NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Many members of the public are more familiar with fixed-wing aviation than the helicopter industry, so those interested in a career as a helicopter pilot often don’t know where to begin. We are here to help. One common misconception is that you must get a private helicopter licence before progressing to a commercial licence. This may be true for the fixed-wing licence, but not for a helicopter licence.
Another misconception is that getting some fixed-wing experience is required before converting to helicopter training. If you choose to train as a commercial helicopter pilot you do not require any previous flying experience. In fact since flying helicopters vs. fixed-wing is quite different, fixed-wing flying may add some confusion to students at the beginning of their helicopter training.
The only formal prerequisites required to obtain a private or commercial helicopter pilot licence are:
- You must be a Canadian citizen, landed immigrant or lawfully admitted to Canada as a student.
- You must be at least 14 years of age at time of first solo flight and 17 years of age to obtain a Private Licence.
- Hold a valid Transport Canada Category 3 medical certificate.
- Training may commence before obtaining the medical exam, however we recommend this as a first step to avoid any delays.
There are no academic prerequisites, although we do suggest completion of high school. A Discovery Flight combined with a tour of our facility is a great opportunity to introduce you to the world of helicopter flight. This will provide a good understanding of what is required to become a helicopter pilot and to help you determine if it is the right choice for you.
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
All private helicopter pilots in Canada are required to hold a Category 3 aviation medical certificate in order to validate their Student Pilot Permit and Private Pilot Licence. We recommend all students complete a medical prior to starting class. A medical must be received from Transport Canada prior to any solo flight.
Category 3 – medical certificate validity period is 60 months (or 24 months if over 40 years of age). Visit the Transport Canada Civil Aviation website for detailed information on what is included in the Category 3 Medical Certificate Examination at www.tc.gc.ca.
Follow this link to find a Canadian Aviation Medical Examiner near you.
KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS
40 hours of ground school and a passing grade (60%) for the Transport Canada Private Pilot – Helicopter (PPHEL) written exam.
Ground School Subject Areas Include:
- Air Law and Procedures
- Airframes, Engines and Systems
- Theory of Flight
- Meteorology
- Instruments
- Navigation – General
- Navigation and Radio Aids
- Flight Operations
- Human Factors
RESOURCES
FLIGHT EXERCISES
1. Helicopter familiarization
2. Preparation for flight
3. Effects of controls
4. Airspeed and power changes
5. Climbs and descents
6. Turns
7. Autorotations 1 (upper air)
8. Hovering
9. Takeoff and landing
10. Hovering exercises
11. Engine failure at the hover /hover-taxi
12. Transitions
13. Autorotations 2 (landing)
14. Emergencies
15. The circuit
16. Sideways and reverse flight
17. Steep turns
18. Autorotations 3 (range variations)
19. Practice forced approaches
20. Pilot navigation
21. Rapid decelerations
22. Low level operations
23. Sloping ground
24. Advanced take-offs and landings
25. Confined areas
26. Vortex ring
27. Practical loading and maximum weight operations
28. Sling load operations
29. Type conversion
30. Instrument flying
31. Night flying – optional
RESOURCES
TUITION AND FEES
We have numerous course options depending on the aircraft types you are looking to fly during your training. All private courses meet Transport Canada flight training requirements for the Private Helicopter Pilot Licence (PPL-H). This includes a minimum of 45 hours of flight training time, 40 hours of classroom ground school and exercise briefings, required exams, flight test time and fees, licence and endorsement fees and paperwork courier fees.
If you have questions about the courses or if there is a different option you would like to see please contact us to discuss options.
If you own a helicopter or are planning to purchase one, we may be able to train you on it. Please contact us for more information.
| 45hrs R22 @ $595/hr + GST | $28,113.75 | ||
| 3hrs SIM @ $150/hr + GST | $472.50 | ||
| Book Package (including headset) | $1,298.75 | ||
| Classroom Ground School | $1,890.00 | ||
| Restricted Radio Operator’s Licence | 25.00 | ||
| Transport Canada Written Exam | $200.00 | ||
| Flight Test 1.8hrs R22 @ $595/hr + GST | $1124.55 | ||
| Flight Test Fee | $525.00 | ||
| Transport Canada Licence/Endorsement Fee | $55.00 | ||
| Administration and Courier Fees | $260.00 | ||
| TOTAL COURSE COST | $33,964.55 | ||
| 45hrs R44 @ $810/hr + GST | $38,272,50 | ||
| 3hrs SIM @ $150/hr + GST | $472.50 | ||
| Book Package | $1,298.75 | ||
| Classroom Ground School | $1,890.00 | ||
| Restricted Radio Operator’s Licence | $25.00 | ||
| Transport Canada Written Exam | $200.00 | ||
| Flight Test 1.8hrs R44 @ $810/hr + GST | $1,530.90 | ||
| Flight Test Fee | $525.00 | ||
| Transport Canada Licence/Endorsement Fee | $55.00 | ||
| Courier Fee | $260.00 | ||
| TOTAL COURSE COST | $44,529.65 | ||
Register for the Private Helicopter Pilot course
To register for course please email info@mvheli.com or call us at 403 286 7186.
PRIVATE HELICOPTER LICENCE
Love aviation? Need a new hobby? This course is for you! The Private Helicopter Licence is for someone looking to fly strictly for pleasure. Our facility offers a variety of options both full time or part time to train you to become a safe and proficient helicopter pilot.
Mountain View Helicopters prides itself on being the highest quality helicopter training school available in Canada. Our unique location on the eastern edge of the Canadian Rockies allows our students to hone their skills in a beautiful, but challenging operational environment.
At MVH we are passionate about teaching. Our main focus is flight training and our dedication to it is noticeable when you walk through our door. We are a commercial operator as well with tours and charters, but we have made our flight school our number one priority. We employ highly experienced and skilled flight instructors and hold ourselves to a high standard of training. Most of our instructors did their initial training at MVH which helps maintain our high standards and consistency in training.
About the Course
Students in our Private Helicopter Pilot course will meet and exceed the minimum requirements set out by Transport Canada of 40 hours of ground school and 45 hours of flight training time. The course is a combination of classroom ground school, exercise briefings, flight training, simulator training and hands on experience.
Both full time and part time training is available with flexible start dates and personalized scheduling.
Course Length
The Private Helicopter Pilot Course takes approximately three months of full time training. The completion date is weather dependent. The length of a part time course depends on the students schedule and availability.
Class Schedule
Full time classes run Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. Students can expect flights most days, with non-fly days reserved for ground school and study time.
How to Register
Email info@mvheli.com or call us at (403) 286-7186.