Jonny's guide to becoming a helicopter pilot - How long does it really take to become a helicopter pilot? Jonny Greenall explains why a five-week PPL(H) may be possible on paper, but why six to eight weeks can be a far more realistic approach. How Long Does It Take to Get a Helicopter Licence? How long is a piece of string…? Assuming you're asking about the basic Private Pilot Licence (Helicopter), or PPL(H), which allows you to fly privately and carry friends and family without receiving payment or other remuneration for the flight. Sales Pitch: IN JUST 5 WEEKS YOU COULD BE A HELICOPTER PILOT!!! Well… yes. Technically. But there are a LOT of caveats. You're looking at around 55–60 hours of flight training for a realistic PPL(H) programme, so including a ground brief, pre-flight inspection, post flight debriefing you are realistically looking at 180 hours dedicated to the flying portion of the PPL(H) Course. Then there is the theory, there are 9 separate subjects to learn, study and pass. It used to be in the regulations a minimum of 100 hours of recorded theory. The regulations no longer prescribe the same minimum number of recorded theory hours that they once did. That doesn't mean you need less knowledge. As an ATO, we still need to be satisfied that you have the knowledge to pass the examinations and operate safely before signing you off for the exams. To be honest, 9 exams, 10 hours study and practice exams for each is 90 hours. 100 hours is going to be around the normal study time. There’s time away to do your medical, and also radio licence, English assessment etc. So that’s 280 hours… 280 hours ÷ 5 weeks = 56 hours per week That's approximately 11 hours and 15 minutes every day, five days a week That doesn't factor in any margin for weather, aircraft availability / servicing or – the most common factor – FATIGUE. The amount of learning we are going to throw at you and including you trying to learn how to fly a helicopter is incredibly fatiguing. Learning to fly a helicopter is mentally exhausting. You're learning aircraft systems, procedures, navigation, radio work, emergency procedures, meteorology and a whole new set of physical skills — while trying to fly the helicopter accurately. There is no room for any other thought processes than aviation. One of the reasons we insist on students have 2 days off a week is to relax and recover, otherwise the student fatigue will just worsen during the course of the training, which means their flying ability decreases, and their stress level increases, in a vicious circle which just spirals out of control. In our experience, students who complete the entire course in one intensive block often tell us afterwards that they wish they had allowed themselves a little more time. The amount of data we are going to throw at you is so huge, you just cannot assimilate all of it in the time available. This can lead to gaps in the knowledge in the future that need to be retaught. So, whilst thinking 5 weeks! Maybe consider 6 to 8 weeks, to allow for all of the above. There are also ways to reduce some of the load prior to arrival. You could do the online theory, and we can even arrange your exams to be taken locally before you arrive. You should certainly do the Class 2 medical before you arrive – make sure you are fit and healthy prior to starting but also saves any delays waiting for the paperwork to process. This can knock off a huge amount of the time required and also means that the flight training can focus on that – flight training! One advantage of our PPL(H) training is that it is individual adult learning, one-to-one with an instructor. There isn't a large classroom of students all moving through the syllabus at the same pace. Your instructor can adapt the training to your experience, learning style and progress. So, my recommendation is there are 2 ways to complete the PPL(H): Blocks – say 2-week sessions, in that time you focus on the course and training and are dedicated to the course. Then a short time away (not months! Or you’ll just spend the first few days recapping previous items). This means you can do you normal “day job” but also spend some time on the theory and reflecting on the flight exercises. Regular – fly 2 or 3 days a week, this does mean an extended time to complete the course, but benefit is that the pace of learning is slower so you will actually retain more information. Also, due to the short duration away of a couple of days there is no Skill Fade, so you still keep up the learning at a very high standard. The beauty of the PPL(H) is that it is your course, and you are the customer, so do not be bullied into flying by your flight school. It can run at your pace and your budget! If you want to learn how to fly helicopters, feel free to give us a call to discuss and tailor your course. Want to know what a helicopter licence actually costs? Read our blog. PPL(H) with Balearic Helicopters About Jonny Jonny Greenall is the Head of Training and founder of Balearic Helicopters. With more than 25 years of helicopter flying and training experience and over 9000 hours, he has extensive experience across private, commercial and instructor training. The views and advice in this article are based on Jonny's experience of helicopter flying and flight training.