Flight School

While deciding on a helicopter flight school you will probably hear people talk about flight schools operating under part 141 or part 61. Which one is best and how do I decide which one to choose?

A flight school operating under part 141 designation means that the school must follow a syllabus approved by the FAA. The Chief Flight Instructor and Assistant Chief Flight Instructor must take annual check rides with the local FAA Examiner. It also means that the performance of students is measured through progressive flight exams through out their training. Regular and random FAA inspections of school facilities, aircraft, simulators and training devices, as well as student training records, and instructor records. Also, if you decide you want to move to another school operating under the part 141 during your training you can transfer your records to the new school. I would strongly recommend you choose a part 141 School as you will be trained to the highest possible standards in well maintained aircraft.

You will be required to complete a minimum number of ground school hours.

You will have a phase check before you go solo, before private check ride, Commercial check ride and any other check ride that you have been trained for under the schools part 141 syllabus. A phase check is a simulated check ride with a senior instructor and consists of an oral examination and a flight test. This will ensure that you are ready for your check ride.

For a helicopter flight school to insure the quality of training and to retain FAA Approval, they must maintain at least an 80% first time pass rate for all graduates on FAA Flight Tests and the examining authority must have a pass rate of 90%.

If you are coming to the USA from overseas you will need to find a helicopter flight school which can offer training under part 141 as these are the only schools that can offer you a visa. One of the requirements to enroll in a part 141 school is, you need to provide evidence of your highest level of education.

Part 61 is simply being trained to the standards outlined in the Federal Aviation Regulations. It states what areas of operation and topics to be covered, including the minimum number of hours required for each area. All flight schools can offer training under Part 61 without obtaining special FAA approval. However, they must comply with the statutory requirements under the CFR (code of Federal regulations) and train pilots to the standards of Part 61. Overall the 141 program is a better choice for the student helicopter pilot.

If you can afford it, I would recommend a full time helicopter training course. This ensures that you do not have to re-learn skills lost during the intervals between your lessons. If you intend to become a commercial helicopter pilot you will have to give up your day job to spend about eight months to a year in school. It is possible to complete part time but it will take you a lot longer.