Add On Rating

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HELICOPTER ADD-ON RATINGS

At Helicopter Pro, we offer a comprehensive flight school program, including professional helicopter add-on ratings to help you accomplish your goals. Our “add-on” ratings are for those who have a fixed-wing airplane license and want to add on a helicopter rating. Below we will go over our most popular course offerings. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us today.

REQUIREMENTS for adding a helicopter rating to a fixed-wing licence

The following items are the requirements needed for adding a helicopter rating to a fixed-wing license.

Finish training with applicable aeronautical experience. This would be what is included under the Private Helicopter or Commercial Helicopter courses.
Must have a logbook or training record endorsement from an authorized instructor attesting that the person was found competent in the appropriate aeronautical knowledge areas and proficient in the appropriate areas of operation.
Pass a practical test.
Does NOT need to take a written knowledge test as long as the applicant holds an airplane, rotorcraft, powered-lift, weight-shift-control aircraft, powered parachute, or airship rating at that pilot certificate level.

Helicopter Add-on Rating  most asked Question

I have an existing fixed-winged commercial rating. Can I add a commercial helicopter rating without getting a private helicopter rating first?

Yes. You can add a commercial helicopter rating without getting a private helicopter rating first. As 14 CFR 61.123 points out, you must have at least a private rating (any category) to obtain a commercial rating. It does not state the category or class. However, there is some benefit to obtaining a private helicopter rating prior to a commercial rating. One of the requirements to obtain a commercial rating in the helicopter is to have 35 hours of pilot-in-command time. Without a rating in the category, the pilot cannot log all 35 hours of PIC time unless they are the sole occupant of the aircraft. If the pilot has a rotorcraft–helicopter rating, they can receive training and count that time as PIC. As such, the pilot can perform more advanced maneuvers during these 35 hours and often become a better pilot than pilots that just fly solo. The pilots that fly solo for 35 hours often tend to get bad habits, or they don’t do much other than cross-country flight or those with little or no challenges.

Also, when training in a Robinson R44, you are required to have a minimum of 20 hours of dual instruction and an endorsement from a certified flight instructor prior to operating it in a solo flight.

Helicopter Pro instructors will help you accomplish specific flight requirements, such as cross-country, night flights, and more.