? for Joe A , Sing or any pilots.
 

I have 23 rotorcraft training hours. The last time I flew was about 6 yrs ago. I want to go back and get my license, or at least my fixed wing rating. My question is, can I still use those past hrs to count toward my training? Or has it been too long?

Thanks,
Vinny

Vinny,

Flight time is flight time, period. If its logged and properly documented then it can be used.

That said, if its been a while its going to take you a bit to get back in the flying mode.

Do you want to get your fixed or rotary wing license? In many cases its cheaper to get your private in a smaller fixed wing, then transfer over to rotary. Problem is that rotary wing is so expensive that you can do twice as much in a small plane than you could do in a helo.

Hope this helps...

Joe

+1. Log everything you're legally allowed to. It never "expires" or "goes bad", but you'll obviously need some freshening up.

Like Joe said, flight time is flight time. You'll have to spend some cash to get current and feeling comfortable in the thing. Rotorcraft flight time is sooo expensive (I know) and seems to be getting more so compared to fixed wing. These days you could do all your training in a Beach Baron for near the same costs.
They are a hell of a lot of fun though...

My advice, FWIW, is to find a small FBO that gives leesons in Cessna 150/152 and go at it hard for a couple months and you will then be done for relatively cheap (as opposed to dragging it out over a year or two).

IOW, get it done as fast as possible in the cheapest/simplest airplane you can (no need to blow money in something advanced while training for the private ticket).

With your previous time, I would think you should be able to get your private for as little as 2K (provided you do it quickly and in a small trainer).

Thanks guys! The reason I stopped training was the cost was getting too high. Rotor time was triple the $ of fixed wing time. So if I get back in it, I will go with fixed wing.
Yeah, i know it will be like startin from scratch. When I went two weeks with out seat time, It was like I was never in it before.

Agree (as well with the other posters).

I have both a helo rating and a fixed-wing rating. While I love flying helicopters, it is far more practical for me to rent fixed-wing aircraft for pleasure flying/currency when I fly privately.

Great to hear you are looking to start flying again! Best of luck.

True Seahawk, I had wanted to go for my commercial rotorcraft rating originally but I couldnt swing it. Plus after talking to alot of pilots , I realized finding work wouldnt be that easy.
I was a UH-1 crew chief in the Army. All the guys I flew with said, dont bother with it. Go for my fixed wing instead its much cheaper. But did I listen??? Noooooooo!:D

Funny, I'm currently looking into using my GI Bill to pay for a commerical helicopter license.

Leland Pate:

Bomb Technician
Federal Agent
Helicopter Pilot

...and Porsche owner


Don't that have a good ring to it?! :D

Now you just need to buy a tuxedo and have a clever way of ordering your preferred drink.

yep, may as well say you're starting fresh, but keep the hours logged prior..they'll come in helpful down the road when total time becomes more important. for now, count on about 50 hours to get your fixed-wing. yes, 40 is possible (took me 48 and i worked professionally as a learjet captain), but hard to manage unless you fly at a quiet, uncontrolled field where you can get airborne relatively quickly. taking instructions out of a class c or b airport, for example, eats a lot of hobbs time just taxiing and holding for take-offs, etc.
ryan

With helicopters, no sitting in line waiting for takeoff (and paying for it!). The Hobbs meter doesn't start ticking over until you pull pitch. There are some airline pilots out there with hundreds of hours, if not more, sitting on the ground waiting to takeoff.

47 hours in about two months at a relatively small county airport. The average is probably 60+. Prior experience/time should help with some of the basics like radios, navigation etc etc.

Rotor Heads unite. I have owned my Bonanza for about 10 years, but I would trade it in a heartbeat for an MD500. I have about 600 hours in MD500's, Jet Rangers and A Stars.

I did get my commerical and instrument rating in a fixed wing first and then added the helo rating.

For my budget you can't beat the fixed wing. If you have a limited budget go fixed wing.

Hi Vinny, what are your current goals in flying?
A fun hobby?
Personal transportation?
Future career change?
Just finish getting a certificate?
Fixed wing or really prefer rotor?
In the long run it could make a difference in how to get the most bang for the buck.

I have 40-50 hours in helo's and would love to have a Loach! Course I could not afford to fly it due to the maintenance costs so will have to be happy with what I have now.

JA