You currently have javascript disabled. Several functions may not work. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality. Posted 11 October - Aircraft I have flown: Posted 12 October - Posted 30 October - Posted 31 October - Posted 01 November - Tom McDermott, manager HelicopterAcademy. The reason I ask is because I have been seriously thinking of ways to build time in this industry.

Aside from having my CFI and jobs what they are for hr pilots, buying or leasing is my next option. Question being, if a person buys a homebuilt say Helicycle will companies look at flight time the same as say a Robinson? I'm sure insurance costs for experimentals is far and above that of a FAA certified craft.

The thought of buying a near new Helicyle at 50k and flying it daily to work is intruiging. Please educate me veteran pilots. Of course I have to disagree with that, I actually read a story a few years ago about someone buying a helicopter, flying to hrs, and getting hired in the Grand Canyon flying Tours. I've also read a story about someone buying a helicycle, flying to hrs and finding a job.

And yes, I understand that those stories aren't the "norm", but neither is getting all your ratings and immediately finding a job! In my own experience, trying to get a job as even a back-up pilot flying at night. I couldn't even get an interview, even though I have close to night hours.

For everything one person says isn't going to happen, another comes along and says, "well, I did it". As for not being equal to an employed pilot. Speaking as someone who has been the "sole manipulator of the controls" for almost all of his hours; I would bet anyone a thousand bucks that I could get through Tempsco or Papillion's training in as much, or fewer hours than any hr CFI!

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Approve Hide Unhide Delete Merge Split Move. Mods feel free to merge if you feel it's appropriate. My question is whether anyone here thinks it's a feasible yes I know it would be exceptionally expensive to buy your own helicopter in which to do your own training and time building? I'll add to that the caveat that I'm looking into a business plan that would possibly include helicopter flight as part of the operation ag work, not a flight school , so the business would need a helicopter anyway.

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Looking at a C. Basically the business that I start and own would buy the helicopter and then pay for the instructor and fuel and maintenance fees for me to get my commercial helicopter ratings, and then use the helicopter in the business. I have a friend who bought his own airplane to get his fixed wing private pilot certificate, which dramatically cut down on his flight school costs as he only had to pay the instructor and ground fees, etc Is the same kind of thing feasible in the helicopter industry?

Or are there rules that require the training helicopter be owned by a certified flight school or some such? Insurance problems with this plan maybe? Just trying to think outside the box here. If you have the money for the purchase and insurance Often, it is the cheapest way to go.

In many cases you can do all of your training, then sell the aircraft to redeem most of your costs. I did it on my own.. I never carried insurance through my initial training as it wasn't worth it to me. Looking back, unless you can afford the insurance and purchase I'd recommend getting your private, then buying the helicopter and training for everything else in it. You can get insurance much easier that way. You can probabally get your private for the cost of a years insurance And if you can afford the risk and purchase price only carry liability and you'll save enough to fly all year.

UK Company working for: Fly the dream fly Flying, My wife, Skiing, jeeping, dirtbiking, kite surfing, Company working for: Also the extra equipment you will need, like seeder buckets, nav equip like a dyna nav. Also the things that have been mentioned above.

R22BII, R44 RI, R44 RII, MD E, Bell B3, Bell L3 ASB2, ASB3e, ECB4,. I guess I expected that there might be some sort of regulatory or legal hurdles to owning an aircraft before you are actually certified to fly. Maybe there are and I just haven't found out about them yet?

I guess I see this as sort of the same thing as starting a cargo transportation company and training your drivers before letting them actually operate. Apiaguy, which helicopter did you buy? My friend that owns the airplane said he would rent his plane out for flight training, so I'm thinking about going that direction too, and then just doing the helo add on. Would probably be a lot cheaper, at least initially.

PS, can one of the mods change the title of my post to correct the misspelled "traing" to "training"? It's really bugging me, and I can't edit the title myself. Id also look at the older hillers.. Both types are great first helix that won't break the bank and are very robust.

I know lots of guys that buy an aircraft and never get a license I don't endorse that nor would it be legal Im just pointing out that you can pretty much do what you want in aviation as long as you don't crash.. I'm talking about part 91 guys.

