{"id":13974,"date":"2023-10-02T13:54:33","date_gmt":"2023-10-02T13:54:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helitrader.com\/?p=13974"},"modified":"2023-10-02T13:54:34","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T13:54:34","slug":"from-zero-helicopter-time-to-epic-helicopter-adventures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helitrader.com\/from-zero-helicopter-time-to-epic-helicopter-adventures\/","title":{"rendered":"From zero helicopter time to epic helicopter adventures"},"content":{"rendered":"
There is a new breed of social media influencer online today, sharing incredible adventures with helicopters and sparking real desire for personal helicopters. It\u2019s hard to resist sleek helicopters skimming lakes, landing on breathtaking mountain peaks, and accessing the perfect off-the-gird camping site or fishing hole. How do you go from zero or low flight experience to having these epic experiences?<\/p>
Many potential pilots with the means look immediately toward purchasing a turbine helicopter to learn to fly as that may be their ideal choice for adventures. Unfortunately, today\u2019s insurance climate is making this an exceptionally expensive and often prohibitive route.<\/p>
\u201cA lot of my clients are new to helicopters, and many have the money and want to purchase a turbine to start,\u201d said Halsey Schider, owner and CEO of Sellacopter of Helotes, Texas. \u201cThere are two caveats to that I always tell people. First, insurance is going to make that virtually impossible. Most insurance companies today will not underwrite a new pilot learning in their turbine helicopter or allow them to fly it PIC [pilot in command] unless they have considerable experience. And if they do insure you, the requirements are pretty prohibitive, such as requiring you to fly with a safety pilot for hundreds of hours before you can fly it alone. I always recommend new pilots or those looking to learn to fly consider a piston helicopter first.\u201d<\/p>
Insurance will also most likely put limitations on operations, such as landing off airport in remote areas that more often than not feature uneven terrain. The other option, self-insuring, or basically not having hull insurance and only low maximum liability coverage offered to new pilots is also limiting. Many landing sites overseen by private entities will require anyone using their site to have full insurance, thus prohibiting self-insured pilots from landing there, warned Scott Urschel, president of Pylon Aviation Services of Chandler, Arizona.<\/p>
The second caveat Schider warns clients about is forgiveness. A turbine helicopter is far less forgiving than a piston when it comes to exceeding limitations.<\/p>
\u201cThere is a level of forgiveness in a piston engine,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you accidentally pull or exceed the red line on a piston, you\u2019re not going to torch an engine. Piston aircraft are slightly power limited, offering that forgiveness. At the same time, learning to fly and building time in a piston gives you a really good idea of how to be a good power management pilot, which you need as you get into a turbine. Once you get into that turbine, if a red line on your gauges is exceeded, especially your propulsion gauges, something can get very expensive very fast.\u201d<\/p>Piston helicopters can be excellent epic adventure companions. Its smaller airframe allows pilots to get into and out of smaller spaces. Ralph van Woerden (@woerden300cbi) Photo<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>
The piston route<\/strong><\/p>
Piston helicopters are also far easier to insure for new and low time pilots, the insurance is far less than that of a turbine, maintenance costs are much lower, and the aircraft themselves cost less. Resale value for the aircraft can also be quite high as well, allowing owners to trade up once they\u2019ve built the experience needed to acquire insurance in a larger aircraft.<\/p>
Piston helicopters are also excellent epic adventure companions. All helicopters are designed to land off airport and piston helicopters make ideal aircraft for not only learning how to safely operate off airport, but to take you on those adventures.<\/p>
Piston aircraft, particularly the Robinson R22 and Schweizer 300 series, are also smaller than turbine helicopters, allowing pilots to get into and out of smaller spaces.<\/p>
Ralph van Woerden is a retired automotive business owner in Chilliwack, B.C. He learned to fly in the early 2000s in a Schweizer and chose to purchase one for his own use upon earning his license in 2004. He has since purchased a newer Schweizer 300CBi with his son and together they fly it for personal use. Woerden himself has become a social media influencer, posting breathtaking images and videos of his adventures on his Instagram page.<\/a><\/p>
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