Frequently Asked Questions

AFC is conveniently located at the Colorado Springs airport, making it accessible to a variety of locations on the Front Range. We are the only flight school in Colorado that offers both fixed wing (airplane) and rotary wing (helicopter) training in the same place. We have the aircraft and instructors available to get your flight training started right away! The high-altitude environment here is challenging, and you’ll leave with not only an edge over other pilots, but also the confidence to make appropriate decisions and manage each flight safely. If you can fly here, you can fly anywhere!

We understand that you have choices in flight training. There are many flight schools out there that utilize the less expensive R22. We encourage you to do the appropriate research, or ask us for information and resources, so you can be sure to make the choice that is best for you.

•  Be at least 17 years of age.
• Read, speak, and understand English.
• Obtain at least a 3rd Class Medical Certificate from an Aviation Medical Examiner. If you are career track, a first or second class is recommended. You can search for an AME in your area on the FAA AME locator page.
• Log at least 40 hours in a helicopter. For specific requirements and price breakdowns, see our Private Pilot page.
• Take the written FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) Private Pilot Rotorcraft-Helicopter Test- this will happen about halfway through your training.
• Complete your final exam, called a “check ride” which includes an oral and practical (flight) test administered by an FAA-Certified Examiner.

A private pilot can exercise certain privileges under FAA regulations. These include recreational or hobby flying, personal business, and for charity. A private pilot can take passengers, but cannot receive any compensation for the flight.

Our program is a little different! We're all about value, and want you to be a competent pilot while also managing the financial commitment of helicopters. We respect both your time and money, and are committed to the task of training to a high standard and accomplishing your goals as close to the minimum required hours as possible.

When you train with AFC, you are entering into a partnership with your instructor and your new aviation community to accomplish that task. We tend to ask a little more of our students in terms of at-home online ground school, reading, and homework in order to make the best use of your time while in the aircraft. This approach maximizes your experience while minimizing your operational costs- all without compromising quality.

Learning to fly is often one of the more challenging and rewarding experiences of one’s life. We are committed to walking that path with you!

Helicopters are highly complex machines. Even a smaller helicopter like those produced by Robinson Helicopters are more complicated to build, maintain, and operate when compared to airplanes of the same size and weight category. That translates to a higher operating cost per hour, which is why you see an hourly rate that is significantly higher than airplanes.

When it comes to helicopter flight training, there are a few models to choose from. The Schweizer 269 (aka S300C) and Robinson R22 are 2-seat, lightweight helicopters that are common for flight training. However, these small machines also have small engines that simply do not have the power available to handle the high-altitude environment here at the Colorado Springs airport. The Robinson R44 provides a better performance envelope which translates to safer, more efficient flight training. Here are the top reasons we like the R44:

· More powerful and capable engine for the altitude and temperatures common in Colorado Springs, providing a safer training environment.

· Training at high altitude has several advantages, including better power management and decision-making skills and the ability to log mountain/high altitude time which is valuable for career track students.

· Allows for fellow students to share in the flight training so more than one person can benefit from the flight.

· If you’re on a career track, the R44 is widely used in the training, tour, and utility industries. Mastering this aircraft early in your training has future benefits. We can provide you options for gaining experience in the R22 as well.

· Some people are looking to purchase a helicopter for their personal use, and the Robinson R44 is the most popular choice for private owners.

We understand that you have choices in flight training. There are many flight schools out there that utilize the less expensive R22. We encourage you to do the appropriate research, or ask us for information and resources, so you can be sure to make the choice that is best for you.

We recommend having your finances in order before you start training. You’ll have fewer distractions and stressors while you are learning, and there’s nothing worse than having to stop and re-start your training due to financial constraints. You’ll lose valuable skills and it will end up costing you more money in the long run! There are some resources available on our site. You can also consider loans from friends or family, or a personal loan through a bank or organization like Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).

If you are looking to use VA funding, we will be able to provide that soon. Please reach out to use for more details!

The path towards a being a professional helicopter pilot starts with the Private Pilot Certificate (or license). Next you will work towards your Commercial Certificate, which typically includes an Instrument rating. The price breakdown and flight hour for Commercial/Instrument can be found here, and the eligibility requirements are similar to Private Pilot. Lastly, most pilots choose to pursue a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) rating as well as a Certified Flight Instructor- Instrument (CFII) rating. At the moment, AFC is offering training towards the Private and Commercial Certificates. If you are looking for training for Instrument, CFI or CFII, please contact us to discuss.

After all your training is done, you'll have about 200 flight hours. The next step for most pilots is to work as a flight instructor until about 500 hours, and then as a tour pilot (or a mixture) until about 1500 hours. At that point you'll be eligible for additional jobs such as firefighting, utility, or offshore oil transport, and you can start to make more targeted choices in employment based on your goals. From about 2000 hours onward, even more doors will open for you such as air ambulance or heli skiing.

Having the ability to relocate for a job, even seasonally, is an advantage.

We recommend the King Schools online ground school program, which is a collection of videos that will introduce you to the concepts of helicopter flight and aviation in general. In addition, you can purchase the books you’ll need for home study. AFC will have some materials available, but you can also research and buy your own. Some are available as pdf downloads if you prefer digital reading. When given the option, choose the books that are in color, not black and white.

In addition, there are some online resources such as YouTube channels that are helpful. We recommend Helicopter Online Ground School (they offer a paid course, but there are also some free videos), Helicopter Lessons in 10 Minutes or Less, passfaaexams.com (Gian Luca Noia). Fly8MA and MzeroA are fixed wing videos but can still be useful.

Mandatory Book and Materials List:

- *Helicopter Flying Handbook

- *Pilots Operating Handbook (POH) for the Robinson R44 Raven II

- *Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge

- *FAR/AIM (FAA Regulations Manual): must have a current version for check ride

- Practical Test Standards for your certificate or rating (private, commercial, etc)

- E6B flight computer, plotter, and sectional chart (you’ll need this about halfway through private. Some will be available at school for you to borrow)

- ForeFlight subscription (you’ll need this about halfway through private) and iPad

- Logbook! (Can be tracked digitally through ForeFlight)

Optional List:

- Private Pilot FAA Written Test Prep (recommended)

- Helicopter Maneuvers Manual

- Jeppesen Instrument Commercial Manual (mandatory for Commercial)

- Oral Exam Guide- Helicopters

- Robinson R44 Ultimate Pilots Operating Handbook

- Robinson R44 Cockpit Training Poster

*available as pdf download

Absolutely! Robinson Helicopters have some specific requirements in order to act as Pilot in Command. If you are already a rated helicopter pilot, you can check out the SFAR73 requirements here under (2)(b)(2). In a nutshell, you need at least 10 hours of dual instruction in the R44. 

If you are a certificated fixed wing pilot looking for a helicopter rating, the requirements are the same as for the Private Pilot Certificate. When you accomplish your helicopter add-on rating in the R44, you'll be covered for the SFAR73 requirements for the R44. Feel free to contact us with any questions!