Chicago Helicopters

We have financial aid for those that qualify (which usually means a co-signer on the loan) Please fill out the credit application. Call 561 346-2816 or visit our financial aid info page.

We are the only helicopter flight school in the world that can guarantee you a job and this will become very important to you if you seek training elsewhere.  We charge $300/hour for dual helicopter flight instruction training and when you get your private helicopter license the rate drops to $200/hour.  We operate a fleet of helicopters and like other schools our insurance requires 300 hours helicopter time and an instructor's rating to fly for us. We train you to 300 hours and an instructors rating and offer you a job but we are the only school that guarantees this.   We offer a first job to  all graduates as an instructor pilot on a photo contract.  We guarantee you a first job as the photo contract showers hours and opportunities on our pilots and is unique in the world.   We anticipate the full program will cost you about $75,000.   You can transfer to our school from other schools and for each hour you pay into our school you will be given a job for the hours you pay to fly with us.

For about $75,000 we'll  take you from zero to 300 hours and your commercial helicopter license as you pay for the first hours at $300/hour until you pass your private license and the remaining hours at  $200/hr.  You can complete your private pilot rating in as little as 35 hours.  After the private helicopter license you'll do almost exclusively photo and will learn this skill that is valuable to our photo contract and making you a valuable pilot to us.    You'll need to opt for the instructors rating (CFI) for $5000 and we'll  give you a job like we have to every graduate since our founding in January 1986.  We have been in seamless operation with the same owner and manager and now have a large fleet of properly maintained helicopters.   With the 100 hours  paid job you'll be at 400 hours for less than $158/hour, total.  We  have  M-1 Visas at our FAR Part 141 school and free housing in  South Florida where you can fly every day of the year.

You can pay by cash, loan or credit card. Note that financial aid is very hard to get and you will only likely be approved if you have equity in your home and it's thriftier to get a home equity loan that a flight school loan.  If you have $75,000 available in your checking account call us to enroll at 561-346-2816 and prepare to make payments in four phased monthly payments.   We'll also recommend that you should get your Instrument Rating which is another $10,000 but you don't need this for a job with us.  You'll need some money to pay to others for books, a simple medical exam and some examinations with the FAA, too.   Figure about another $3000 for these "other" items such as $100 to pay a medical doctor for a physical exam, several payments of about $500 each to a gentleman known as an examiner from the FAA that certifies you to fly when obtaining each license and about $300 for books and computer programs to help you take ground school at home.

Helicopter training is one of the MOST expensive educations and is financially rewarding because perhaps 1% can obtain the necessary funds for the school.  You can pay hourly for training but we need to see folks that are financially prepared.  The credit crisis has made getting loans difficult but you man have access to home equity loans or are self funded.  Perhaps your family has a college fund for you?  Colleges offer aviation programs but this generally puts the money to the college rather than to the helicopter hours you need to meet the insurance requirements of a job. We have financial aid for those that qualify (which usually means a co-signer on the loan) Please fill out the credit application. Call 561 346-2816 or visit our financial aid page for more information.

Our recent graduates that have accumulated about 1200 hours helicopter "pilot in command" time have been receiving offers at $52,000 a year to fly to oil rigs.  They build about 600 hours a year in this "offshore" work and at about 3,000 hours they're reporting salaries of $85,000 a year.  A pilot that flew for us ten years ago reported he's currently making $120,000 a year but has to travel and live out of a suitcase.  If you seek the highest salary and don't mind being away from your family you will probably top $150,000 a year.   We have placed graduates throughout the industry and the world.  The highest paying jobs are outside of the United States or in remote areas or both.

We offer training in the following Helicopter ratings: Private, Commercial, Flight instructor, Instrument, and Instrument Flight Instructor.