“From November 2012 to June 2013 I was enrolled in a Commercial Helicopter Course at 49 North Helicopters. I was very happy to be assigned Stefan as my primary instructor.
The entire process from start to finish was extremely positive. Sheena, Jean-Marc, and Stefan are very knowledgeable people and made all aspects of the training run very smoothly. Stefan as an instructor was very methodical and well prepared for each lesson. As a former fixed-wing instructor and training captain I was able to appreciate all he put in to making sure each training hour was spent wisely. He advocates a very practical approach to helicopter flying, and each lesson we conducted was based around this framework. So much of training in the industry is designed just to pass the exam, but this was not the case with Stefan at 49 North. He took the time to work in a practical application to each exercise.
As a transitioning pilot Stefan had another challenge to deal with. Pilots with a moderate amount of time in fixed wing aircraft are actually quite dangerous in helicopters. Our familiarity with the airborne environment, as well as basic knowledge and smoothness with corrections can lull a flight instructor into a false sense of security. Its great that Stefan was not subject to this tendency because our reactions to emergencies that have kept us safe in the past in fixed wing are completely opposite to what is required in helicopters. As a fixed wing pilot if I hear a horn, my body wants nothing more than to preserve airspeed and add power (pull pitch). Stefan was able to anticipate this and save the day on more than one occasion. From someone who is used to instructing, this ability to stay sharp when all else is going smoothly is a valuable skill. It’s just one of the things that make him and the team at 49 North great.
On the paperwork side, Sheena made everything go very smoothly. They just about bent over backwards to make things work for us on so many levels. This is indicative of a level of professionalism and dedication I respect greatly.
I highly recommend taking your training and/or commercial helicopter business to 49 North Helicopters.” – Rafael