Become a helicopter pilot
Helicopter flight school
Ready to become a helicopter pilot? Fill out the form and let us get in touch with you with more information about our helicopter school.
PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE – HELICOPTER, PPL(H)
A Private Pilot License for helicopters PPL(H) will allow you to act as Pilot In Command (PIC) in non-commercial operations on helicopters.
Requirements
To be eligible to pursue your training for a Private Pilot License, you must:
- Pass a medical examination and receive a Class 2 Medical Certificate.
- Be at least 16 years old at your first solo flight during training.
- Be at least 17 years old to do the skill test for receiving your private pilot certificate.
- Read, speak, write, and understand English.
Class 2 Medical Certificate
The initial examination includes a thorough exploration of your medical history, full physical clinical examination, vision tests, hearing test, urine test and ECG A Class 2 Medical Certificate is valid for five years if under age 40, two years if between 40-50 and one year above 50 years age.
Theory
For the theory we have a Distance Course in cooperation with Aerodynamics in Malaga.
There are 9 different subjects for EASA PPL(H) Theoretical Knowledge Course:
- Air Law
- Aircraft General Knowledge
- Flight Planning & Performance
- Human Performance & Limitations
- Meteorology
- Navigation
- Operational Procedures
- Principles of Flight
- Communications
You are required to undertake a minimum of 70 hours of self-study, followed by 30 hours of ’ground school’ in classroom. There is one examination for each subject, and given you have passed all the internal exams, you can at any time you decide take the official EASA PPL(H) exams.
All the official exams can be taken at our facilities.
Course Media
The PPL course options range from an online web-based training system to offline iPad Application access and the printed key facts book series. The materials are designed to take you through the CATS PPL(H) Ground School, and enable you to pass the official examinations.
Validity of passed theoretical knowledge exams
When you have passed all the theoretical exams for the issue of a private pilot’s licence, they will be valid for 24 months, within which time you must complete the skill test with a flight examiner, otherwise they will lapse and you’ll have to retake them.
Flight Training requirements and crediting
You need to complete a minimum of 45 hours of flight instruction in helicopters, including at least:
- 25 hours of dual flight instruction.
- 10 hours of supervised solo flight time, including at least 5 hours of solo cross-country flight time with at least 1 cross country flight of at least 185 km (100 NM) that includes 2 full stop landings at an aerodrome different from the departure aerodrome.
- 35 of the 45 hours of flight instruction being completed on the same type of helicopter used for the skill test.
If you already are holder of a licence for airplane PPL(A), the total time can be reduced with maximum of 6 hours.
Skill test
After having done the theoretical examinations and finished the flight training you will need to take a skill test with a flight examiner, in the relevant helicopter type, to demonstrate that you can competently carry out the procedures and manoeuvres that you have been taught.
Type Ratings and Annual Checks
The type used for training is a Robinson R44, a single turbine Helicopter with an excellent performance, and that is the Type Rating you will receive in your license after passed the skill test. If you wish to add another Type Rating to your PPL(H) License you only have to do another 5 hours flight training, technical course and the skill test. Each Type Rating must be renewed (PC=Proficiency Check) every 12 month with an examiner.
If you want to rent a Helicopter once you have your license it would be possible because we know you received a very high-quality training.
Interested in becoming a helicopter pilot?
Fill out the form below and let us contact you with more information about the helicopter flight school.