My next adventure.... Commercial Helicopter Pilot

[Guest Brett Campany]

So I'm at a time in my life where I need to take a new direction. I'm 34, never had any real qualifications (unless you know anyone who needs a submarine hunter / sonar operator in civvy life) so I guess now is as good a time as any to take a new leap in my career.

 

I researched the two helicopter schools at Jandakot airport and have chosen to go with Heliwest. They are a big organisation who so far have been very helpful with lessons and theory....mind you I'm still having issues with my theory.

 

I've been inspired by Darky to maintain a blog after each flight. This can be seen here

 

First Time In The Hover

 

The goal is to maintain my fulltime position at AeroRescue Perth and train over the next 6 to 8 months fulltime to gain my CPL(H).

 

I'm still flying fixed wing and still loving it but this will give me a qualification that could take me...well anywhere really.

 

It's a dream I've had for a long, long time so it's about time I gave it a shot. No point living with regrets and "what if's"!

 

It's going to be hard, the flying is definatly challenging and I've had to data dump a lot of fixed wing knowledge and basically start from scratch but I don'r mind that at all.

 

So far this week I've logged 2.5hrs, it'll take me at least 10hrs to get into the hover. I'm looking at 105hrs minimum but I've budgeted for 115. Here's hoping I can do it in that!

 

Cheers for now.

 

 

[Spin]

Well done mate; as the wise man said, life isn't a practice run! Sounds as though you're well placed to make the most of your opportunities and i look forward to reading about your experiences.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Great stuff Brett. Hang (hover ) in there mate.:thumb_up:

 

 

[Benjamin Pitt]

Good luck Brett, gaining a CPL H will be one of the most fun things you do.

 

So far this week I've logged 2.5hrs, it'll take me at least 10hrs to get into the hover. I'm looking at 105hrs minimum but I've budgeted for 115. Here's hoping I can do it in that!

Cheers for now.

This bit worries me though. Having completed my training a few years ago and watching many other students, I would advise you that if it does indeed take you 10 hours before you can maintain a hover, then heli flight isn't for you.

 

After 105 hours, you could still see who struggled with controlling a hover, and an employer would too.

 

 

[pudestcon]

Wow Brett!!!,

 

You aren't one for letting the grass grow under your feet eh? Seems only yesterday I was reading about your rec aviation training out of Bunbury. Good luck with the heliwork and very exciting for you no doubt.

 

All the best,

 

Pud

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Thanks Pud, yeah can't keep a good man down! I'm needing more out of life.

 

Good luck Brett, gaining a CPL H will be one of the most fun things you do.

 

This bit worries me though. Having completed my training a few years ago and watching many other students, I would advise you that if it does indeed take you 10 hours before you can maintain a hover, then heli flight isn't for you.

 

After 105 hours, you could still see who struggled with controlling a hover, and an employer would too.

That's interesting Ben cause my instructor has told me that it's around the tenth hour that you get the hang of the hover and perfect it from there. I'm loving the challenge but I'll get it eventually. It'll be one of those things like your first solo, there'll be a few beers after that first hover. I'm not to worried about it for now, of course if I'm finding it hard then I might need to head out with another instructor for a different view on how it's done.

 

Oh and that 2.5 hours only contained about 7 to 10 minutes of experiencing the hover using only pedals and collective. In time I'm sure.

 

I'd like to pick your brains a bit thought later on down the track if I may?

 

 

[Simonflyer]

Awesome news Brett.Ive been wanting to give hovering a crack myself.

 

Good luck with it all.Il be in Perth from the 3rd Jan, so Il have to come and say gday when i get to Jandakot.

 

On the study front..The way ive been getting through the CPLs is to make it a habitual thing..Just making sure i do a bit everyday, and now after a few months of doing it, it has become easier.Some days i struggle with more than others, but Ive only got three subjects to go, and it hasnt been too painful although im finding aerodynamics pretty hard.Dont know if that will work for you at all, but i havent failed one yet so considering how crap i was at school its not too bad.

 

 

[Tomo]

Sweet Brett! that's terrific news....

 

Just wait till they start throwing engine failures at you!!

 

Keep it up, and have fun, fly safe.

 

:thumb_up:

 

 

[dazza 38]

Good luck with your chopper training Brett

 

 

[Neil_S]

Good luck with your helicopter training, Brett! I am sure it will be great fun as well as challenging. I had a "trial session" in a helicopter and it was great. Tried hovering, but couldn't manage to keep it steady - nobody does until after a number of hours I was told. I think when you finally manage to hover it is one of those "hallelujah" moments!

 

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

 

[sleemanj]

I found hovering a seriously nerve wracking experience when I tried it on a trial flight a few years ago.

 

Would have liked to have been able to learn to fly helicopters, but way too much money for me.

 

 

[Benjamin Pitt]

That's interesting Ben cause my instructor has told me that it's around the tenth hour that you get the hang of the hover and perfect it from there. I'm loving the challenge but I'll get it eventually. It'll be one of those things like your first solo, there'll be a few beers after that first hover. I'm not to worried about it for now, of course if I'm finding it hard then I might need to head out with another instructor for a different view on how it's done.

Oh and that 2.5 hours only contained about 7 to 10 minutes of experiencing the hover using only pedals and collective. In time I'm sure.

 

I'd like to pick your brains a bit thought later on down the track if I may?

Hmm, maybe your instructor is too hesitant??? The 10 minutes of hovering each lesson is normal, but he should have let you have a go on the cylic in the hover already, then he should have given you a go at all three at the same time.

 

10 hours is definetly too long, my first heli instructor went solo before 10 hours (6 or 7 I think) and while that was quick, it was not unusual (today schools usually have a set minimum hours before solo regardless of ability).

