Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL (H))
Imagine walking into an airport, hiring a helicopter and flying yourself and
your friends to an hotel. You land in their grounds and walk into the
restaurant. After a lovely meal you take off and fly home. You can turn this
fantasy into reality with a Private Pilot's licence (PPL (H)).
Getting a PPL for helicopter flying is a tremendous experience from your first
flying lesson to getting your license at the end. The course is a combination of
flying in the helicopter and learning about the theory of why helicopters fly
and how to fly safely.
There are nine practical subjects you need to study, each with a multiple choice
exam that you have to pass to qualify. These subjects are Air law, Operational
procedures, Meteorology, Human performance and limitations, Communications,
Aircraft (general) and principles of flight, Navigation, Flight performance and
planning. In addition you will need to pass a practical test on the correct
phraseology to use when talking to Air Traffic Control (ATC) as you fly across
the country. This is known as 'radiotelephony' and we have our own in-house
instructor and examiner. Overall, the course is challenging and stimulating. You
can study at home and make use of Heliflight’s ground school where we will teach
you all you need to know and help you if you have any difficulties with
particular aspects.
To take your exams you will first need to set up a CAA customer portal. You will
also need this for your medical,
The flying part of the course is exhilarating. Divided into 30 different
exercises you will spend at least 45 hours in the air to gain your license.
These excercises provide you with the skills you need to fly safely, anywhere in
the world (subject to meeting any local licencing requirements). You’ll get a
feel for how the helicopter handles when flying straight and level, turning,
climbing and descending. And, as your training progresses, you’ll learn how to
hover. It takes time. Co-ordinating all the controls to fly above the ground in
one position is tricky to begin with, but, when you mastered it, you’ll just
want to do it again and again. Once you are proficient in the hover you’ll also
be taught to land and take off.
Pretty soon you’ll be ready for a solo flight. This is one of those great
experiences in life and every pilot remembers theirs. The day you pilot a
helicopter with no-one else in the cockpit, perhaps flying a circuit around the
airfield, be prepared to feel fantastic for a very long time: it’s that
tremendous. You’ll spend at least ten hours of your course flying solo, often
away from the airfield and eventually landing at others as you practice
navigation. Towards the end of the course there is also a practical test on
navigating cross-country.
Finally you take a flight test, a day where you demonstrate all you’ve learnt to
a friendly flight examiner. Heliflight has its own resident examiners. On
successful completion of your flight test you apply for your licence and soon
you’ll be a bone fide Helicopter pilot.
You need to be 16 years old to fly solo and have to be 17 to apply for a
license. You must also be reasonably healthy as you will need to pass a medical
examination with a doctor recognised by the Civil Aviation Authority. There is a
specialist Aviation Medical Centre at the airfield.
If you would like further information about the PPL (H) course and the other
training available from Heliflight We’ll be happy to help. Alternatively please
call us.