Bell 206 & Md 500 Training

[Norm]

I am trying to find training schools in Canada that offer Bell 206 and MD 500 endorsements. I know Great Slave has them but are there any others? I know many of you will not recomend the 500 training but I am just weighing all my options at this point.

 

Thanks

[Skidz]

Norm,

 

You seem like you're unsure of what to do to get ahead. I'll probably get slammed by some for saying this, but if you really want to spend money to get ahead, Icefield might be an option for you. It won't cost you much more than that 206 endorsement, and you'll actually get to fly commercially right away. The way things are right now, do one season at Icefield and the next year you'll probably get hired by any number of operators out there.

 

As far as endorsements go, fewer and fewer operators are flying 500s. Your money would be better spent on the 206 or even the 44, if you don't already have that.

 

I'm not encouraging you to spend your money. In this day and age, you should be able to land that first job if you have any potential at all.

 

Fire away !

[Cole]

[DGP]

buddy of mine did 500 training in quebec...seem to be popular there and they have jetboxes as well....

[bkstabr]

I think going to a place that reguires you to pay for your endorsement,ppc,work for near free. When you have just got out of flight school and have huge expenses to cover is not a good idea. I would be inclined to call a good example of bad desision makeing going there. That might explain why the pilot that was sitting across from me said not that ^%#&$%#% place and stomped out. I can't recall seeing him expressing himself with so much profanity before. I don't think I will bring up the subject again in his presence. Oh here he comes. I'm out of here

[Norm]

Ok I don't want this to turn into an Icefield debate lol. I am just planing on applying for some funding. I would like to have some diffrent training options and prices ready to present my case is all.

 

Thanks

[Cole]

I would perhaps go somewhere you might like to work, in about 2 months, or in eastern canada, and ask if you can do some training with them no strings attatched, work your a$$ off in training and they might just give you a shot.

 

You would have to pick the right company, and dont bs them telling them you're not looking for a job, just let them know if they like your work ethic you would really like the oppertunity and if theyre not hiring thats not a huge problem.

 

Sound like a good idea to anyone else?

Mabey if you must try a company in BC, try TRK, they do training and have hired lt guys in the past.

 

Cole

[Amphibious]

I did my MD500 time (10hrs) with Applebee Aviation down in Portland, Oregon. the endorsement was more of a 10hr mountain course (already had 206 endorsement and some mountain flying exp).

 

the were fantastic and treated the course as operational. no BS with flying circuts and playing in a feild. lots of confines, pinicals, ag turns, etc. very happy with the course. at $750us per hour it slays canadian prices.

 

it takes a letter from the US CFI, a TCA form, and $30 to convert the endorsement to your canadain licence.

 

they do 206 as well.

 

my $0.02

[__________]

I would perhaps go somewhere you might like to work, in about 2 months, or in eastern canada, and ask if you can do some training with them no strings attatched, work your a$$ off in training and they might just give you a shot.

 

You would have to pick the right company, and dont bs them telling them you're not looking for a job, just let them know if they like your work ethic you would really like the oppertunity and if theyre not hiring thats not a huge problem.

 

Sound like a good idea to anyone else?

Mabey if you must try a company in BC, try TRK, they do training and have hired lt guys in the past.

 

Cole

 

 

sorry cole i already tried that one might get lucky but wouldn't count on it. I got a really good reference from CHC base manager who called up all his buddies in BC and told them to hire me. did the 206 endorsment and got hired. But thats when i really learned that there are those FEW companies that will actually ever hire you to fly. Because CP came up to me and said hey look at that guy over there been working here over 5 years and he will never fly here if i where you i would go up north. So i would reccomend really reshearching the company before even attemtpting wasting your money on and endorsment and hoping you will fly unless your only satisfied with the endorsment. Beacuse you 4-5 hour endorsement is small compared to what trainning that most companies will have to put into you to actually let you fly for them. just my opinion

[Cole]

I agree... but it sounds like hes come into some funding that has to be spent on flying, so if hes going to spend it anyway, may aswell spend it somewhere that may point him in the right direction.

 

I wouldnt even think about Chl, there's a kid in Penticton who dropped huge cash to do his whole licence on the jetranger there and they didn't hire him after... So now what? Hes got the EXACT same ticket I will in a few days, Commercial Helicopter, HU30, BH06 (though hes does have 80 more hours in the 206 and has no 300 endorsement) and hes an extra $100,000 in the hole.

 

My personal though would be to spend the couple thousand on:

H2S

Hazmat

Best first aid you can afford

mabey a Class 1 (B.C.) drivers licence

and one big road trip. (eastbound, far, far eastbound)

 

Cheers,

Cole