Rotary Wing Add-On?

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Anthony8822

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Anthony
So, I'm a CFI and I recently interviewed at an airport and learned that they have a Robinson R-44 and do helicopter training.

I've been reading online and I keep seeing programs to take private pilots to private helicopter pilots, and ones for commercial pilots wanting to become commercial helicopter pilots, but not for a guy like me wanting to go from my commercial pilots license to a private helicopter license.

Am I missing something here? Or is the process to go from PPL to private rotary wing the same to go from CPL to it?
 
I did the PPL(A) -> PPL(H) rotary add-on, and my understanding is that if all you want is PPL rotary, you can take the standard PPL add-on rotary course and will be issued a separate PPL certificate for it. I don't think there is any difference as far as hours or training required going from PPL(A) -> PPL(H) vs. CPL(A) -> PPL(H), if that's your question. If you do intend to get your CPL(H), the school might work some discount deal with you, but that's not an FAA issue AFAIK.
But I stand to be corrected since I am not 100% sure.
 
I did the program in reverse. I had a commercial RW and got a ASEL PPL years later. I would imagine the process would be the same in reverse for you. I simply had to satisfy the minimum requirements established in the FAR for the PPL rating. Not sure why they may not include the commercial to PPL in their catalogue, but I'm sure they could outline a program to get your RW PPL from where you stand now. (It should basically just be the same for the PPL to PPL as far as I know).

This is probably moot as the requirements for the RW PPL are likely higher than 20 hours (don't have the FAR at the moment) but you'll need 20 in the R44 specifically per the SFAR to operate as PIC as well.
 
From a practical standpoint, you may want to consider going for comm since you'll probably need the extra hours anyway. There's only a few differences between the two PTS's (or whatever they're called now). I think doing a 180 auto is the only biggie.
 
Yes you can go from commercial airplane to private rotor. Just be careful in evaluating cost. As the regs read when your instructor is ready to sign you off for a pic endorsement that should allow you to log pic time even when the instructor is on board but there was a letter issued from the chief councils office that essentially reversed the reg and wouldn't allow pic to be logged if the instructor is with you. Makes it cheaper to take the private ride asap then finish the commercial.
 
Anymouse said:
From a practical standpoint, you may want to consider going for comm since you'll probably need the extra hours anyway. There's only a few differences between the two PTS's (or whatever they're called now). I think doing a 180 auto is the only biggie.
Click to expand...

Not sure about any differences in the latest PTS, but for PPL(H) my CFIs had me do lots of 180 autos, as did the DPE. So I don't think that's a real-world distinction.
 
Cannot solo a Robbie until you have 20 hours dual per SFAR73. After that look at helicopter specific hours per 61.
 
Now you are making me curious about doing something similar myself. Well, I'm not commercial...yet but has spiked my interest nonetheless.
 
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