Situated at the southern most part of Central America, neighboring Costa Rica, a host of international airlines service Panama with daily flights en route to all major international cities and airports. Only 2 1/2 hours from Miami, getting to Panama is easy from any major city in the world, both aboard direct flights and those making brief stops in Miami, Mexico City, and other Central American countries. Few cities in Latin America guarantees its' visitors the departure and arrival itineraries as does Panama. Upon your arrival at Tocumen International Airport, we would be pleased to pick you up. You will find that Panama City has every convenience and facility you can imagine! Obtaining your helicopter pilot's license in Panama will be considerably cheaper than one would expect to pay in North America or Europe. While the cost of the course and flying time is relatively on par with international standards, the cost of living is substantially lower, which will have a favorable effect on the total cost of your training. Daily expenses such as accommodation, transportation, and food are also well below what you would expect to pay elsewhere. Add up these savings and you'll save bundles on your helicopter training here in Panama. Often referred to as the Hong Kong of Latin America, Panama City is unquestionably Central America’s most cosmopolitan and modern metropolis. Its bustling commercial center, currently boasting over 130 international banks and teeming with international restaurants and boutiques, comes complete with all the amenities one would expect from a first world capital city. Serving not only as an ideal entrance and departure point, Panama City rewards visitors with numerous points of it interest including Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks, Casco Viejo, Panama Viejo, Summit Gardens, Metropolitan Natural Park, and El Pueblito. Just minutes from downtown, these attractions, in addition to various museums and statues, make for ideal daily excursions. Long overlooked from an eco-tourism standpoint, Panama is now arousing the attention of travel writers and journalists worldwide. While much has been said regarding the Panama Canal, it is important to point out that Panama offers students the opportunity to visit and enjoy countless outdoor excursions while studying, in addition to a wealth of unique cultural experiences unavailable elsewhere in Central America. While Panama shares much of the natural beauty often associated with neighboring Costa Rica, most notably its' white sand beaches, national parks, flora & fauna, volcanoes, lakes, and waterfalls, Panama’s unique cultural and historic possessions are what sets it apart. The country is home to several different Indian populations, in particular the Kuna of San Blas (Kuna Yala) and Embera of Darien, in addition to smaller communities in the mountainous region of Chiriqui. For the more ambitious, Panama boasts an assortment of recreational activities including white water rafting, kayaking, scuba diving, surfing, sportfishing, birding, and hiking. If you still find some time to spend between studying and flying, Panama has it all - beach, sun, adventure, restaurants, movies, nightlife, and more. Your flexible training schedule WILL permit you to enjoy the natural, tropical beauty so unique to Panama. Now the fun part, learning to fly the helicopters! Our instructors, all began the same way you are. Thus, they've experienced the same nervousness, apprehension, and excitement. Their real life experiences in commercial flying will be of tremendous assistance, and you should feel free to tap into their knowledge whenever possible. In fact, with luck you might find yourself accompanying some of our pilots on jobs where you'll be able to see the real thing. Throughout your training program, you'll visit numerous training areas, all of which have varying terrain; i.e. Calzada Larga - Airfield, Madden Lake, and the Chagres River. With rainforest everywhere, blanketing the terrain between and so many different sites, you will not be so fortunate as to see them all during a single course. In Panama, you will not get bored seeing the same training spots over and over again. On your cross-country flights, you can see two oceans - the Caribbean and the Pacific - on one flight! In addition, there are still lots of islands and interior mountain regions to explore... THERE ARE NO LIMITS! When you are finished with your training classes, and later pass the final checkride, you will receive your Panamanian Helicopter Pilot License, which is accepted on an international level. (Panama is a member of the ICAO - International Civil Aviation Organization and your license is just as convertible as a US certificate). Helipan Corp's office and hangar (#16A) are located at Marcos A. Gelabert Airport in Panama City, which services all of Panama's domestic airports. Within a few short minutes of downtown Panama City, cab and public busses service the airport. Our new hangar comes complete with all the facilities a student needs including computerized training, internet-access, and TV-VCR. Our open aired, spacious hangar provides the ideal setting for studying and flying helicopters. For a brief look at the different training classes we have, we recommend that you review the charts below for more detailed information. In the event that you have additional questions, kindly contact our office via e-mail so that we can better service you. PRIVATE PILOT (40 Hours) PPL - H 35 Hours Dual Flight Time * 5 Hours Solo Flight Time * 30 Hours Ground Instruction * These hours are based on the minimum hours required by regulation, actual hours may vary depending on student's performance. COMMERCIAL PILOT ** (110 Hours * - Includes Private Pilot Helicopter License) CPL - H 40 Hours VFR Dual Flight Time * 10 Hours IFR Dual Flight Time * 60 Hours Solo Flight Time 50 Hours Ground Instruction * These hours are based on the minimum hours required by regulation, actual hours may vary depending on student's performance. * * Previous flight experience may significantly reduce the cost of your training. INSTRUMENT RATING - HELICOPTER (40 Hours) IMC-H 40 Hours IFR Dual Flight Time * 20 Hours Ground Instruction * These hours are based on the minimum hours required by regulation, actual hours may vary depending on student's performance. CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR - HELICOPTER CFI 25 Hours Dual Flight Time * 20 Hours Ground Instruction * These hours are based on the minimum hours required by regulation, actual hours may vary depending on student's performance. SPECIAL COURSES External Load 10 Hours Ground Instruction 15 Hours Flight Training, Short / Long Line Robinson R44 Transition 10 Hours Flight Time * Robinson R22 Transition 10 Hours Flight Time * Eurocopter EC 120 Transition 5 Hours Flight Time Mountain Checkout 5 Hours Flight Time * Turbine Transition 5 Hours Flight Time * * These hours are based on the minimum hours required by regulation, actual hours may vary depending on student's performance. Attention: These courses can be included in the 150 hours CPL - H Course HELICOPTER RENTAL PRICES FOR FLIGHT SCHOOL Aircraft Condition Price per hour Robinson R22 VFT Dual/Supervised Solo US$ 250.00 Robinson R22 IFR Solo Rental - Supervised US$ 300.00 Robinson R44 Dual/Solo US$ 650.00 Eurocopter EC120B Dual/Rental US$ 1,150.00 Alouette III 319B Dual/Rental US$ 1,250.00 Ground School US$ 35.00 [ Home ] [ Company Profile ] [ Training & Instruction ] [ Courses / Prices ] [ Tours ] [ Sales & Service ] [ Photo Gallery ] [ Guest Book/Message Boards ] [ Internet Links ] [ Contact Us ]