Silver State Heli?

[88MPH]

Anyone heard of this company? What about have any info besides what's in their brochures and DVDs?

Better yet, anybody have any experience with them?

Looking for a little more insight to the dark side

--John

[Ian J]

Shane (Scottyboy75) knows about them.

Last I heard was they were shady, but I have no real info or experience with them.

[esa17]

I stopped in to see them here in JAX last week. I've heard they're shady but they confirmed it upon meeting with them. Their program is all or nothing with no add-on tracks. They refused to give any info beyond what you'd find in the brochure and they wouldn't let me tour the hangar. A rule of thumb for me is if they won't let me see what MX is doing I don't want to have anything to do with them.

[scottyboy75]

All I can say is stay away. I have read enough about them to fill two books and it is all bad. They take all your loan money in three disbursements in the first few months. It takes along time to get though their program so you are paying intrest on money you have not used yourself. Their is a thread started on another forum called verticalreference.com that sums up a recent students experience. On the other hand I do know of someone that was happy there and finished up at a pace he was happy with
I have a few friends in the training department with an operator in the GOM and they will not touch a resume from a Silver State grad.
These are just my opinions so by all means do your research. If it seems too good to be true then t more than likley is.
Shane

[bdhill1979]

I have nearly lost my life on three distinct occasions due to Silver State Helicopters.

When all the aircraft are making left traffic for runway 12 and a practically invisible helicopter is making right traffic for runway 30 guess what that means????

[aviatorrbt]

Originally Posted by bdhill1979

I have nearly lost my life on three distinct occasions due to Silver State Helicopters.

When all the aircraft are making left traffic for runway 12 and a practically invisible helicopter is making right traffic for runway 30 guess what that means????

I talked to a heli pilot on the reasoning for flying right pattern once. He explained to me that because helicopters are slower and more maneuverable they flight a right pattern (or opposite of airplanes) to avoid any congestion. I see his point but it makes for really interesting and potentially unsafe flying.

[aviatorrbt]

About the whole Silver State issue though, I have looked into training with them also and they seem very shady. I called them to get more information and the guy I talked to gave me very short answers that seemed like they resembled the DVD. But I didn't know that the company was that shady to where they would not show you the hangar or the helis...

[amorris311]

i really like how the instructors wear jumpsuits. i think it makes them look cool.

[surreal1221]

Very shady. . .but I know for a different reason.

They advertise an ATC program, that says that they are FAA approved.

Which is not the truth, they do not show up on the ATC-CTI University / College list on faa.gov.

I'd avoid these guys like the plague.

[FiveO]

I was very very very unimpressed by them. Very. Before I went to one of their expo type deals I called and asked a simple question.

Me: "Can I just do my private through you guys"

Tard: "Why would you want to just do your private when you can...."

Me: "Can you answer my question?"

Tard: "We will do your private before you work on other ratings such as...."

Me: "Can you answer my question?"

Tard: "Well you see our students pay to work on their private thru...."

Me: "Clunk"

I made it through their seminar in JAX for about 20mins before I left.

[scottyboy75]

I was told they wear "Nomex" in case of fire. I then asked if they have a program to change them when they get oil and stuff on them and all I got was a blank stare.
The whole traffic pattern issue drives me insane. At Spanish I fly the traffic pattern. We basically fly them at the same speed as fixed wing guys so it just works out. However at Salt Lake Muni 2 I fly inside and lower than the fixed wing pattern. With that said it is my responsibility to know where the traffic in the pattern is and collision avoidance falls on me. I do not know what the SSH guys do in Spanish they seem to make their own rules down there, but then again so does UVSC.
Shane

[bdhill1979]

Originally Posted by scottyboy75

I was told they wear "Nomex" in case of fire. I then asked if they have a program to change them when they get oil and stuff on them and all I got was a blank stare.
The whole traffic pattern issue drives me insane. At Spanish I fly the traffic pattern. We basically fly them at the same speed as fixed wing guys so it just works out. However at Salt Lake Muni 2 I fly inside and lower than the fixed wing pattern. With that said it is my responsibility to know where the traffic in the pattern is and collision avoidance falls on me. I do not know what the SSH guys do in Spanish they seem to make their own rules down there, but then again so does UVSC.
Shane

You know you love Utah County flying

I actually monitor the UVSC freq and it amazes me how many there are out there that announce on their little freq, but say nothing on the official CTAF, let alone listen to it.

[scottyboy75]

I do not have to go to Utah county for it anymore. Word round the campfire is it is coming to me. Uvsc is going to start training for SLCC and they are moving aircraft to #2. Oh boy let the good times begin.
Shane

[88MPH]

Originally Posted by amorris311

i really like how the instructors wear jumpsuits. i think it makes them look cool.

I'm signing up tomorrow!!!

...


...





Thanks guys.

Remember, a penny saved is actually only worth $0.005, as it takes $0.02 to manufacture.

[bdhill1979]

Originally Posted by scottyboy75

I do not have to go to Utah county for it anymore. Word round the campfire is it is coming to me. Uvsc is going to start training for SLCC and they are moving aircraft to #2. Oh boy let the good times begin.
Shane

Just give me a few days to contain my laughter.....


You poor bastards

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by scottyboy75

I was told they wear "Nomex" in case of fire. I then asked if they have a program to change them when they get oil and stuff on them and all I got was a blank stare.

Unless you have a chance of getting shot down, or are flying for law enforcement, I'm thinking the nomex flight suits are a bit over the top.

[scottyboy75]

It is not over the top it is Robinson safety notice number 40. I am gonna run right out and buy 6 of them. After all it is only about 100 here in the summer. How uncomfortable can it be?
Shane

[mojo6911]

I went to the place at Dallas Exec for a written exam, and it was a nice building. I wandered around aimlessly without anyone questioning me, or greeting me at all. I waited around for 30 minutes for a proctor who was "sick" and never showed up. They always do the right pattern thing at Midway airport, and sit on the runway for quite a long time.

[Chewie von Nubbins]

Got a buddy that enlightened me about this very SHADY outfit. Seems like they have more lawsuits against them than Wal-Mart does.

Read on:

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/10/26/2019621.htm

[scottyboy75]

Somehow they just got hooked up with Orange County Chopper. Not sure how that works but hopefully OCC doesn't get screwed.
Shane

[n726s]

I've heard of them, but nothing good about them, at all.

[notawannabee]

Originally Posted by scottyboy75

Somehow they just got hooked up with Orange County Chopper. Not sure how that works but hopefully OCC doesn't get screwed.
Shane

Yea, the OC chopper show was on last night and they made a chopper for them that was supposed to have a helicopter look. Guess they are making some cash

[Sidious]

They are quite the rage right now at KMLB. Newspaper just did a story about all the complaints against them and that Melbourne might drop their contract. Tsk Tsk....

[scottyboy75]

That didn't take long they have only been in FL a little over a year or so.
Shane

[yoda]

Silver state came to KCAE a few months back. I went to the meeting and it seemed like I was going there to learn that I was the biggest POS in the world unless I learned how to fly with silver state. I did some background research on these clowns with google. Apparently, they already have 23 class action lawsuits against them not to mention that the owner/proprietor is an ex sherriff who stepped down for unknown reasons and has had many other businesses go bankrupt or shutdown for other legal reasons. Do some research before you take out a $70,000.00 loan, financed through them. Also, when they say that you are guaranteed a full time CFI job once you graduate, think about how that would work. If you graduate from a class that has 70 people and everyone is guaranteed a full time job at the same school, how are those 70 people going to fly the one or two of the companies helicopters that they have on station? Something is not adding up.