Rotary Wing
About Our Rotary-Wing Program
Our Aircraft
2016 Cabri Guimbal G2, N354MH
Wet Rate $525 / hobbs hr.
Garmin G650 GPS IFR Approved
2019 Cabri Guimbal G2, N457PA
Wet Rate $525 / hobbs hr.
Garmin G650 GPS IFR Approved
Elite TH 100 ATD
Wet Rate $125 / hobbs hr.
Garmin GNS 430 WAAS Helicopter simulator
Instruction Rates
Primary
$55/hour
Advanced
$60/hour
Our Rotary Wing CFIs
Cody Adams
Cody is from Kansas City, Kansas. He studied at Kansas University and the Naval Postgraduate School. He is a CFI and CFII in helicopters and is an instrument-rate commercial pilot in airplanes. Cody has been instructing with Ideal Aviation since October 2019.
Zachery Augustine
Zachery is from Staunton, IL. He has been a helicopter CFI and CFII for nearly two years with over 750 flight hours. Zachery has been instructing with Ideal Aviation since October 2019.
Charles Beesley
Charles is a Marine and a Service Dog Trainer. He is a graduate of Saint Louis University’s Aeronautics program. He has been a CFI and CFII in helicopters with over 500 flight hours. He has been instructing with Ideal Aviation since October 2019.
Malik Larcher
Malik was born and raised in the Austrian Alps. He was always fascinated by helicopters conducting mountain rescue operations, flying over his house. After graduating, he decided to move to the US to start his flight training. He is a CFI and CFII in helicopters with 700 flight hours. Malik has been instructing with Ideal Aviation since November 2019.
Zach Lucas
Zach was born and raised in St. Louis with 15 years of aviation experience. He served 9+ years active duty in the Marines as a Huey Crew Chief, Mechanic, and Weapons and Tactics Instructor. He graduated from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor’s in Aviation Management in 2018. He is both a helicopter mechanic and helicopter CFI and CFII. Zach has been instructing with Ideal Aviation since October 2019.
FAQ's
Operations FAQ's about how we run our flight training
Our rotary-wing training is Part-141 Certificated.
All helicopter training is done in the Guimbal Cabri G2.
Our training follows the Jeppesen syllabus and uses Jeppesen textbooks. Other flight training study materials can be found for free at the FAA website here.
We are open 7 days a week. Flight lessons can be scheduled at any time of day.
No, you are covered by our insurance policy. More information regarding the coverage can be provided upon request.
All of our rental rates include fuel, oil, and insurance. Helicopter rates include the instructor.
Student Pilot Training FAQ's for new pilots
While the FAA requires a minimum of 40 flight hours, studies show an average of 60-75 flight hours to get your Private Pilot rating.
The speed at which you get your rating depends on many factors but mainly on how often you fly. Pilots who fly several times a week usually can get their rating in a couple of months to a year.
If you have never flown in a small aircraft before and are considering becoming a pilot, we recommend booking a Discovery Flight to determine if flying is something you want to do.
Our current Discovery Flight promotion is a 30-45 minute all-inclusive flight in a helicopter for $300.00.
We match instructors to students based on the rating sought, availability, and schedule compatibility.
We recommend working with one instructor for the duration of your training to avoid overlap of training.
Once we have your information set up in our system, you are placed with an instructor and can immediately begin training.
Ground school courses are a great way to expedite your ground training and familiarize yourself with the subjects in your flight training. However, you will still need some ground training so that your instructor can ensure that there are no gaps in your training.
No, you do not need either of these documents until your first solo flight.
Flight Training Costs FAQ's about the price of training
Because there are so many variables (weather, maintenance, unexpected life events), it is impossible to predict how much flight training will cost.
We estimate that it will cost around $30,000 for the helicopter PPL.
Flight lessons usually range from 1 -1.5 hour flights. The average cost for a helicopter lesson is $560-840.
Our helicopter training is partnered with Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC). If you enroll in the helicopter training at SWIC, you will have the opportunity to use your G.I. bill, apply for student loans, or use educational scholarships.