Commercial Pilot Certificate Want to fly helicopters for a living? This is the certificate you will need if your goal is to make a career flying helicopters. In addition to perfecting the maneuvers you learned during your private training, your commercial training will introduce you to advanced helicopter maneuvers. Your ground training will include advanced helicopter aerodynamics and the rules and regulations that govern commercial helicopter operations. A greater emphasis is placed on professionalism, helicopter power management, off-airport landings including pinnacles and confined areas, and good judgment. As a Commercial pilot you can fly for hire. Various types of commercial jobs include: Air Ambulance / EMS Fire Fighting Offshore Oil Rig Support Charters & Tours Law Enforcement Aerial Photography / Surveillance Drug Abatement US Border Patrol US Forest Service (Wildlife Survey) Tuna Boat Operations Electronic New Gathering (ENG) Air Taxi Service Agriculture Support Corporate VIP Transport External Load / Heavy Lifting Search & Rescue Logging Flight Instruction Movie Industry (Film and stunt work) USGS (Seismic and Geologic Survey) If you have just completed your Instrument rating then your next stage is to work towards the Commercial certificate.  You will need a total of 150 hours of flight time.  So for instance, if it takes you 50 hours to get your Private and 40 hours to get your Instrument, you'll need 60 more hours to obtain your Commercial certificate.  So why are the below figures for 30 hours?  Because that is what is required by the FAA, and everyone is different, so you may need to fly additional hours to reach 150.  These hours are included in our Professional Pilot Programs. What most of our students do is work towards the CFI and CFII ratings before they reach 150 hours.  That is how a student can take the commercial checkride at 150 hours and the CFI checkride at 151 hours, because they are already prepared for it. Commercial Pilot Program Hours / Qty Price / Hour Total Schweizer 300CBi / Robinson R-22 (Dual Instruction) 20 $300 $6,000 Schweizer 300CBi / Robinson R-22 (Solo Practice) 10 $250 $2,500 Ground School (One-on-One) 25 $50 $1,250 Total Cost (Block Rates) As of 3/1/2008 *     $9,750   Extra items required to complete course Hours / Qty Price / Hour Total Study Guides, Charts, Books, Supplies   $50 $50 FAA Written Tests 1 $90 $90 FAA Checkride 1 $400 $400 Total Cost As of 3/1/2008     $540 * Place $5,000 on account to qualify for the block rates.  You also quality for our block rates if you use one of our finance partners.  If you want to pay for each flight as you go, there is an additional charge of $20 per hour for the aircraft.  Click here to see our Refund & Block Rate Policy