Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need any prior flying experience?
What are the steps to getting started?
What's an introductory flight?
What are the study materials?
What's an aviation medical exam?
Do I need perfect eye sight?
What do I have to do to register for the school?
What type of helicopter licences are available?
Do I have to get my private licence before my commercial license?
How old do I have to be to get a pilots licence?
Am I too heavy to train with you?
How long does the training take?
Can I work at my job and flight train at the same time?
What hours is the school open?
Is the school open weekends?
When does the school semester begin?
Do you require the full tuition up front?
How do I pay my tuition?
Do I need any prior flying experience?
No. Most students have no prior aviation experience at the beginning of helicopter pilot training.
What are the steps to getting started?
First we recommend that you take an introductory flight lesson. Then get your study materials and book an aviation medical exam.
What's an introductory flight?
An introductory flight will give you a chance to pilot a helicopter for the first time. This will help you decide if you really want to pursue a pilots licence plus it will give you a knowledge base for the ground studying. Rotor-City Flight School offers a 20 minute "Introductory Flight" for a special rate.
Rotor-City Flight School sells a student study package which contains all of the ground school materials you will require. Our package includes the following:
- Principles Of Helicopter Flight
- Rotorcraft Flying Handbook
- From The Ground Up
- Air Command Weather Manual
- Aircraft Flight Manuals
- Flight log books you'll require
- Navigation and flight planning tools and charts
- Custom embroidered book satchel / flight bag
- Embroidered Four Seasons Aviation baseball hat
- Much more...
What's an aviation medical exam?
Transport Canada requires all pilots to have regular medical checkups. These are essentially a simple physical exam that you get from a general practitioner doctor who is certified by Transport as a medical examiner. The physician’s office will then send the exam documents to Transport Canada and 1 - 2 months later you should receive your medical certificate in the mail. The medical certificate is not required to begin flight training, however you will need it before you can fly solo.
No. You only need vision that is correctable to 20/30 with glasses or contact lenses.
What do I have to do to register for the school?
Give us a call or come by the heliport and we will discuss your needs and goals, make a plan for achieving them, then begin a training file for you.
What type of helicopter licences are available?
As a new pilot you can choose to train for either a Private Pilot Licence or a Commercial Pilot Licence. Plus we offer you the ability to get endorsements on other types of helicopters.
Do I have to get my private licence before my commercial?
No. There are some benefits to getting a private licence first, but most people take the simpler approach and just get their commercial straight away.
How old do I have to be to get a pilots licence?
In theory, you can begin training at any age, but you have to be 16 years old before you can fly solo, and you have to be 17 to be issued a private pilots license. However, you have to be 18 years old to get a commercial licence.
Am I too heavy to train with you?
The R22, which is our primary training helicopter has a pilot weight limit of 240lbs, therefore we aren't able to train students for a licence who are heavier than that. However, we can conduct advanced training for heavier students who already have a licence in the Bell 206 JetRanger.
How long does the training take?
A dedicated student who trains every day can obtain a private licence in less than 4 months, and a commercial in less than 6 months.
Can I work at my job and flight train at the same time?
Yes. Rotor-City Flight School understands that many students must work to pay for their training. We can customize your training schedule around your work schedule whether you are training full time or part time.
What hours is the school open?
We're open from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday and weekends by appointment. Appointments can be arranged outside of those hours to accommodate special situations.
Yes! Weekends by appointment.
When does the school semester begin?
Every student is trained individually, so there is no fixed school start date. You can come and train when it fits your schedule.
Do you require the full tuition up front?
No! Unlike most helicopter flight training schools Rotor-City Flight School only requests the ground school and pilot study kit be paid up front. As you fly, you will be charged on a per flight time bases.
At Rotor-City Flight School we accept visa, mastercard, amex, debit and personal and business cheques. Service charges may be applicable for credit card transactions.