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Coast Helicopter College
1541B Kittyhawk Road
Sidney, BC
V8L 5V6

Tel: (250) 655-0416
Tel: 1-800-409-9270
Fax: (250) 655-6210
Cell: (250) 888-0171
fly@coasthelicoptercollege.com

More Information
  • Scenic Flights
  • Introductory Flights
  • Training Guide
  • Career Guide
  • Courses & Costs
  • Important Notes

    Training Available
  • Commercial Helicopter
  • Private Helicopter
  • JetRanger 206B Rating
  • Recurrent Training
  • ATPL Helicopter

    Useful Links
  • Vancouver Island Helicopters
  • Transport Canada
  • Victoria Airport
  • Victoria Flying Club
  • Juan Air


    • The Training
    To fly a helicopter, you must hold a private, commercial or airline transport helicopter pilot licence. A private licence permits you to fly for recreational purposes only, whereas a commercial or airline transport licence enables you to be employed as a pilot. All three may be obtained at CHC. Most of the training we do is for the commercial licence. You do not need to have an aeroplane licence or private helicopter licence in order to obtain a commercial helicopter licence. An airline transport licence is only necessary when flying larger helicopters that require two pilots.

    Several helicopter types are commonly used for initial pilot training. We use the Robinson R22 and Bell 206B JetRanger helicopters. The R22 has two seats and a piston engine, while the 206B has five seats and a turbine engine.

    The R22 is a reliable, economical helicopter, which helps keep training costs down. We have found it to be an excellent trainer allowing a new pilot to develop good basic flying skills. The transition from the R22 to other helicopters is relatively easy.

    The 206B is used toward the end of the commercial course for advanced training. Since it is the most widely used light helicopter, it will be to your advantage to have 206B operational training upon completion of your flying course.

    While training, your initial goals will be to concentrate on learning to fly a helicopter, and then to pass the Transport Canada flight test. On the 100 hour course, you will likely accomplish this within the hours specified. If transitioning from a commercial fixed wing licence, extra R22 hours will likely be required to reach flight test standard. Due to differences in individual learning rates, we cannot guarantee the number of hours it will take each person to reach flight test standard on a course. After the flight test, the goals are to become familiar with the 206B and learn and improve upon operational flying skills.

    Our goals are to enable you to successfully complete all Transport Canada written examinations and the flight test, and to prepare you to enter the helicopter industry. To ensure that you receive the best instruction possible, we only employ instructors who have an extensive commercial background. When they aren’t instructing, our instructors fly in our commercial operations. Our training base located at Victoria International Airport has an excellent variety of flying areas. From a busy airport (Victoria is one of the busiest airports in Canada), to many nearby confined area bush landing sites. Whenever possible, practical knowledge will be gained by going out on flying jobs with VIH’s experienced pilots.

    Helicopters are somewhat difficult to learn to fly at first and not everyone who tries is successful. Although the majority of our students successfully complete their flying training, some may have difficulties. During the early stages, we closely monitor your progress to determine whether or not you will be able to achieve the standards of a safe professional pilot. If we feel that you will have difficulty or not be able to achieve this standard, then extra effort and/or flying hours may be required. In some instances, we will recommend that you terminate your training. Any money remaining on account upon termination will be refunded.

    Full time attendance is a must to avoid having to re-learn any skills at extra expense, and to take best advantage of the curriculum as it is set out.

    FLIGHT INSTRUCTION OUTLINE

  • Aircraft familiarization and pre-flight
  • Basic flight (i.e. climbs, descents, turns and power changes)
  • Hovering
  • Practice autorotations (i.e. flight and landing after simulated engine failure)
  • Emergency procedures
  • Sideward and rearward flight, steep turns
  • Confined area operations including some mountainous terrain
  • Low flying, sloping ground landings
  • Navigation techniques
  • Basic instrument flying
  • Type conversion to 206B
  • Slinging, water bucketing, using a long line, vertical reference flying

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