Flight training in the US

[Pepi]

Hello Slappers,

I am going over to the US to do some hr building and complete a turbine endorsement.

I have a couple of training schools in mind that I have contacted down the west coast in Oregon and California. Does anyone have any experience with these organisations, and any advice on those they would recommend or avoid?

I have narrowed down my search to the below schools:

Helistream
Elite Helicopters
Precision Helicopters
Hillsboro Aviation
Civic Helicopters

Any advise on these companies or if you can share your experience if you have dealt with these companies would be appreciated,

Cheers,
Pepi

[jimiemick]

Did you end up doing this??

If so how did you go?

[Pepi]

Hello Jimiemick,

Yes, Actually I am here at the moment. I did not end up going with any of those that I initially mentioned, but have had a really good experience with Jerry Trimble in Oregon. Really experienced instructor who was a flight tester for the initial Robinson models and so knows the machines well. Have also been really friendly and helpful with accommodation etc.

The turbine endorsement is alluding me at the moment though, no one has an available turbine for training around.

[ChicoCheco]

Is the 206B2 not there anymore? Saw it in hangar 'last time'. Was for some training at a time, at Australia's R44 rate. Or nearby 500.

Well, drive 10 mins across the 'hill' and fly the 500 for endo/rating. I wish I could fly their Cabri G2 as well. So much better machine for training/instructing than the 'mainstream' and Oregon in season, well, best of both. You pay double for MD/H500 in Oz or NZ. Dreams for me right now. Get up early, do bit of C172 IFR flying, then hop in R22 on the left, chat to some unique/vintage aircraft visiting pilots, watch nextdoor DC3 doing T&Gs, some bizjet coming in, then Columbia's Vertols from Astoria, Precision's S61, Salem's Blackhawks or even Canadian SAR Caribous with full crew x2 popping in. Then sipping some NW US ale right at the brewery or McMenamins. Shame Evegreen doens't have the choppers buzzing round, B210/412 doing 180's and so on.

I'm so jealous, man. I'll forget all the downsides of instructing in R22, good times and memories from Oregon stay and the not so good stuff fades away. Anything's better than ground bound/flustered in Oz currently (not counting bit of soaring/gliding here and there), cash and all that. You're too early for nice weather in Oregon, though. May/June and later, although for local training it doesn't matter much.

[Ag-Fire]

Hi Pepi,

Just wondering what visa's did you have to get and what a brief process that you had to go through with all of this, I'm curious as I get to the US a little bit and wouldn't mind trying to pick up a few endorsements if I could.

Sounds like its a very nice setup you've got yourself.

Cheers

[Pepi]

Hi Ag-Fire,

Just the regular 90 day holiday visa is fine so long as you are not training to get a licence over here. I am just over on a holiday visa, and a FAA temporary permit, issued by the FAA with a bit of paperwork before getting here and a short interview with a FAA agent.

[UAT]

I did an EC120 Factory approved endorsement with Helistream and found them very good...