Ever wondered how much it costs to get your helicopter pilot license? Unfortunately, there's no single answer to this question.
You see, there are different types of helicopter licenses, and each comes with its own price.
There are three basic types of helicopter pilot licenses and certificates: 1.
Private 2.
Commercial 3.
Flight Instructor Certificate Each of these comes with its own specific privileges, eligibility and training requirements, and of course, fees.
So, if you want to know how much a helicopter license costs, you really need to ask yourself what you want to be able to do as a helicopter pilot.
Private Pilot License If you just want to fly helicopters for fun or personal use, then all you need is a Private Pilot License.
The Federal Aviation Administration, which sets all helicopter pilot regulations in the United States, requires potential helicopter pilots to complete at least 40 hours of flight training (occasionally certain flight raining programs will require 60 hours or more).
They also require you to complete ground training as well as pass a written and practical flight examination.
As for the cost of a Private Private License, most of your expenses will be incurred while accumulating your flight hours.
On average, helicopter flight schools and training programs charge about $250 per flight hour.
Doing the math, a Private Pilot License will run you somewhere between $10,000 and $15,000, give or take a few grand.
You'll also have to pay for your course materials and ground training, but that will be nothing compared to the thousands in dollars you'll pay for your flight hours.
Commercial Pilot License Let's say you don't want to only fly helicopters for fun.
You actually want to get paid.
For that, you're going to need a Commercial Pilot License.
This is a little trickier to get.
To start, the Federal Aviation Administration requires that you complete 150 hours of flight training.
Remember, it's going to cost around $250 for each hour of flight training.
So, to calculate the price for your Commercial Pilot License, just multiply that fee times 150.
You're looking at around $37,000.
Of course, if you already have your Private Pilot License, you can deduct your current flight hours (probably around 40-60) from the total you need for your Commercial Pilot License.
Again, you'll be responsible for course materials and ground training as well.
Flight Instructor Certificate Another popular type of helicopter license, is a Flight Instructor Certificate.
As you may have guessed, this makes you legal to teach the art of flying helicopters to other aspiring pilots.
It might surprise you that getting your Flight Instructor Certificate is just a fraction of the price of both the Private and Commercial License.
Still, the Federal Aviation Administration requires that you must hold a valid Commercial License to be eligible for your Flight Instructor Certificate.
You won't, however, need to accumulate any more hours of flight training.
This is the reason it's so much cheaper than the other types of helicopter licenses.
You will, however, need to pass a written, oral and practical flight test, which will cost about $3,000 to $4,000, depending on the particular training program.
So you see, getting your helicopter license is no small feat.
Then again, if it was, everybody would be flying helicopters! To keep these costs in perspective, remember that flying a helicopter is a dangerous skill that requires extensive training for your safety and that of others.
You see, there are different types of helicopter licenses, and each comes with its own price.
There are three basic types of helicopter pilot licenses and certificates: 1.
Private 2.
Commercial 3.
Flight Instructor Certificate Each of these comes with its own specific privileges, eligibility and training requirements, and of course, fees.
So, if you want to know how much a helicopter license costs, you really need to ask yourself what you want to be able to do as a helicopter pilot.
Private Pilot License If you just want to fly helicopters for fun or personal use, then all you need is a Private Pilot License.
The Federal Aviation Administration, which sets all helicopter pilot regulations in the United States, requires potential helicopter pilots to complete at least 40 hours of flight training (occasionally certain flight raining programs will require 60 hours or more).
They also require you to complete ground training as well as pass a written and practical flight examination.
As for the cost of a Private Private License, most of your expenses will be incurred while accumulating your flight hours.
On average, helicopter flight schools and training programs charge about $250 per flight hour.
Doing the math, a Private Pilot License will run you somewhere between $10,000 and $15,000, give or take a few grand.
You'll also have to pay for your course materials and ground training, but that will be nothing compared to the thousands in dollars you'll pay for your flight hours.
Commercial Pilot License Let's say you don't want to only fly helicopters for fun.
You actually want to get paid.
For that, you're going to need a Commercial Pilot License.
This is a little trickier to get.
To start, the Federal Aviation Administration requires that you complete 150 hours of flight training.
Remember, it's going to cost around $250 for each hour of flight training.
So, to calculate the price for your Commercial Pilot License, just multiply that fee times 150.
You're looking at around $37,000.
Of course, if you already have your Private Pilot License, you can deduct your current flight hours (probably around 40-60) from the total you need for your Commercial Pilot License.
Again, you'll be responsible for course materials and ground training as well.
Flight Instructor Certificate Another popular type of helicopter license, is a Flight Instructor Certificate.
As you may have guessed, this makes you legal to teach the art of flying helicopters to other aspiring pilots.
It might surprise you that getting your Flight Instructor Certificate is just a fraction of the price of both the Private and Commercial License.
Still, the Federal Aviation Administration requires that you must hold a valid Commercial License to be eligible for your Flight Instructor Certificate.
You won't, however, need to accumulate any more hours of flight training.
This is the reason it's so much cheaper than the other types of helicopter licenses.
You will, however, need to pass a written, oral and practical flight test, which will cost about $3,000 to $4,000, depending on the particular training program.
So you see, getting your helicopter license is no small feat.
Then again, if it was, everybody would be flying helicopters! To keep these costs in perspective, remember that flying a helicopter is a dangerous skill that requires extensive training for your safety and that of others.