R/w Training In The States....

[Ryan]

Just for the heck of it I was surfing through some heli sites. I noticed that heli flight training is way cheaper down south than it is here. Less than $200/hour on a R-22. A 200 hours course down there would only be about $10K more than a 100 hour course here, after convering the money.

So what gives? Why is R/W flight training 1/2 the price once you cross the border?

 

 

Just curious.

[Skidz]

I was told one of the factors is insurance. Another factor is labour cost. Most CFIs in the US are low-timers teaching to build hours. Take a look at Silverstate. They even offer a program where you sign up to do your PPL, CPL, CFI and CFII all in a row...

[cap]

Ryan ------remember another factor also. Suppose you buy and own an R-44 and your equal in the States also buys an R-44, you'll pay 21 1/2% more for your parts than he does and you'll realize that when you go to pick them up at the Customs Brokers. Ergo, if you charge-out that a/c to a client you will have to charge at least 22 1/2% more than your American peer does just to keep pace.......except we don't thatin Canada and that's why we have the oldest Commerical fleet in the Free World because that's the only other way we can keep the overhead down.........buy used.

[Canrotor]

Like Ryan...I to decided to price out a commercial helo flight training program at a U.S school.Here's what i found;

 

Vortex Helicopters in Mississippi always seems to come out on top as one of the better flight training schools in the U.S as far as the owners,experienced instructors and quality of training.They also have a job placement/guaranted interview set up with two of the larger gulf of Mexico helicopter operators.The U.S commercial lic requires 150 hours total.If this is done in a R-22 the total for this program would be $ 32,713.00 in Canadian dollars...!! I also believe that price is tax included.

 

U.S school-150 hours total=$ 32,713.00 can funds (approx)

 

CAN school-100 hours total=$ 43,000.00 can funds(approx)

 

 

Am i missing something here...??? Can it really be that much cheaper or am i not reading between the lines...??? They say experienced instructors....does that mean they have 2000-4000 hours instructing like Canadian flight instructors have...??? Then if the new pilot wants to return to Canada to work,how much more$$$ will need to be spent for a lic conversion...???

 

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.....!!!!!

 

Just thinking out loud,

Canrotor.

[Rotorhead]

Why is R/W flight training 1/2 the price once you cross the border?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Quality of training. In the US, many schools have new pilots teaching with a fresh flight instructor's ticket and hence, they work cheap to build time teaching you "all they know"

 

In Canada, you will have a hard time finding a reputable school with low time instructors. Partly due to Transport Canada's requirement and mainly due to industry's demand. I had an instructor that had been teaching on the Bell 47 for over 14,000 hours when I had met him and that was fifteen years ago and he was still at it last December when I dropped in to see him. Most of the industry knows him and know of the product he churns out.

 

Find a school that will teach you how to fly, treat the customer, and work the job properly. All of schools out there teach you how to pass the exams and flight test and get the pilot's license. Only a few teach you how to work in the industry as a hireable pilot.

 

RH

[Cole]

RH: want to point me to them? i know one good one is OK mountain Helicopters, formerly airborne Flight training, and if you like the s300 there is BC helis and for you bell type guys there is Chinook

 

 

Cole

[Rotorhead]

Looks like you've been doing your homework. Stick to one of those three and you will not be disappointed.

 

RH

[Cole]

Well My plan is to go with OK mountain, main decision reason: Close to home, can still be a dependant when I go to school , dont get me wrong, the other two came out in a tripple tie for 1st, but its convinience that i went with kelowna, I was also Going to say that it was because my drum teachers brother taught there however it seems he also taught at BC helis and learned at Chinook!, i think you all know who im talking about, I dont have permission to say his name though so I wont also the instructional team at OKMH came highly reccommended over and over again no matter where I looked, If I had a place to stay for free in abbotsford the choice might be different, also I do like the robbie alot, and have heard lots of good things about it, not that I have not heard bad things about it too

 

Thanks, Cole

[Rotorhead]

Well My plan is to go with OK mountain, main decision reason: Close to home, can still be a dependant when I go to school , dont get me wrong, the other two came out in a tripple tie for 1st, but its convinience that i went with kelowna, I was also Going to say that it was because my drum teachers brother taught there however it seems he also taught at BC helis and learned at Chinook!, i think you all know who im talking about, I dont have permission to say his name though so I wont   also the instructional team at OKMH came highly reccommended over and over again no matter where I looked, If I had a place to stay for free in abbotsford the choice might be different, also I do like the robbie alot, and have heard lots of good things about it, not that I have not heard bad things about it too

 

Thanks, Cole

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I did my training at Chinook, Night rating with the owner of BC Heli, and Mountain & Advanced Ops course at CHW in Penticton. Almost the same geographic triangle you are learning in.

 

Best of luck on that, Kelowna is a great town.

 

RH

[Currie25]

I am also just looking at schools and am planning on attending in the states. The reason is because they offer a professional pilot program with CFI,IR,and CFII. Also because it is easy to get a job instructing and gaining hours afterwards. Has anyone else on here done this? Is it a good plan? Thanks.