 

4-5th lesson seem to be where it clicks for most people who go on to be good helicopter pilot's. Of course some pick it up earlier with the first lesson being possible despite what some may say, "blessed by the hover fairy" my first instructor used to say.

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Hmm, maybe your instructor is too hesitant??? The 10 minutes of hovering each lesson is normal, but he should have let you have a go on the cylic in the hover already, then he should have given you a go at all three at the same time.10 hours is definetly too long, my first heli instructor went solo before 10 hours (6 or 7 I think) and while that was quick, it was not unusual (today schools usually have a set minimum hours before solo regardless of ability).

 

4-5th lesson seem to be where it clicks for most people who go on to be good helicopter pilot's. Of course some pick it up earlier with the first lesson being possible despite what some may say, "blessed by the hover fairy" my first instructor used to say.

That might be for PPL(H) but not CPL(H). The standard for schools as set by CASA is a minimum of 30 hours before first solo. 10 hours doesn't even cover most of the curriculum.

 

There's no way you can cover all of this in ten hours.

 

> Familiarisation

 

> Effects of Controls

 

> Elementary Handling

 

> Hovering

 

> Circuits

 

> Basic Autorotations

 

> Emergencies

 

> Steep Take off and Approach

 

> Limited Power Take off and Landing

 

> Forced Landing Procedures

 

> Slope Operations

 

> Confined Area Operations

 

> Precision Autorotations

 

> Low Flying

 

> Low Level Emergencies Cross Country Navigation

 

> Ridge and Pinnacle Operations

 

Anyhow, I've got another lessons this morning.

 

Cheers for the kind words fellas!

 

 

[Benjamin Pitt]

I think you are a little confused about the syllabus. You don't need to cover confined area's, pinnacles, cross country and low flying before circuit solo's. Infact the list you posted covers the entire syllabus in a 105 hour course, I think. Usually you get sent solo after covering emergencies, which can easily be done in the 20 hour time frame schools seem to be heading towards now.

 

As I said my instructor went solo very early on, that same school now imposes a limit to the 19 or 20 hour mark for both PPL H or CPL H, it makes no difference at that early stage.

 

If CASA have imposed a 30 hour limit, can you please post the link to where it is in the VFR CPL H syllubus please, I'd like to stay current on the rules.

 

Anyway let us know how the lesson goes! Have you started theory (big issue) if you haven't, get that organised ASAP. I've known students having to stop flying due to not completing the exams late into their training.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Hi brett, LOL, When you complete your licence, you can buy one of those shirts thats reads on the front, "if you cant hover dont bother" cheers and once again Good luck mate

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Yeah you're probably right but I'll just see how I go with it.

 

I'm going through the books and will try and do all of the exams while still flying. It's looking pretty full on but I get a lot of down time while at work and at home so most of that is fullfilled with study.

 

Who's R44 are you operating?

 

 

[Benjamin Pitt]

Not sure if you have been told the low down on the theory, but if you fail an exam it can be a month or so before you can sit it again (depending on how much you failed by).

 

Now considering you need to do your last 30 hours in 3 months (unless you fly the full 125 hour's) this can cause a problem. I'd recommend knocking over all of your exams before taking up training unless you are planning on finishing your exams months before finishing your hours.

 

Stopping at 75 hours to pass that final exam is not what you want.

 

 

[Simonflyer]

Unless the helli CPL theory rules are a lot different from fixed wing you only have to wait 7 days before sitting an exam again...Not that your going to need to brett.:thumb_up:

 

As far as i know the only exams that are different are performance,law and general knowledge?all the rest are the same for both fixed and rotors?..That sound right?

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Unless the helli CPL theory rules are a lot different from fixed wing you only have to wait 7 days before sitting an exam again...Not that your going to need to brett.:thumb_up:As far as i know the only exams that are different are performance,law and general knowledge?all the rest are the same for both fixed and rotors?..That sound right?

Yeah that sounds about right Simon. Having the knowledge already is a huge advantage but those 3 subjects I'll be doing in a class room environment. I'm still going to do my three lessons a week and really should have all of my exams done by the time my last 30 hours comes up. Either way it goes, it'll all work out well. I'm pretty confident with the training and exams. It's good being able to have something to think about again. Work has been pretty quiet so there's heaps of time for study during the working day.

 

I'll have to look up the 30 day re-sit but I'm pretty sure both schools I visited said it was only a 7 day period to re-sit. But as Simon has said, I shouldn't have a problem with the exams.

 

 

[Benjamin Pitt]

Unless the helli CPL theory rules are a lot different from fixed wing you only have to wait 7 days before sitting an exam again...Not that your going to need to brett.:thumb_up:As far as i know the only exams that are different are performance,law and general knowledge?all the rest are the same for both fixed and rotors?..That sound right?

Nope. Only if you fail reasonably is it a week, I think below 50% it is a month or so. I never had any trouble, but other students did that's how I know.

 

That's good that you have already got fixed wing CPL out of the way Brett that saves you from doing 3 exams, and air law is very similar with some Heli questions thrown. . You need to sit AGK, AERO, PERF and OPS and AIR LAW. I've done it the other way from CPL H to CPL A. Coming from fixed wing you may really struggle with the aero exam and AGK to some extent as aero is thrown in for some questions, those that had fixed wing experience struggled in my class.

 

The Longranger's fuel tank is a pain when doing PERF and OPS, the centre of gravity goes forward, back and forwards again during the fuel burn given it's and L shaped fuel tank on an angle.

 

 

[mAgNeToDrOp]

Brett, congrats on your decision sounds like you're in for a wild ride :-D

 

No doubt you will enjoy it and won't regret it well done