There is a guy here in Vegas who has the best program in the country
for anyone who wants to become a commercial helicopter pilot. I'm not
sure about all the details but you can get a commercial and
instructor's certificate here with 100% financing at a something like
5% interest rate. You go to school for 12 months. You fly the
simulators, the R-22's, the R-44 and the H-262 (Schwitzer 300) and do
a ton of ground school. You pass all the tests and the checkrides as
part of the guarantee.

You get a commercial, or a commercial and a CFI in 12 months and your
first payment to the bank isn't due until 18 months. The operation:

"Silver State Helicopters"

offers you a job on-line in a FAR 135 operation at low time since they
self- insure all the aircraft themselves when you finish at 12 months
of study and flight time. So, you don't have to worry about not
getting insurance until you have 1000 hours. You can start flying for
for free as soon as you are rated if you are good.

They are involved in Las Vegas strip tours, and are getting all set up
to do FAR 135 to the Grand Canyon plus charter to and from Los
Angeles...so they have slots for their own students who graduate to
fly 135 missions and build time. I understand they ordered three
Bell 207's last week. I might be wrong about the type since I'm out
of the loop, but it's a big Ranger with 4 blades. I thought they told
me it was the 207.

This program seems to work. I've seen a lot of young guys come into
the operation, build 500 hours of piston time, get transitioned into
the turbines, then build turbine time and leave to other jobs
throughout the country.

I'm not involved in the business aspects of this and don't know the
exact details, but if you are interested in changing careers and want
to call them, call Wally or Jerry Airola at 702-616-1967.

It looks to me like it works. They have large classrooms that are
full of students everyday. There are operations in Phoenix, Las
Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Merced California right now (and they are
expanding).

Check it out.

Tell em Badwater Bill sent you! Ha Ha.

BWB