PPL Helicopters to Planes - anyone done it?

[SwissJonese]

I've got a PPL in Helicopters but fancy converting to a plane licence instead. Looking online I can only find old references but I believe I need to do the same 45+ hrs flight time in plane but can carry over 10hrs from Helicopter? Is this 10 current hours as I haven't done much recently and so my type rating has expired.

Also as I've already done most ground exams I would only need do 2 plane specific exams?
Aircraft General Knowledge
Flight Performance & Planning

[Geneve]

It's more commonly done the otherway round, and the CAA are quite strict about rotary training requiring the full qualifying hours.

However, you or your flying school would normally consult their Licensing Dept at Gatwick for specific carification. They would probably want to see your Log Book, and it would no doubt be an advantage if your PPL(H) and medical were valid with a current LPC on type.

Should be fun learning a new discipline - and finding out just how clever helicopters are compared to f/w

[lee_fr200]

My dad did it the other way around and he could use 5hrs from his ppl (a) for his ppl (h)
I also think it's 2 exams less as you will have already done air law etc etc

[lee_fr200]

My dad did it the other way around and he could use 5hrs from his ppl (a) for his ppl (h)
I also think it's 2 exams less as you will have already done air law etc etc

[SwissJonese]

Geneve said:

They would probably want to see your Log Book, and it would no doubt be an advantage if your PPL(H) and medical were valid with a current LPC on type.

Yes this is what I thought too, I'm probably best renewing my type licence for PPL(H) and then converting to Planes. My medical and RT licence is still valid.

I'm hoping I will get more flight time in on planes as it is so much cheaper than Helicopters, we shall see.

Thanks

[lee_fr200]

Depends where you fly and what you fly an R22 can cost as much as a robin 2160 (sherburn aero club)

A pa28 isn't cheap these days either my dad has just got checked out on the at3 with full glass cockpit and he says that's only £100 per hr so that sounds a good deal

[SwissJonese]

lee_fr200 said:

Depends where you fly and what you fly an R22 can cost as much as a robin 2160 (sherburn aero club)

A pa28 isn't cheap these days either my dad has just got checked out on the at3 with full glass cockpit and he says that's only £100 per hr so that sounds a good deal

Nearest Heli club to me is Swansea, their R22 is 289 per hr, and for R44 is 479. Although I would rather fly a R44 or the Cabri G2 at Kemble but that is more like 400 per hr too.

Nearest Plane club is Cardiff and they have 2 seater planes for 179 and 4 seaters are 194.

So planes seem over half as cheap especially for 4 seater jobbies.

[SwissJonese]

So had it confirmed by Civil Aviation Authority. For conversion from PPL (H) to EASA PPL (A) I need to re-take the following written exams:-
Principles of Flight
Operational Procedures
Flight Performance and Planning
Aircraft General Knowledge
Navigation

So looks like loads more revision for me the next 12 months.

[Lurking Lawyer]

SwissJonese said:

I need to re-take the following written exams:-
Principles of Flight

Makes sense, since everyone knows that it's sorcery rather than lift that keeps a helicopter aloft!

[slybynight]

Planes work with the laws of physics to achieve flight. Helicopters beat the laws of physics into temporary submission with complex machinery.

[perdu]

slybynight said:

Planes work with the laws of physics to achieve flight. Helicopters beat the laws of physics into temporary submission with complex machinery.

I heard that the complex machinery was only there to make a lot of confusing noise whilst the sorcery got on with the witchcrafty stuff

[IforB]

When i went the other way (though I have an ATPL) I only had to do Principles of Flight and technical. I was given 10 hrs off my PPL and 50 hrs from my CPL(H)

I'm surprised you have to do navigation again.

[SwissJonese]

IforB said:

When i went the other way (though I have an ATPL) I only had to do Principles of Flight and technical. I was given 10 hrs off my PPL and 50 hrs from my CPL(H)

I'm surprised you have to do navigation again.

Yep I'm surprised I needed to do Nav again. But then I haven't flown for a while so no current licence. Ah well will see if I like flying planes over Heli at lease just to get my flying fix and then decide if I will renew my heli licence or put the effort in to convert to planes.