Flying, SCUBA Diving, Boating, Camping Company working for: I did have my private already but was spending a lot of money renting a helicopter. I did all of my other flight training in the R44 and have just completed my IFR and ATP ratings in it.

Being a business man I keep track of every single expense, every dime I spend on the R44 is tracked I think I am still ahead of the game. Every hour I put on it now is free in comparison to renting as far as I am concerned. I never have to worry about what another pilot did or did not do, how many times the engine or rotor system has been over-sped, how many hard landing it has gone through or anything else that some student pilots or renters fail to mention and I never have to worry about if its available!

All of those things add up to my recommendation that if you have the money - buy your own helicopter.

TomPPL and MileHiB like this. Admiring the city lights and coastal sunsets from a thousand feet, Just a happy recreational pilot! Does that include the acquisition cost of the helicopter?

Buying your own helicopter to do your traing in - General Helicopter Forum - Vertical Reference Helicopter Forums

Also, what is your monthly cost of ownership? The only dream I have left is to live long enough to see the pilot shortage. Its been about fourteen years since they first told me it was coming, so, Anything that flies, motorcycles, hiking, scuba diving, but mostly helicopters. Like butters said, that does not include the cost of the helicopter. That must be broken down, hourly, monthly, yearly; depending on how much you fly the aircraft.

Even with a timed out machine hours. Sounds almost like published numbers from Robinson Almost , or am I misreading something?

Still a much better price versus renting in any way. Not giving you a hard time Junkie, just trying to break the numbers down after total cost vs after purchase cost. Thanks for sharing your real numbers, God knows it is hard to get actual information in this regard. Awesome news your purchase is working out for you!

He's a wealthy guy and I tip my hat to him as he's living the American Dream. I'm living the American Dream too although I prefer to go out on my boat rather than one of my helicopters but I can also give you a job. Here is how my math works: One guy worked for us for hours and got all his money back. A bank will require insurance on a loan, leasing isn't very easy because any leasing company wants to see you have a reputable flight school and do 40 hours per month, a helicycle gets you time in your own aircraft but who can give you a job in a helicycle?

Its about the job, job, job. That's how you advance your career and many people get to CFII and find there is no job. I'll be at Heli-Success as always an offered all my cfi's free registration and airline tickets if you want to talk to any of them.

If you are only amortizing the costs over hours of flight time then it might even out, but I suspect that as you pass the and hour and more mark, the benefits of owning your own outweigh the savings of renting even with maintenance and overhauls, etc Speaking strictly of the small pistion machines here and not the larger and much more expenssive turbines.

TomPPL, JCBigler and Adam S like this. That was with all time being in a R If you charge a competitive price for a 44 and keep it flying a lot, after even one overhaul you can make a good bit of money, and get your flight time very cheap. Please educate me veteran pilots The biggest question is can you afford to purchase the aircraft? This would offset your training cost when you train.

Beyond that, it becomes less beneficial over time. The goal should be to build time while you are employed. Again, IMO, when a resume hits the desk and the applicants flight hours reads something like, total, R22, 50 S, Helicycle; more-then-likely, the resume will be circle filed.

Simply because there are plenty of other resumes in the stack without homebuilt time. Concentrate both mentally and financially on gaining employment. Train to CFII certification and meet the Robinson SFAR requirement. Within that hours, have time in the S as well as these are the most popular training aircraft utilized at flight schools. Once you graduate, stay current and find a job….

DanceswithCyclic, TomPPL, gary-mike and 1 other like this. That sort of thing will get you into an accident or get your butt fired from a job someday. What hazardous flight attitude is that called again?

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Edited by RagMan, 01 November - The fact is, I know a couple guys who found jobs after building time in a homebuilt. However, that was when the industry bubble was expanding which is far from the truth today. I followed the 25 and have been gainfully employed for many years. You can believe what you want to believe. Life is about choices. When you choose a path, you either reap the rewards, or suffer the consequences….

Edited by Spike, 01 November - TomPPL and B-Hill like this. Back to General Helicopter Forum. Updating paused, click here to continue.

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