Q. What does PPL(H) mean?
A. PPL(H) stands for Private Pilot's Licence (Helicopter), and is a qualification that allows you to fly a helicopter for your own personal use. You may fly in most areas of the country in reasonable weather, during the day. Places you can fly to include Airports, Helipads and other sites with the land owner's permission, maybe even your own back garden. The licence allows you to take your loved ones, friends, colleagues or others with you when you fly.

Q. Who can train for a PPL(H)?
A. Almost anyone who is reasonably fit, aged 14 or over, and is practically minded can achieve a licence. Hours flown can be logged from the age of 14, solo flight can occur at 16 years old, but a licence cannot be granted until the age of 17. There is no maximum age limit - as long as you can pass the medical examination, you can fly!

Q. How do I obtain a PPL(H)?
A. You are required to fly a minimum of 45 Hours of which 10 Hours must be solo. Seven written tests must also be passed (we provide all the necessary ground instruction free of charge). Don't let this put you off - they really are NOT that hard to pass! And if you were to fail any, that would be our fault, not yours!!! At the end of your training there will be a flying Skill Test.

Q. What can I use it for?
A. You may hire or buy a helicopter and use it to fly for pleasure. You can take friends or family sightseeing and visit different areas of the country as well as fly abroad. Your licence will be a JAA (Joint Aviation Authority) licence, so it will allow you to fly in any JAA member state. The majority of countries in Europe are JAA members.  A PPL(H) is also ideal for business travel. You can beat the traffic jams and travel large distances quickly and economically. Maybe you could land in the grounds of a hotel for your next meeting. There are over 1000 places to land Helicopters including hotels, clubs and racecourses, not forgetting all the Airports.

Q. Which helicopter will I fly?
A. Helicopter tuition is carried out in the Robinson R22, a two seat, piston engine helicopter. With over 3000 machines produced and 20 years in the training market the R22 is one of the most popular training machines and certainly one of the most reliable. You can also learn to fly on the Robinson R44, Bell 206 Jet Ranger or the AS350 Squirrel but they are more expensive than the R22.

Q. What is included in the course?
A. We include all pre and post flight briefings for the flying part of your training. The landing fees at Shobdon, fuel costs, as well as third party insurance cover of three million pounds are also included. A lot of companies will charge you extra for landing fees that are amassed during your course and will only mention it while you are signing up with them, but here at Tiger we absolutely DO NOT charge you any extra for landing fees at Shobdon.

Q. How long will it take?
A. We work around you, not the other way around. We totally understand that you have other commitments, so we are completely flexible regarding your time schedules. You may choose to book lessons on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. You can also block book days or weeks at a time. We can schedule the training to suit your own requirements. Some of our students learn at weekends or evenings to fit around their jobs, others take time out to train intensively in a short time period. If you choose to attend every day, five days a week, you should allow between four and six weeks to complete your course.

Q. Where can I stay?
A. We will shortly have our own fully furnished mobile homes, available exclusively for students who require accommodation during training. Alternatively we can arrange accommodation at one of several local B&B's, hotels or Guest Houses at preferential rates.

Q. What else do I need?
A. You will need to obtain a Class 2  Medical certificate (Class 1 if you want to fly as a career), which we can happily arrange for you. You will also need to purchase the necessary study books and reference guides, charts and navigation equipment. We have a fully stocked shop with everything you will require at very competitive prices.

Q. How do I get started?
A. Our Trial Lesson includes a pre-flight briefing on basic helicopter procedures and aircraft controls, a pre-flight inspection as well as the start up and shut down of the helicopter. In the air you will be able to fly the helicopter yourself. Your instructor will teach you to fly straight and level as well as how to turn, climb and descend. He/she will also introduce you to the art of hovering. Alternatively, you may wish to try our Introductory Day. This will give you a more detailed and in depth view of the PPL (H) Course.

Q. Once I have passed, can I hire an aircraft from you?
A. Absolutely! And the best part is that if you take the aircraft away for a few days, you only pay for the FLYING you do on it and NOT for the time it is away. So, if you take it away for 3 days and only do 1.3 hours of flying then you only pay 1.3 hours of flying for it. In fact, anyone who has a licence can hire a helicopter from us provided they have flown in the previous 28 days. If you haven't flown in the previous 28 days then we would ask you to go for a quick check ride with one of our instructors to make sure you still remember what you are doing.

Q. What about flying a different 'type' of helicopter from the one I learnt to fly?
A. To convert your licence to a different 'type' of helicopter generally takes 3 hours in that type. However, for your FIRST conversion we would suggest 5 hours. Also, if you are converting from a piston engine helicopter (R22, R44, Schweizer 300, etc) to a turbine engine helicopter (Jet Ranger, AS350, MD500 etc) you would need to do 5 hours on type. The same would apply if you learnt in a turbine and converted to a piston. To get a 'twin engine' rating you need 8 hours for your first conversion. Also, you can only begin flying a twin once you have 70 hours total helicopter flying time logged.

Q. How many hours per year to I have to do to keep my licence current?
A. Theoretically, you only have to do 2 hours per year including what we call an LPC (Licence Proficiency Check) which is just a check ride lasting around half an hour with an examiner. It is NOT a test, just an evaluation on how you are coping as a pilot. In reality, most companies have a policy whereby if you have not flown in the previous 28 days you will have to do a check ride with one of their instructors before they will let you Self Fly Hire an aircraft of theirs.

Q. I already have a licence, but my aircraft rating has expired. How do I make it current again?
A. If it expired LESS THAN 1 years ago, you only need to do 2 hours of flying including an LPC. If it expired MORE than 1 year ago, you will have to do 2 hours PLUS an LPC.

Q. I learnt to fly in the USA and now need to convert it to a UK licence. How do I do it?
A. You will find when you convert your licence from an FAA to a CAA licence that the CAA will ask you to do 5 hours of instrument flying (even if you have more than 5 hours of FAA instrument flying). You will also have to do a few hours of airspace familiarisation, plus the Air Law exam and the Human Performance & Limitations exam.

You will also see advertised "cheap" turbine time being offered in the USA. You will sit with traffic monitoring pilots while you 'fly' the aircraft. Be very careful while doing this 'time', as the UK CAA DOES NOT approve of this type of hour building, and you will find that the majority of your hours WILL NOT be counted, and it certainly will not be counted as Pilot in Command time on turbine aircraft. We have met a few pilots who have tried this route to getting turbine hours as cheaply as possible and have ended up bitterly disappointed when they return home. The best option is to contact the CAA and speak with 'Flight Crew Licencing' BEFORE you go ahead and do it.

Q. I have an FAA Instrument Rating and need to convert it to a UK Instrument Rating. How do I do it?
A. In the UK (unlike the USA) you have to do 5 hours of flight in a twin turbine aircraft during your instrument rating. Therefore, when you return from the USA you will still have to do this twin time.  You will also need to do a further 10 hours of flight in the simulator.

Q. How do I find answers to my other questions?
A. Simply email us or phone us on 44 (0)1568 708028.

Better still, why not call in and see us. We are a friendly organisation and there are always Instructors and Pilots on hand who would be happy to talk to you. You are most welcome to come and visit our facilities without obligation, and we'll show you around and let you sit in any aircraft we have in the hangar at the time of your visit. Who knows, you may get to sit in the Agusta 109 or the police AS355 Squirrel when you pop in!!!