Learn To Fly A Helicopter

At Yorkshire Helicopters, our number one priority is to help you become a safe and confident helicopter pilot, all the while enjoying the majestic views of Yorkshire. Becoming a helicopter pilot is within reach of a great many people. Contrary to popular belief, helicopter pilots are not blessed with super human skills, we’re normal people, just like you.

The Helicopter Pilot Licence

The Private Pilot Helicopter Licence is known as PPL(H). It is a Civil Aviation Authority approved helicopter training course. The CAA is the regulatory body for aviation in the UK. Once complete and passed, your PPL(H) will allow you to pilot a helicopter for own business or pleasure with friends and family.. Your PPL(H) allows you to fly throughout the UK and Europe.

The PPL(H) Overview

  • The minimum number of flight hours for the issue of PPL(H) is 45, of which 25 must be dual instruction and 10 solo.
  • Of the 10 hours solo flying, five have to be navigational training including a cross country exercise of at least 100 nautical miles. For this part, you will be landing away at two alternative airfields.
  • During your 45 hours training you will learn a variety of different air exercises, from the obvious achievements such as learning to hover a helicopter, through navigation and also flying into large international airports
  • You will have successfully completed nine theoretical examinations, plus you will have a radio telephone licence for using the radio to communicate in flight
  • A Class 2 Medical Certificate will be required before you fly solo. We can help with this any any other requirements you may have.
  • There are 9 theoretical knowledge examinations taken in-house which can be self-studied in your own time. We will be preparing you with lots theoretical knowledge instruction to prepare you for the exams as part of your training. There is no charge for sitting the examinations.
  • Once you have accomplished a competent level of flying, you will gain your PPL(H) after successful examination with our CAA approved examiner.

Those are the main compulsory things you will need to become a helicopter pilot. Of course, that is merely an overview and there are so many amazing experiences to be had if you become a helicopter pilot, either as your new profession or as a whole new means to travel. You will, without doubt, have a great meany questions. Our ever-changing helicopter pilot FAQ can be found here, while below are some of the questions that prospective helicopter pilots often ask us. However the best way to learn more is simply to give us a call, fix a convenient time to visit and chat about your ambitions to become a qualified pilot and perhaps even take the first step with a trial lesson.

The New Helicopter Pilot FAQ

You’re bound to have a great many questions. Indeed, there may seem an awful lot to learn at first. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions

Our home base is Walton Wood Airfield. There is no official air traffic control here, making this a relaxed atmosphere to learn as well as being very cost effective. We have the ability to move freely around the airfield without sitting holding and wasting time unnecessarily for air traffic control reasons. This means that the essential skills of helicopter flying can be learned right here. No transit flights away to training areas or sitting waiting for a gap in between airliners at a large airport.

We share our offices with Aero Maintenance Ltd, one of the leading helicopter engineering companies. Students love the additional advantage of having engineers available to help learn some of the more technical aspects of the helicopter. And there is always an interesting helicopter or two coming and going to the Aero Maintenance workshops.

Walton Wood is an almost 100% helicopter environment and the more time you spend here, the more you will realise the benefits of being immersed in this amazing world.

The minimum number of hours to legally hold a helicopter licence is 45 hours. Some pilots manage to qualify in this time though the majority of pilots take a little longer for a whole variety of reasons.
Everyone is different, with differing demands on their time and varying learning rates. It may well take you a little longer and that doesn’t make you an less of a helicopter pilot.
Think of your new helicopter licence in the same way as your driving licence – You’ve passed a test that enables you to begin an entirely new era of experiences and learning. Your PPL(H) is simply the start, there is so much more to experience and learn. Above all, enjoy the journey.

Our pricing will vary from time to time depending on fuel pricing. We try to remain as competitive as possible and we won’t change your rate half way through training. This means that what you start to pay will remain the same with no surprises. There are no membership fees and no landing fees so you only pay when you fly, this includes time on the ground for briefing and debriefing.

You can either pay as you go or you can save by going for a prepayment block of 10 hours.

You will need a Class 2 Medical Certificate before your first solo flight. If you are generally in good health and there is no reason to suspect you would not pass a medical then it is generally ok to begin training.
There are many locations across Yorkshire to obtain a medical and indeed, your own doctor may well be qualified to do this. We can advise on this if you need assistance.

If you wear prescription glasses or contact lenses, again this is perfectly fine for flying.

Everyone hates exams. And they can sometimes be the element of learning that new helicopter pilots dread the most. Yet in fact, the nine tests you need to pass for your licence are easily within reach of anyone of average aptitude. You don’t need any special academic qualifications and while the studying may be one of the less exciting parts of flying, it isn’t as difficult as it may seem.

On commencement of training we will advise you the best materials to buy which can be purchased online or on occasion we may have a few in stock. This usually comes in the form of a flight bag containing a book dedicated to each theoretical knowledge subject, a blank logbook, a ruler, protractor, etc. Try and bring these with you each time you are booked in.