Palm Beach Helicopters designed the Heli-Pal course for helicopter passengers to better understand and participate in the flight with minor tasks. Although pilot incapacitation is rare, the student will be better equipped to react in an emergency situation by utilizing specific maneuvers covered in the course to get the aircraft safely on the ground. The course is primarily geared toward private owners and passengers; however, aviation crewmembers can benefit as well.
According to one company official, “We can’t teach everything there is to know about flying in this two-day course, but you will come away with a better sense of flying fundamentals. You will learn how to fly straight and level, make turns, climb, and descend. We will also introduce you to navigation, communication, instruments, and decision making.”
Palm Beach Helicopters was established in 2001 as an FAA Part 141 flight school for private through ATP flight training. It is approved for veterans training and can issue M-1 visas for foreign students. The company is also a factory-authorized Robinson Service Center and distributor of the R44 Grand Glass cockpit. Through partnerships with Aircoastal Helicopters and Night Flight Concepts, the company provides factory equivalent turbine training, night vision goggle courses, NVG cockpit modification, and NVG equipment sales and maintenance.
The course runs for two days and includes ground instruction, simulator instruction, and two hours of Robinson R44 flight time. The price is $1,495 (USD) per person. For more information, visit the Web site.
