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Cheapest route to a commercial helicopter add on rating

Asked by: 915 views , , ,
FAA Regulations, Helicopter, Private Pilot, Student Pilot

I want to obtain a PPL (fixed wing) and 100hrs   and from there obtain a commercial helicopter add on  to become a commercial helicopter pilot. This is so the requirements and cost come cheaper. Is this possible what does FAA regulation say about this. Is there a cheaper route i could go?

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2 Answers



  1. LTCTerry on Aug 02, 2023

    I suspect you will have great difficulty in find a job after you finish, but…

    Why not do Private, Commercial, and maybe even CFI in a glider? That would give you initial Commercial, making RW an additional rating. Ditto for CFI. (Not that it changes a lot.)

    61.129 says you’ll need 150 hours total with 50 hours in helicopters, so I see where you are thinking 150-50 leaves “100” and that’s cheaper in an airplane.

    Well, it’s even cheaper in a glider. Glider Commercial also comes from 61.129…

    Go look at 61.129 and the “50 hours.” That’s not all you need. You need to have 35 hours of PIC time – which means solo or you’ve passed the Private Pilot checkride in a helicopter. I would not be surprised if “15” is nowhere near enough dual for you to solo and eventually be checkride ready. So, figure “15” + a lot more + 35 PIC/solo/etc into your calculation.

    Army helicopter pilots cannot find jobs and are converting to airplanes in droves. They have instrument ratings, multiengine, IFR, heavy helicopter experience and can’t find jobs. Where do you think you will get a job other than instructing at the school where you learned to fly? (Yes, I know some Robinson pilots do find jobs. Just like some 500-hour pilots are in jets.)

    If you want to fly helicopters, go fly airplanes and make a lot of money. Then fly helicopters for fun.

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  2. LTCTerry on Aug 29, 2023

    I was on a recent charter trip to a place with a gyrocopter school. My captain wants to do gyro commercial and CFI. The DPE there told us initial commercial in a gyrocopter only requires 25 hours as compared to 50 for helicopter.

    Making gyrocopter the initial rotary wing commercial allows for helicopter as an additional rating, saving a good bit of money.

    I have no great interest in either, but thought I’d share the information.

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