Do I need a fixed wing licence before I can fly helicopters?
No you don’t need to do any fixed wing flying. The only advantage is if you wish to pursue a career in both Helicopter and Fixed wing. If your career is to be in helicopters then the extra training in helicopters is advantageous when applying for your future job. Some schools offer the fixed wing component to “save” you money because you can cross over some of those hours. However the only advantage is if you wish to pursue both types of flying, otherwise it can put you at a real disadvantage when you apply for your first job. You will be competing with pilots who have more hours and experience in a helicopter than you. Some schools maintain that even though you are in a fixed wing aircraft and not a helicopter that the hours all count as you are still flying. Very quickly you will realise though, that the disciplines are very different, and lets face it, the helicopter is NOT a fixed wing aircraft. However, that’s not to say you won’t have good fundamentals from flying in a fixed wing
