Commercial Pilot

If you’re serious about turning flying into a career, this is your next move. The Commercial Pilot program builds on everything you’ve learned, with more advanced training and a focus on refining your skills to a professional level.  You’ll log the flight hours needed as Pilot in Command (PIC), learn to operate in complex, high-traffic airspace, and prepare for the real-world challenges of commercial flying.  With this certification, you’ll be qualified to carry passengers and get paid to fly- opening the door to a wide range of career opportunities in the helicopter industry.

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The basic FAA requirements that need to be met to qualify are:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be fluent in English (read, write, speak and understand it)
• Hold a minimum of an FAA Class II Medical Certificate
• Have TSA authorization for flight training (a federal security clearance)
• Have completed a minimum of 150 total hours of flight time as a pilot (across all aircraft) which includes:
  • Minimum of 50 hours in helicopters, which includes:
  • Minimum of 20 hours of dual instruction on commercial maneuvers 
  • Minimum of 10 hours of solo flight (in addition to the 10 hours obtained in Private)
  • 5 hours of simulated IFR
  • 100 hours of Pilot-In-Command (PIC) flight time, of which 35 hours must be in helicopters
• Pass an FAA written exam
• Pass an oral test and check ride with an FAA examiner

*Estimated total cost of both flight and ground training (minimum 10 hrs):

• R22: $15,000
• R44: $26,000

*Estimated cost is based off the assumption the student finished their private and instrument training with Utah Helicopter and are starting their commercial training having already accumulated around 115 total hours, thereby only needing an additional 35 hours to reach the FAA 150 total hour requirement. Students who take longer on the private/instrument training, or require more than 35 additional hours to reach commercial standards will have higher training costs, however those additional hours still go towards the 200 total hour requirement needed for the CFI/CFII Certificate.