COURSES
PRIVATE PILOT COURSE
Would you like to begin a career as a professional helicopter pilot? Have a natural curiosity and passion for flying? Havens Aviation’s private pilot license program is the first step in a professional pilot’s career development or for individuals who are interested in learning to fly as a hobby. With your Private Pilot Certificate you are allowed to take family and friends as passengers in your aircraft (or the aircraft you are renting) while acting as Pilot in Command. Havens Aviation’s private pilot license is the primary rating from which all other ratings build upon.
Eligibility Requirements
The FAA has laid out a minimum set of requirements for individuals to be eligible to take their Private Pilot License Exam:
17 years of age (although you may begin flight training at any age and may act as the sole pilot in command once you’ve reached the age of 16 and our instructors have approved it)
Read, speak, write and understand the English language.
Hold at least a 3rd Class Medical Certificate.
Experience Minimum Requirements
The FAA’s minimum requirements for flight training are as:
40 hours of total flight time, including:
20 hours with a Certified Flight Instructor (“dual” flight time), including:
3 hours of cross-country flying (learning to navigate at least 25 miles from your home airport)
3 hours of night training
3 hours of exam preparation
10 hours as the only pilot in the helicopter (“solo” flight time)
Pass FAA-administered written exam
Pass FAA- administered oral and practical exams
COMMERCIAL PILOT COURSE:
For career minded pilots, Havens Aviation’s Commercial Pilot course is the second step in your training after earning your Private rating. Commercial helicopter pilots serve in a variety of industries; however, most positions require additional ratings and flight hours in order to be an eligible applicant. For pilots who have already earned the Commercial Pilot’s License in another category of aircraft, you may use your previous flight experience to earn a Commercial Pilot Add-On Rating.
Eligibility Requirements
The FAA has laid out a minimum set of requirements for individuals to be eligible to take their Commercial Pilot License Exam:
18 years of age.
Read, speak, write and understand the English language.
Hold at least a 2nd Class Medical
Experience Minimum Requirements
The FAA’s minimum requirements for flight training:
150 hours of total flight time, including:
100 hours in a powered aircraft of which 50 hours must be helicopters
100 hours of Pilot-in-Command time, including:
35 hours in helicopters
10 hours of cross-country flying
20 hours of Dual flight time, including:
5 hours on the control and maneuvering of a helicopter solely by reference to instruments
2 hours of day cross-country of 50+ nautical miles from departure
2 hours of night cross-country of 50+ nautical miles from departure
3 hours within 60 days of FAA-administered check-ride
10 hours of Solo flight time, including:
5 hours night flight
1 cross-country with landings of a minimum of 3 points, with 1 segment of at least 50 nautical miles from departure
Pass FAA-administered written exam
Pass FAA- administered oral and practical exams
CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) COURSE:
For career minded pilots, Havens Aviation’s Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) course is generally the third step in your training, after achieving your Private and Commercial ratings. Frequently, the first paid position a commercial helicopter pilot will be eligible for is a flight instructor position. These positions typically require approximately 300 hours of flight time (typically the minimum number of hours required by insurance companies of instructor pilots) and are an excellent way for you to build time and experience at this early stage in your flight career.
What Are the Requirements to Earn a CFI in Helicopters?
Pilots must be rated as a Commercial Pilot in Helicopters to earn the CFI License. We find that most frequently 10-20 hours of training is sufficient for pilots with recent helicopter experience.
Havens Aviation’s CFI Curriculum:
As a flight instructor, you will carry responsibilities unlike any other profession. Not only are you responsible for the aircraft you are training in, but also for the student you teach. Havens Aviation’s CFI curriculum will prepare you for the transition into this new challenging role and help you find your comfort as an instructor. CFI student pilots will learn to operate the aircraft from what might be the unfamiliar side of the aircraft, along with a comprehensive study in the “Fundamentals of Instruction.” Proper teaching technique, lesson planning, and dealing with differing levels of student comprehension are all covered in detail. Our goal is to graduate flight instructors who are excellent pilots as well as motivators and educators. Our training will emphasize how to combine the flight skills you’ve learned as a Commercial Pilot with the knowledge areas that will make you a highly successful CFI.
ADD-ON RATINGS:
Do you already possess an airplane rating? You may “add-on” a helicopter rating with fewer hours of training than required of pilots without certification in another category of aircraft. Havens Aviation has extensive experience working with pilots who are familiar with airplanes and how to best utilize a fixed wing pilot’s skills to make the transition to helicopters. Though we specialize in helicopter flight training at Havens Aviation, all of our instructors have experience in airplanes and can appreciate the specific differences between the types of skills required to pilot both categories of aircraft. We have worked with numerous pilots who have transitioned from airplanes to helicopters and will build on your current aeronautical knowledge while developing the skills needed to become a safe and confident helicopter pilot.
Many airplane pilots ask if it is typical to earn the Add-On Rating in the minimum number of FAA required flight hours. In our experience, we have found that it largely depends on the individual’s type and amount of flight experience prior to beginning helicopter flight instruction. For example, we find pilots who have earned their Instrument Rating in airplanes typically transition more quickly to helicopters because of the refined “touch” required of that type of operation. That being said, we’ve had a number of pilots earn their add-on ratings at or very near the minimum experience required.
Eligibility Requirements for a Private Pilot Add-On Rating
The FAA has laid out a minimum set of requirements for individuals to be eligible to earn an Add-On Private Pilot Helicopter Rating:
Hold a Current Private Pilot License
You must hold at least a 3rd Class Medical Certificate
Experience Minimum Requirements:
30 Hours of Total Flight Time in Helicopters, Including:
20 Hours Dual Flight Time with a Certified Flight Instructor
10 Hours Solo Flight Time, including:
3 Hours of Solo Cross-Country Flight Time
3 Hours Cross-Country Flight
3 Hours Night Flight
Pass Oral and Practical Exams (You are not required to take a written exam)
Eligibility Requirements for a Commercial Pilot Add-On Rating
The FAA has laid out a minimum set of requirements for individuals to be eligible to earn an Add-On Commercial Pilot Helicopter Rating:
Hold a Current Commercial Pilot Helicopter License
You must hold at least a 3rd Class Medical Certificate
Experience Minimum Requirements:
150 hours of total flight time, including:
100 hours in a powered aircraft of which 50 hours must be helicopters
100 hours of Pilot-in-Command time, including:
35 hours in helicopters
10 hours of cross-country flying in helicopters
20 hours of Dual flight time, including:
5 hours on the control and maneuvering of a helicopter solely by reference to instruments
2 hours of day cross-country of 50+ nautical miles from departure
2 hours of night cross-country of 50+ nautical miles from departure
3 hours within 60 days of FAA-administered check-ride
10 Hours of Solo Flight Time, including:
5 hours night flight
1 cross-country with landings of a minimum of 3 points, with 1 segment of at least 50 nautical miles from departure
If you already hold a Commercial Airplane License or ATP, you do NOT need to take the Helicopter written knowledge exam. If you do not hold one of these ratings, you will need to take the Helicopter written exam.
Pass Oral and Practical Exams