Fixed-wing Conversion course

[JMO]

Has anybody gone through this? I'm an Army Blackhawk guy and will be going through this program when I get back from Kosovo.

Thanks!

[USMCmech]

There were a couple of guys who did.

Basicly you start at the Private level and progress through the whole program.





However I have a sugestion.

Get your CPL helicopter with instrument rating. Should be a snap.

You might be able to get your CFI/H while your at it.


Now you can get some training at a FBO and get Airplane SEL/MEL added to your comercial liscense, and instrument airplane.

Now you can train for your CFI airplane, and start building hours.


Much cheape and this way you use all the experiance you gained in the military.

[kailuaboy]

how long do you think that would take? a couple months? years (to build the time for flight instructing)? why would he instruct? im not trying to be a wise guy im just wondering.

He should already have enough time, just needs to be converted over to airplanes.

[USMCmech]

The main catch is that many airlines don't count ANY helo time toward total time.

The FAA doesn't care and will allow you to take all your tests.

So he would need to build up 500 hrs or so fixed wing time, hire on with a 135 outfit, and build some more.


One could conciveably go to ATP and get it done in 60 days.

[JMO]

Thanks for the help guys! I actually already have my Commercial Rotorcraft and Instrument Helicopter and will be finishing my Private SEL when I'm home on leave next month. My plan is to complete the conversion course at Flightsafety, get my CFI (as a backup for down the road), maybe do that 100hr timebuidling at Ari-Ben, and try to do the Direct Track program at Flightsafety. Would like to get on with any of them, but especially ASA because they are "rotor friendly." Depending on multiple things, I may want to instruct at the academy to build time (does anyone know if you have to sign a contract with them and for how long) and then try to get picked up by a regional.

Anyone else that has gone through the program, your input would be great.

Thanks!

[USMCmech]

[ QUOTE ]
I actually already have my Commercial Rotorcraft and Instrument Helicopter and will be finishing my Private SEL when I'm home on leave next month.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why are you getting your PPL SEL? You can simply add Airplane SEL to your comercial liscense. Then go to ATP or ari ben and add Airplane MEL/instrument airplane.

With your ratings and the amount of flight time you have, there should be no need for you to go through the whole program at FSI. Don't get me wrong, it's a great program, but it's really expensive and you shouldn't need it at this point.

[JMO]

I'm just finishing it so I can fly with my wife to Cedar Point for the weekend! Plus, I believe I can then log any training in a single from then on as PIC right?

[USMCmech]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm just finishing it so I can fly with my wife to Cedar Point for the weekend! Plus, I believe I can then log any training in a single from then on as PIC right?

[/ QUOTE ]

That is correct, however what you can do (and what I would recomend) is take your checkride for Comercial Pilot Airplane.

There are only a few extra manuvers you need to pratice, adding a few hours to your training, which you would have to do eventually anyway.

The up side is that you would save yourself a checkride. You don't have to cover any regs, X-country, weather or any of that stuff, since you covered them for your CPL/helicopter, just the short list of stuff that applies only to airplanes. It should be a snap.


For example: I want to learn to fly gliders. Since I already have my CPL/Airplane SEL/MEL, I can go ahead and take the test for CPL/Glider as my first test. There is no requirement to get PPL for that catagory.

Same goes for anything else, helicopters, seaplanes, baloons, or blimps.