Helicopter Lessons- Where?

tribble

I was flying one this morning over Croatia (lot's of dotted islands, beautiful) and it was great fun.
Only one problem, it was all in my head - I was dreaming, but I woke up with a burning desire to go again.

I know from a minimal knowledge of military 'copter that it is very difficult (akin to drumming four different beats with four different limbs).

Basically what I'm asking is, is there anywhere in Ireland that i can take lessons?
Roughly how much they cost, and how long does it take to learn?

tribble

eth0_

There's a place out past tallaght that does flying/chopper lessons. The name escapes me but you'll find it if you google it. Plane lessons cost 80-100 per lesson, I think helicopter ones are a bit more.

Pluffy Bunny

do get lessons before you buy one though, saw a video clip of a rich guy who just bought one, no lessons, just hopped in and tried to fly it, yes, he crashed and burned, ill have to go find that clip, damn funny

Lump

Lessons in a helicopter are £200 sterling per lesson, I looked into it a while back... when I am rich maybe.

John

Nuttzz

http://www.ehaireland.com/introductory_flight_eha.html

€340 for an hours introductory flight, oooch

tribble

Cool - thanks guys, am looking on somewhere to blow my redundancy (sp?) money!

Tom Dunne

Also Weston in Leixlip do helicopter flights, if I remember correctly.

Edit: Doh! just noticed that link is for a crowd based in Weston.

BattlingCheese

a little bit more affordable alternative and I highly recommend it for a more natural flying experience, no engine noise and very relaxing.

http://www.dublinglidingclub.ie/visitors/trial_lessons.htm

Burago

Rougly how many lessons are needed? At 340 a pop it's quiet an expensive hobby!


Edit: More info...

There is a minimum requirement of 45 hours flight instruction, including 10 hours solo as Pilot-in-Command. Before flying solo, a Class II medical certificate must be obtained. In addition, written examinations in Air Law, Flight Performance & Planning, Aircraft General Knowledge and Human Performance & Limitations must be passed. Our ground school covers all of these subjects and the Aviation Authority carries out the examinations. Finally, on completion of flight training, a skills test must be taken.

Blub2k4

The advice with learning to fly choppers is almost always to learn to fly fixed-wing first, so you learn in a normal plane then when you have the avionics basics you move onto rotary.

NeMiSiS

If you are really interested PM me and I can see what I can sort out for you, would be in the UK though. My dad flies em and knows a few guys that do lessons.
Tom

pickarooney

I met an Irish guy in Cape Town who'd done his whole course there, for a fraction of the price it costs in Europe, and you don't have to do as many hours there to get the license. About six grand would cover the whole thing. A return flight to South Africa would cost nearly the same as one lesson over here, and the scenery is amazing.
And seeing as you're jobless...

tribble

NeMiSiS wrote:

If you are really interested PM me and I can see what I can sort out for you, would be in the UK though. My dad flies em and knows a few guys that do lessons.
Tom

Cheers NeMiSiS - but unfortunatly I am tied to Ireland for the next few years.

45 hours is a bit steep allright - understandable though.

Migh take pickarooney's option of going to SA for a couple of months next summer... hmmm, i likes that idea

liamo

The advice with learning to fly choppers is almost always to learn to fly fixed-wing first, so you learn in a normal plane then when you have the avionics basics you move onto rotary.

I did a helicopter lesson recently out in Weston and I asked the pilot that very question. He said that flying a helicopter is so different to flying a fixed-wing that he would recommend strongly against getting fixed-wing experience first. Having also had a couple of lesson in a fixed-wing I certainly agree that they're totally different experiences.

The pilot had been a civil engineer specialising in building bridges. After a few helicopter lessons he got the bug, gave up his job, got his license and now flies helicopters full-time.

The lessons in the plane were great fun but the helicopter really rocked! Yeah, it's expensive but, wow, what a blast!

the_syco

Weston Airfield does flying lessons.

http://www.westonairport.com/

I know they do plane flying lessons, but I don't know about helicopter lessons.

Weston form the air

Location map

Weston Ltd., Leixlip, Co. Kildare, Ireland. Tel: 01 6280435 / 6280659 Fax: 6010930 E-mail: info@westonairport.com

NeMiSiS

Ya wouldnt have to move to the UK. PM me if you want to have a chat with him, he could probably put you in the right direction, he flies out of Weston most of the time.
Tom

Alana

yea my boyf does the odd flying lesson out in weston, dont know if they do helicopter classes, but it seems like great fun...however i dont know what the story is with that place now, cos there was a law suit taken against them for flying too low around the area.....but...

the_syco

Alana wrote:

cos there was a law suit taken against them for flying too low around the area.....but...

