Private Pilot License — Helicopter
The foundation of your flying career. This course covers everything required to pass the FAA Private Pilot knowledge test, oral exam, and practical checkride in a helicopter.
Practice the knowledge test
50 sample questions in FAA format, drawn from these 8 topic pages. Filter by topic, see explanations with course cross-references.
Open Quiz →FAA Hour Requirements (61.109(c))
Course Syllabus
1. Helicopter Systems
Airframe, rotor systems, powerplant, transmission, tail rotor, fuel system, electrical, and instruments.
Study2. Aerodynamics
Lift, drag, thrust, torque, translational lift, ground effect, retreating blade stall, and settling with power.
Study3. Flight Controls
Collective, cyclic, anti-torque pedals, throttle correlation, and how each control affects helicopter flight.
Study4. Basic Maneuvers
Hovering, ground taxi, air taxi, normal takeoff and landing, traffic patterns, and hovering autorotation.
Study5. Navigation
Sectional charts, airspace, VFR flight planning, pilotage, dead reckoning, and GPS use.
Study6. Weather & ADM
Density altitude, weather patterns, METARs, TAFs, TFRs, and aeronautical decision making.
Study7. Emergency Procedures
Autorotation, engine failure at altitude, tail rotor failures, hydraulic failure, and settling with power recovery.
Study8. Checkride Prep
ACS standards, common oral exam questions, checkride day tips, and what to expect from the DPE.
Study★ ACS Reference
Complete map of all Areas of Operation under the FAA-S-ACS-15 Private Pilot Rotorcraft Helicopter ACS (published November 2023). Cross-references back to relevant course content.
Open ACS