wrote:

I had more trouble with the hover taxi than the hover itself. Weird,
but thats the way it was for me. I still don't have my license yet.
My goal is to shave the cost, not so much the hours. Its just that
you can get a small fixed wing and train partly in that for $25/hour
dual. If those cheap fixed wing hours can be utilized, then I'm all
for them.

Dennis.


I think the fixed wing concept is valid. You will save on radio and
cross country training. This is especially true if you go for an
instrument rating. I think it would be cheaper to get an instrument
rating in a fixed wing first than get the helicopter add-on, than to
just go straight for the instrument in a helicopter providing you
already had the fixed wing private. However I believe getting a private
in a helicopter all by itself would definitely be creeper than getting a
private in both. If you do fixed wing right through instrument first and
then do helicopter right through instrument you might find the cost to
be only slightly higher than a doing the helicopter only but the added
benefit is that you will have both licenses for almost the cost of one.
Helicopters are allot more fun but the cost will prohibit me from flying
them any more so having the fixed wing is a big plus for me.

I dont have any idea where you can find fixed wing training for $25/hour
dual. Around here in CT that would be about $100 to $130/hour dual.
Rotor craft would be about $225/hour dual.

I also agree with another poster here. Find a place that will train you
2 times a day 7 days a week. It really works. I finished up my
Commercial Rotor craft that way. I recommend Ocean Helicopter in West
Palm Beach FL. They have dorms and will fit you in 2 times a day and get
it done.

John Roncallo