Longhorn FAQs

While having both ratings on your resume may help you obtain a job with certain companies, there is by no means a requirement to be airplane rated to advance as a helicopter pilot. There are a limited number of jobs that actually require both.

No, a college degree is not necessary. While flight training, you focus all of your educational time on how to fly and on course material that is 100% relevant to the flying environment. However, having a college degree is not a detriment to obtaining a flying job either, a few flight departments consider it a benefit.

Currently a candidate must be able to read, speak and understand English. Additionally a candidate must be able to posses an FAA Medical Certificate and meet the following age requirements. PPL age 17 CPL age 18 ATP age 23

Right now, it is virtually impossible to be eligible for any helicopter flying job outside of primary flight instruction unless you are Instrument rated. Even in the area of flight instruction, which is typically a civilian starting point, the CFI with an Instrument rating or the CFII always has the competitive edge and will get job preference. The bottom line is that an Instrument rated pilot is a safer pilot. The insurance companies know it, the employers know it, and the FAA Statistics prove it.

Absolutely! This is a common misconception that a person has to start flying airplanes. In fact, if you are working towards a career as a Professional Helicopter Pilot, it would be more beneficial to fly only helicopters until you get your first job.

Generally no, the costs will even out most of the time because you are forced to learn new maneuvers and procedures that are different than flying an airplane. Re-training yourself to respond instinctively with the proper reactions for helicopters typically takes as much time as you may have saved by doing an airplane rating first. It is also easier to transition to an airplane from a helicopter than the other way around. Having said that though, we have many graduates of our program that did have their airplane rating first, and we always welcome add-on rating students.

This is a very common misconception. In the unlikely event of an engine failure, the pilot performs an autorotation. This is a condition of flight where the rotor system is powered by the upward flow of air and not the engine. An autorotation in a helicopter enables a pilot to land safely in a very confined area, without the need for a long stretch of ground like airplanes. The maneuverability of a helicopter during autorotation is one of it's strongest assets.

NOTHING! There are NO prerequisites. You can begin training in the helicopter TODAY! We offer a special introductory training flights so you can try helicopter flying (hands-on) with no obligation. You can begin at any age when you can reach the flight controls. There is no upper age limit. You must be 16 years old to fly the helicopter solo (by yourself), 17 to get a Private Pilot's license and 18 years old to get a Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor's license, 23 for an Airline Transport Pilot rating.

You can legally fly ANY type of helicopter, including turbine (jet) engine-powered helicopters or multi-engine helicopters up to a gross weight of 12,500 lbs. (Only a few VERY LARGE helicopters weigh more than that limit). The flight controls work the same in EVERY type and size of helicopter. To safely fly a different size or type of helicopter, however, will usually require some additional training in that aircraft. Often insurance companies will require a certain number of hours of experience before you can act as solo Pilot-in-Command of different sizes or types of aircraft.