What is the PPL(H)?
The Private Pilot Licence (Helicopter) – PPL(H) for short – is the basic licence for flying helicopters. With this licence you are permitted to fly helicopters privately and non-commercially.
Requirements
- Minimum age: 17 years (training can begin from age 16)
- Medical fitness: Class 2 aeromedical certificate
- Language skills: good English or German
- No criminal record: clean conduct
Training programme
Theoretical training (approx. 100 hours)
- Air law and procedures
- Meteorology
- Navigation
- Aerodynamics and principles of flight
- Operational procedures
- Human performance
Practical training (at least 45 flight hours)
- Of which at least 25 hours with a flight instructor
- At least 10 hours of solo flight time
- Cross-country flight of at least 185 km
Costs
The costs of PPL(H) training depend heavily on the chosen helicopter type and the number of hours actually required. Based on the legal minimum of 45 flight hours, training at Swiss flight schools starts at around CHF 35,000 to 40,000, for example on a Robinson R22. Swiss Helicopter quotes from about CHF 40,000, the official career guidance around CHF 36,000 on a minimum-hours basis.
Realistically, many student pilots need more than the minimum number of hours and larger helicopter types are more expensive, so the total cost can be noticeably higher. Binding figures are provided during the consultation at the respective flight school. As a rule, only the hours actually flown are billed, so the costs are spread over the duration of the training.
Duration
Training takes, depending on availability, 12 to 24 months. Intensive courses allow completion in 6–8 months.
Next steps
- Take an introductory flight to try out helicopter flying
- Obtain the aeromedical certificate
- Compare flight schools in your region
- Start with the theoretical training