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Interested In Becoming A Helicopter Pilot?

From 2020 to 2036, the demand for helicopter pilots is expected to soar, leaving shortages of upwards of 49,000 pilots, according to major aviation companies like Boeing and Airbus. But why?

It’s because the need for pilots worldwide is increasing, yet there are few FAA approved schools training helicopter pilots. At the same time many pilots are retiring further aggravating the shortage.

This might be one of the greatest opportunities to become a pilot since helicopters were invented. But what does it take to become a pilot?

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Become a Helicopter Pilot In Under 2 Years

ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Aviation is a University flight training program in Cedar City, Utah with the largest collegiate helicopter fleet in the nation and the most robust flight training. Through Southern Utah University you’ll graduate with a degree and you’ll be certified as a commercial helicopter pilot as well as a certified helicopter instructor pilot.

Upon graduation you’ll have these certifications and experience:

• Private Helicopter Pilot
• Commercial Helicopter Pilot
• Instrument Rating
• Certified Flight Instructor
• Certified Flight Instructor Instrument
• Turbine Transition
• External Load
• Mountain Operations
• Night Vision Goggles

What Makes ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Aviation Unique?

Veteran Friendly

We’re one of the only flight schools in the nation to accept Post 9/11 GI Bill® Benefits. For eligible veterans that means your flight fees and tuition could be fully covered. 

Superior Training

At 5,622 feet above sea level we’re the highest altitude university flight school in the nation. You’ll fly in a wide variety of terrain and weather conditions. You’ll have experience in almost any real-world scenario. As part of your standard training you'll receive night vision, advanced mountain operations, long line and turbine training.

Biggest Collegiate Helicopter Fleet

With ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Aviation you’ll fly in the biggest helicopter fleet in the nation. You’ll fly in Robinson  R44 Raven II’s, as well as Bell 206's, made with a Rolls Royce turbine engine.

Details About Our Helicopter Flight Training

Our rotor wing (helicopter) program is a five semester program that takes under two years to complete. With previous certifications it can be completed sooner. You’ll start to fly helicopters typically within the first two weeks of beginning the program.

You’ll fly in real helicopters regularly because we believe you need to learn from the cockpit, not just the classroom.

To prepare you for flight we’ll teach you everything there is to know about helicopter safety, and each semester you’ll have a personal instructor who flies with you and acts as a tutor for your ground classes.

We use state of the art equipment in our flight school, such as our Frasca simulators. You’ll sit in a helicopter cockpit replica, with a 180-degree view and real-world maps and terrain. With the Frasca's map technology you can simulate flight in literally any location in the world.

Want to come for a visit? You'll see our fleet, facilities and meet the ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Aviation Team.
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Helicopter Flight School: What You’ll Learn

It’s important to know what you’ll learn before investing in aviation school. Here’s what you’ll learn in our Helicopter flight school:

How to Fly Solo

We’ll teach you how to fly a helicopter all by yourself. We’ll show you everything you need to know step-by-step until you’re confident and ready to fly. We can get you flying in as little as one month but you’ll spend hours flying with an instructor and in the simulator before you ever fly solo.

Commercial Helicopter Flight

If you want to get paid to fly or carry passengers then you’ll need to gain your commercial helicopter certification. Flying with passengers comes with extra responsibilities so we’ll help you hone your skills until you’re confident enough to fly your own grandmother in the back seat.

Emergency Procedures

It’s important to prepare for emergencies before they happen. We’ll walk you through every possible emergency and teach you the corresponding procedure until it’s second nature. For example, you’ll learn how to manage a simulated engine failure -- in a real helicopter.

Helicopter Instrument Flight

Having a Helicopter Instrument Certification means you know how to fly in limited or no visibility using only the instruments in the cockpit. For example, you can fly through clouds. Without instrument training you'll miss out on most helicopter pilot jobs so we give you all the training you need.

Flight Instruction

You’ll earn a certified flight instructor (CFI) rating in our aviation school. A certified flight instructor is a person who flies in the cockpit with students and gives personal instruction. When you become a certified flight instructor you can get hired to teach students.

Helicopter Instrument Instruction

In our flight school you’ll earn a certified flight instructor in instrument (CFII) rating. This means you’ll be certified to teach helicopter instrument flight. An instrument rating means you’re certified to operate a helicopter using only the instruments in the cockpit.

Helicopter Pilot Salary  

You’re probably wondering how much money a helicopter pilot makes. As of October 2018 the average salary for helicopter pilots in the United States is around $93,000.  According to Salary.com, the average helicopter pilot salary ranges between $79,000 and $120,000. These prices will likely rise because demand for pilots is increasing.

Boeing released a report in October 2018 projecting a massive pilot shortage. They predict the demand for pilots will dramatically increase between 2020 and 2036, reaching a demand of 49,000 pilots worldwide. During the next 18 years in the United States industry professionals like Helicopter Association International (HAI) predict there will be a helicopter pilot shortage between 2,200 and 7,600 pilots. That's between a 15% and 50% growth of the current industry!

This is good news for future helicopter pilots, because as demand for pilots increases, so will salaries, benefits, and job opportunities. This is the perfect time to become a helicopter pilot.

Interested In Attending?

Apply now while you’re thinking about it. It takes less than 10 minutes.

Apply Now!

Special Funding For Veterans

Veterans, because of your service to our nation you have an incredible funding option through the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. This bill can cover up to the full cost of your flight fees and tuition. Most of our veteran students qualify for full funding of our program.

Additionally, you may qualify for Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) while you attend our program, meaning while you’re here your housing costs could be covered. Most of our veterans qualify for BAH while in our program.

Speak with our ºÚÁÏÌìÌà Veterans office to see what you qualify for.

Want to Know More?

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It takes 30 seconds. We’ll tell you about aviation scholarships, give you industry information and answer any questions about helicopter flight training you have.

Or contact us to come take a tour.

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