Helicopter training for Rutland
Rutland has no helicopter school of its own, which is not surprising for a county of forty thousand people. Arcus Helicopters at Nottingham Airport is a straightforward run north-west from Oakham and Uppingham, and Rutland pilots have been making it for years.
Getting here
From Oakham most people head north-west towards Melton Mowbray and pick up the A46, or run up the A1 and cut across. Either way it is around an hour to the airfield at Tollerton. Because that is a proper journey rather than a hop, we tend to plan longer sessions for Rutland students so a day out produces real progress.
Rutland pilots tend to be clear about what they want, and often already have some flying behind them. What we can offer is four helicopter types on one fleet, an in-house examiner and a school that does not lose interest once the skill test is passed.
Double lessons and block bookings, so an hour each way buys you real progress rather than forty minutes of flying.
Navigation exercises south and east take in the reservoir and the Welland valley, which is a memorable way to learn to read the ground.
R22, R44, R66 and Bell 206 JetRanger, plus an in-house examiner for tests and proficiency checks.
Where to start
If you already hold a licence, self-fly hire and type ratings are usually the more useful conversation. If you are starting from nothing, come for a trial lesson and make a morning of it.
Worth combining with a proper look round the school.
Read more →Add the R22, R44, R66 or Bell 206 to your licence.
Read more →Stay current and build hours in familiar aircraft.
Read more →The full route if you are starting from scratch.
Read more →Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you plan it properly. Rutland students typically book longer or double sessions rather than short slots, and keep a consistent day so the journey becomes routine. We would rather set that up honestly than pretend a forty-minute lesson makes sense from Oakham.
Navigation exercises regularly take in that part of the country, subject to the exercise, airspace and conditions on the day. It is a genuinely useful landmark to learn to navigate by, as well as a good view.
Bring your logbook and licence and we will look at them with you. Depending on how long it has been you may need refresher training and a proficiency check, and we will tell you plainly what is involved before you spend anything.
Trial lesson vouchers are popular as gifts and are valid for 12 months from purchase. Do bear in mind the lesson is for the student and instructor only, so a partner cannot come along for the flight.
Travelling from Rutland?
Make the run once and see what you think. Ring ahead and we will plan a visit that is worth the hour in the car.