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Commercial Pilot Licence

The Commercial Helicopter Pilot Licence allows the holder to fly for hire or reward. A Commercial Pilot may be paid to fly for a charter company or a private individual or company.  Any company or person who offers an aircraft for hire or reward must also hold an Air Operator Certificate.

The “Enrolment“ page will guide you in starting your training program and provide you with a list of ground school supplies required for the course.

It is not necessary to obtain a private pilot license prior to commencing training for a commercial helicopter pilot license.  Most CPL-H candidates skip the private pilot training program and start commercial training directly.

The cost of commercial pilot training is fully deductible from personal income tax for Canadian residents and is sales tax exempt provided it is completed with an Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) recognized flight school. Advanced Heli-Flight Ltd. is recognized by ESDC as a qualified flight school.

Requirements

To obtain a Commercial Helicopter License, candidates with no previous flying experience must:

• be eighteen years of age (training may commence prior to this age)
• obtain a Category 1 Aviation Medical from a Transport Canada designated Medical Examiner
• successfully complete a Regulations and procedures exam for the issue of a Student Pilot Permit
• obtain a Restricted Radio Operators Permit - Aeronautical
• accumulate 100 hours of commercial flight training, of which
  - 55 hours must be dual flight instruction
  - 35 hours must be solo flight practice
• attend 80 hours of commercial ground school
• achieve 60% on a written Transport Canada examination (CPHEL)
• demonstrate English language proficiency during a Transport Canada oral exam
• demonstrate proficiency on a  Transport Canada practical flight test

Candidates who hold a Commercial Aeroplane Licence will be credited with 40 hours flight time and 60 hours ground school time and must:

• accumulate 60 hours of commercial helicopter flight training, of which
  - 37 hours must be dual flight instruction
  - 23 hours must be solo flight practice
• attend 20 hours of commercial helicopter ground school
• achieve 60% on a Transport Canada written examination (CHRAC)
• demonstrate proficiency on a Transport Canada practical flight test

Candidates who hold a Private Helicopter Pilot Licence will be credited with 40 hours flight time and 40 hours ground school time and must:

• be eighteen years of age
• obtain a Transport Canada Aviation Category 1 Medical
• accumulate a further 60 hours of commercial helicopter flight training, of which
  - 37 hours must be dual flight instruction
  - 23 hours must be solo flight practice
• attend 40 hours of commercial helicopter ground school
• achieve 60% on a written Transport Canada examination (CPHEL)
• demonstrate proficiency on a Transport Canada practical flight test

These flight times are Transport Canada minimum requirements. Some students may require further training depending on his or her progress during the course; however, most students complete the course within the minimum requirement.

Commercial Pilot Course Costs (for those with no previous experience):

Flight Training (100 hrs using the R44 @ $795 hr.): $79,500

Ground School: $1,200

Books and Materials: $350

Exams and Licensing Fees: $285

Flight Test (1.5 hours + test fee): $1,692.50

Total Cost: $83,027.50

Commercial Pilot Course Costs (for those who hold a CPL-A or PPL-H):  

Flight Training (60 hrs using the R44 @ $795 hr.): $47,700

Ground School: $800

Books and Materials: $350

Exams and Licensing Fees: $285

Flight Test (1.5 hours + test fee): $1,692.50

Total Cost:  $50,827.50

A word about student employment prospects

Although employment prospects for experienced helicopter pilots are good, it is often difficult for newly licensed helicopter pilots to find work; mainly because of insurance requirements or customer requirements. There is no recent data on employment statistics for newly licensed pilots; however, the road to finding your first job is not easy. You must contact as many potential employers as possible and sell yourself as a good candidate for hire. To date, most of our commercial graduates who have been looking for a job as a helicopter pilot have found work in this occupation. The following link will take you to a helicopter employment website which will give you an idea of what jobs are currently available for helicopter pilots. HELIJOBS.NET

How do newly licensed pilots gain experience?

Newly licensed pilots usually find their first job as a dispatcher or in a ground support role. When opportunities exist, the candidate is usually assigned ferry flights with experienced pilots to build time and, at the same time, be assessed on flying abilities. If the employer is satisfied that the prospect fits in well with the organization, the prospect may be given advanced training and put on light flight duty and given more challenging tasks as experience is gained.

In many instances pilots must spend extended periods of time away from home while on the job; at least until they have enough experience to qualify for a position which operates from a fixed base.

Investing a large sum of money in obtaining a commercial helicopter pilot licence is a tough decision to make. Those who choose this career path should be be certain it is the career path that they want to pursue. For a third party view on helicopter employment prospects visit: Vertical Magazine