Flight School Inquiry

[KiltedPilot]

I can give you some info on Canadian helicopter schools on the west coast (just PM me). You'll be talking about C$45,000 for a commercial license here.

Bizarrely, per hour, commercial training for helicopters in the UK is a little cheaper -- I am at a loss to explain why helicopter training is cheaper in UK, when fixed wing is more expensive there (I've done both).

That said, the number of flying hours required in the UK for a commercial helicopter license is higher than Canada, so it'll end up costing you more regardless.

Private flying licenses in UK, or US or Canada, can be exchanged with a simple bit of paperwork for private licenses in other countries. Commercial licenses require, I believe, flight and written tests in the new country, but all the training in the prior country qualifies (though I believe there is slow progress towards making them fully exchangeable also).

KP

[O'Neille]

Training in U.S. is half the price, but still expensive. A lot of military pilots never transition to civilian flight either. If you are serious about flight school then get your license and become an instructor, it's the only way to get time with reduced costs. I'd recommend fixed wing first to learn to fly, radio work, written exams etc...then get your helicopter rating. Not a heck of a lot of helicopter jobs for low hour pilots. If you want to make a living in aviation it's commercial balloon flights or airline work.

If you look on the net you'll find that a foreign commercial license is very similar to a U.S. private (in terms of hours) and it's easier to transition from FAA to ICAO than the other way around. http://www.flyoft.com/license_conversion.php
The good news is All flight training is done in English wherever you go.

Here's where I went to learned to fly. http://www.cochise.edu/deptsdirs/aviation/index.asp
We had a ton of foreign students there also. One girl from Germany finished her commercial in a month. They have dormitory housing and you can finish up college degree work too.

Finally, there are a lot of UAV (unmanned arieal vehicles) jobs in the military and government that are quite lucrative in the private sector. We've got a lot of it down here by the border. Fly UAVs in the military and get your G.I. Bill for flight school when you get out.

[bikeolounger]

There is a fairly decent helicopter program at an airport just north of Louisville KY. I've known a couple of people who learned there. I don't know the name offhand, but if you are interested I'll find it.

[berserkbishop]

I can give you some info on Canadian helicopter schools on the west coast (just PM me). You'll be talking about C$45,000 for a commercial license here.

Bizarrely, per hour, commercial training for helicopters in the UK is a little cheaper -- I am at a loss to explain why helicopter training is cheaper in UK, when fixed wing is more expensive there (I've done both).

That said, the number of flying hours required in the UK for a commercial helicopter license is higher than Canada, so it'll end up costing you more regardless.

Private flying licenses in UK, or US or Canada, can be exchanged with a simple bit of paperwork for private licenses in other countries. Commercial licenses require, I believe, flight and written tests in the new country, but all the training in the prior country qualifies (though I believe there is slow progress towards making them fully exchangeable also).

KP

Give me some names if you dont mind. I am just trying to do a bunch of research before I make any real decisions. I am hoping to get the heck outa Missouri, and I would like to see another country. I am getting info on a school in New Zealand as well!

BB