Helicopter Academics

Minor Courses of Study in Helicopter Flight and Helicopter Operations and Safety

Helicopter Flight (HeF)

The minor requires 15 hours of coursework. You must take three of four FAA approved, Part 141 ground school courses offered on campus for college credit and obtain three corresponding helicopter pilot certificates.

These ground school classes are offered as regular college courses on the Embry-Riddle Prescott campus. The two mandatory classes for the minor are the Private and Commercial ground schools. You may then choose between either the Instrument or Flight Instructor ground schools for the third course.

Three helicopter pilot certificates/ratings must also be earned to complete the minor. The Private and Commercial Pilot certificates are both mandatory. You may then choose between either the Instrument rating or the Flight Instructor certificate.

Credit hour displacement equals 3 hours per ground course, and 1 hour per flight certificate. This will total 12 of 15 required for the minor. The remaining 3 hours is to be taken in an upper division course in Safety, Weather, or Air Science.

Embry-Riddle does not offer the helicopter flight lessons. Flight lessons may be taken at any approved Part 141 flight school.

Most students take the minor in conjunction with the Aerospace Studies degree, however, there are helicopter minor degree students from nearly every degree program offered at this campus.

Helicopter Operations and Safety (HOS)

The HOS consists of 18 credit hours of coursework. You take two Safety courses to give you familiarity with aviation safety and safety program management. The next four classes consist of Professional Pilot specific education. Some of the subjects taught in these courses are:

Helicopter flight planning at low levels, remote areas, and in varying environmental conditions
Mountain helicoper operations
Night Vision Device Operation
Physiology for the helicopter pilot
Flight management systems for helicopters
Management for Maintenance, Personnel, Operations and Training

This minor was directly developed with the approval of the industry. We have taken specific skill sets the professional helicopter pilot will need and brought it into our college curriculum. These subjects simply just don't exist for pilots in their flight training process.

In parallel to our fixed wing academic curriculum, we have found that a better educated graduate enters the industry ahead of their peers in every aspect and is thus much more competitive in the job market.

Financial Aid

Most Part 141 schools offer financing for flight training. Currently, there are Alternative Loan options offered exclusively for ERAU students obtaining their flight certificates locally and in conjunction with this degree program.

Employability

Success rates of students graduating from this program run very high. The helicopter industry has taken large interest in this ERAU program. Name brand recognition is a key factor to the future growth of this program and the industry’s interest in our graduates.

The university has a strong Army ROTC program in place. Nearly 90% of the students in this program requesting aviation as a branch after commissioning are accepted.

ERAU has membership with the Helicopter Association International. This affiliation has led to successful job applications, internships, and camaraderie with industry.

Here is a list of some of the available job opportunities in the helicopter industry:

US Armed Forces
US Dept of the Interior/Forest Service/ Homeland Security/ FBI
Certified Flight Instructor
State/County/Local Law Enforcement
Medical Air Ambulance companies
Off Shore Petroleum industry
Tour Operators
Photography/ Cinematography
Executive/Corporate pilot
Utility/Heavy Lift industry
Logging industry/ Firefighting
Search and Rescue/ Heli-Skiing
Agriculture

Cooperative Study

Currently, ERAU is developing excellent cooperative study opportunities for upper division students. Many of these are paid internships worth up to 6 credit hours or more. Students engaging in these opportunities often stand out among a pool of job applicants after graduation.

Why Helicopters?

The helicopter industry is currently experiencing a pilot shortage. Over the last several years, the senior pilots left over from the Vietnam era are retiring. This is leaving a pilot shortfall throughout the helicopter industry.

This opportunity beckons as there is a major shortage of pilots in an industry that is expected to grow as much as 60% in the next ten years.

Pilot salaries have increased in many cases over 50% in the last decade.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) has recently initiated a Helicopter Flight minor program of study at their Prescott, Arizona campus.

The Helicopter Flight minor can fall under any degree program, however, we recommend the Aeronautics Degree as a student has greater flexibility to mold their degree to the area of the industry where they want to work. Transfer students benefit from the different options available as well.