn to navigate to other airports in the Boston Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire area. Once this is complete, you review the maneuvers necessary to take the checkride. Do I take exams to get my license? There are 2 formal examinations before you become a licensed helicopter pilot. The first is a written exam. The last exam is the practical exam, similar to the test you took for your drivers license. You will go up with an FAA examiner and he will test your flying skills. There are standards you are tested on with the examiner. How much does it cost to learn to fly helicopters? Its cheaper than you think. Lessons are paid based on the flight time - that is the time the engine is running. It costs about $10,000 to $12,000 (based on minimum requirements) at our school, and once you get your license you can rent from our school. The helicopter cost per hour is $270 per hour with instructor, and that is based on the engine running time and includes fuel, oil, and all incidentals. What is required to get my license? You must be 16 years old to solo the helicopter. 17 years old to get your license. You must read, write and speak English. Am I too old to learn to fly? Thats up to you. We have trained people as old as 65. Youre never too old to learn something new. What is "ground school"? This is a classroom style learning experience. To get your license you will need to take a written test. The ground school puts you in a class with other students. This is preferred by most people, and it saves money by eliminating one on one instruction with your flight instructor. How is your school different from other area schools? We differentiate ourselves in many ways. We have individual and classroom helicopter training, where other schools are not setup to handle multiple students in a classroom setting. We are affiliated with the only Robinson Helicopter Overhaul facility in New England. We also have dedicated maintenance personnel available 24/7 to meet our helicopter support needs. We have the most qualified Robinson helicopter mechanic in the area who is also an owner of the school. What is Part 141 certification? Part 141 helicopter flight school certification is a higher standard of helicopter flight school which is regularly evaluated by the FAA. We developed a standardized curriculum which ensures a better training environment for all our students. Our certification was completed within months, where other schools take years to get Part 141 certified. This shows the level of dedication our staff have for our school, which includes all of our students. How long are my lessons? Generally people schedule lessons in 2 hours blocks. This allows enough time to cover the lesson with your instructor before you fly, and get just over an hour flight time. How are my lessons organized? All of your training is based on a syllabus designed by our Chief Instructor. Each lesson is properly explained in the syllabus, and you will always know what you will be doing before your lesson. This is one of the many ways our school differs from many other flight schools. Lots of flight schools will put you in the helicopter and explain as you fly - this can be an expensive way to learn items which would should have been covered before the flight. How do I pay for my lessons? You pay as you go, and we are a flight school dedicated to helping you save money on your helicopter flight training. Each lesson is paid for after the flight. You pay only for the time with the instructor in the helicopter. Many schools charge for pre-flight and post-flight briefings, and this can incur large amounts of money over the course of your training. We do not charge for ground instruction related to your flight. You may put money on account for a small percentage discount, but this is not necessary. How many lessons should I take a week? This is up to you, but generally 2 lessons a week are best. You can do as many as you like - some people have the time to take several lessons a week, and some take the occasional lesson. Spacing lessons too far apart does hinder the learning process for most people, but individual aptitudes vary greatly, so this is best decided after a few lessons. What are the different helicopter licenses? Your first license is the Private Pilot Helicopter license. After that, we can train you on many advanced procedures, including flying by reference to instruments, the Helicopter Instrument Rating, and we can also train you to be a commercial helicopter pilot (flying for hire). Do you fly at night, and in the winter? Absolutely. We fly all year round. The cold winter weather is generally better for performance of the helicopter, but we do train all year round. The Boston Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire climate offers many different flying conditions, which is beneficial to people looking to relocate to do their training. How many instructors are on staff? We have several instructors available at any given time. This ensures a good fit with all our students, and also allows for training continuity. What helicopters do you use? We have the Robinson R-22 and R-44 helicopters. They are the most widely produced helicopters in the world. Most helicopter flight schools use Robinson helicopters. For our professional track students, our motto is Your first job will be in a Robinson Helicopter so why train in anything else?. We have seen many flight instructors with Schweizer or Enstrom time looking for a job - there just are not that many schools that train in anything other than Robinson helicopters. Our helicopter training programs include:
What our Boston helicopter school has to offer: |
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North Andover Flight Academy • Located at
Lawrence Airport, Gate 3
492 Sutton Street • North Andover, MA 01845 • 978-689-7600 • info@northandoverflightacademy.com
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