Helicopter Pilot Training

Astral Helicopters offers the best training courses you will find anywhere.
With our modern aircraft, limitless bush terrain and experienced instructors you will receive the most valuable flight training possible.

New Zealand is internationally regarded as perhaps the best place to learn to fly due to our changeable maritime weather combined with our rugged and varied terrain. And with the current exchange rates New Zealand is now also one of the cheapest places in the world to fly.

Astral Helicopters aircraft are fitted with real-time satellite tracking and communication systems, for the ultimate safety and up to the minute position monitoring.

We operate the industry standard Robinson R22B aircraft, the most reliable helicopter ever built. These are fitted with dual controls, moving map GPS and on-board cell phone and are maintained to the highest NZ CAA requirements.

Our training base at Rotorua is the gateway to the limitless alpine bush of the central plateau, where we conduct a lot of our flying training. We chose this location because of its proximity to these fantastic training areas as well as the private forestry blocks for our advanced lessons.

Flying under slung loads is a valuable skill in the helicopter industry. Some flight schools will fly a car tyre around the circuit pattern for 10 hours to tick the box. We don't see much commercial demand for that. We train in bush clearings, placing precision loads with an 80 foot strop as you will do so often in your career. Here you will learn the skills to safely and confidently transition into the commercial world.

Astral Helicopters are proud to offer a bush survival skills course for our Commercial students. We will spend a night in the bush and cover techniques for finding shelter, food and water, signaling, basic first aid and navigation. The course is free and optional but highly recommended for teaching life saving skills as well as being a lot of fun! We believe this valuable course is a New Zealand first - and just another reason why Astral Helicopters is committed to providing the most comprehensive helicopter flight training possible.

During our cross country lessons we will learn navigation techniques and visit other parts of the country. Along the way we have several International Airports we will visit for the exposure to busy traffic environments. The CPL course will take us through the rugged beauty of the Southern Alps, where we will practice additional high level training.

Train with us to your Commercial Pilots Licence and we will do our best to assist you in finding your first flying job.

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Helicopter trainee instructor

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Fly Astral Helicopters and welcome to our sky