Oh sweet! Hope it succeds! No offense, but those planes fly very low over the housing estates! I should know; 1 just flew over just there, and they fly alot over here. If anyone knew of the equation of how high they are, by how large they look, I can give a figure on how low they seem to be.

=-=

As for the helicopter lessons; my dad, for his birthday present, got helicopter lessons @ Weston. It cost about €200 for 30 minutes, or an hour.

Silvera

The South African site quotes the cost as €14,270 for a heli private pilot licence.


Tribble,
You could always join the Air Corps and get paid as you learn to fly !

tribble

Silvera wrote:

The South African site quotes the cost as €14,270 for a heli private pilot licence.


Tribble,
You could always join the Air Corps and get paid as you learn to fly !

I'd actually pay the €14,000 to learn!
As for joining the Air Corp - I just started back in college (I can't believe I'm an iccle first year again!, it's cool!) I best check the age limit.

sliabh

It's not helicopters, but for reference, a basic (fixed wing, single engine) Private Pilot's Licence will cost you about €6,000 in Ireland.

meepmeep

http://www.skytrace.ie

For lessons at weston

Fionn101

whirlybirds , go abroad (SA or OZ ) , do two weeks at them to get your licence and save a fortune

Weston is only good for an intro flight cause tehy are so expensive(and the compaines there)

Also there is a chopper simulator (full motion I belive) which may be worth a look, but my best advise is to get a good chopper pilot to try scare you, not only is it fun , but it's manouveres which YOU will have to learn should you wish to fly , it's a good idea as there is no point in spending 10 grand and then giving up cause you get scared during stalls ( autorotation in choppers iirc)

oh , and if you decide to crash over water, you have to go down with the chopper aswell ( I could be wrong, used to live with a chopper pilot who said this) wait for the blades to stop swirling and then get out , usually you will sink 30 or so feet before this , nice thought very realisitc since we are an island nation though!!

Hope this helps, let meknow if you have more questions , but may I recommend doing a fixed wing PPL , like misubishi cars they are smaller better cheaper faster ....

atlantean

Well it the cost does not put people off the idea of drowning will go some way to help!

:eek:

r22

I got my Private Pilots Licence in Helicopters last year, here's what really happens.
The hours required are 45 MINIMUM. Most people do not pass with the minimum hours. It depends on how often you fly, the type of flying you do when you do fly, your own aptitude, whether you get the same instructor all the time, and stuff.
Flying fixed wing (planks to us ) first is of limited use. The airmanship stuff is the same (rules of the air, watch out for other traffic, situational awareness, radio use), but the flying itself is completely different. In fact in certain types of helicopter, the instinctive reactions of fixed wing pilots can be downright dangerous. Ironically most people learn to fly in these type of helicopters as they are the cheapest to learn in. But you just learn to avoid those flight characteristics. Just like you avoid doing stupid things in your car.
Autorotations are relatively gentle manoeuvres. Nothing scary about them whatsoever. In fact, if you're doing anything that scares you, you shouldn't be doing it in the first place. Slow, steady and safe is the way to go, until you have a 1000 hours or so.
There are 4 or so Helicopter training schools at weston airport, out Lucan direction (or is it Leixlip, can never remember which one is which). I trained with Eirecopter, a good bunch. An intro lesson is half an hour, more than that and your brain melts at the start as there's so much going on. eirecopter.ie
As for flying long distances over water, the principles are the same as with flying any single engined aircraft over water. You avoid it where possible. If you do decide to di it, to go to the UK for example, you wear lifejackets, dry suits, pick the shortest distance, and if it all goes tits up well, neither situation is good. Yes you have to wait for the blades to stop, but at least you hit the water slowly and not at the higher speed of a plank.
If you do get your licence abroad, you will have to make sure the licence can be used in Ireland. The licencing system is not universal, and you may have to convert by doing exams here, but it may still be cheaper in the long run. Doing it in ireland is bloody expensive, but many people suck it up and do it here for many reasons. In fact most people do.
When I was younger and keener I kept a diary of my flying, it's at link
At this stage all I can say is, give it a lash. Fixed wing is definitely cheaper, but nothing beats being able to lift, hover and take off from anywhere. It's worth it. And now, more stella.

atlantean

Thanks R22 – very informative.

You are right, it is bloody expensive at €340 per hour. That’s a minimum of €15300, not counting other expenses. Then there is the other expense of getting a commercial license if you want to go further.

Can you make any money out of having a commercial licence? I mean after you have paid to get it.

r22

At the start, probably no. I work part time so job 1 will pay for the flying at the minute. I'll probably end up instructing for a couple of years, but that's grand, I know I'll enjoy it.

atlantean

Don’t suppose FÁS run any training courses