What's the difference between ATPL(H)/IR theory and CPL(H) theory?

The ATPL scope is broader, and the IR version adds the full instrument material. CPL(H) theory is 95 hours with an instructor and 535 hours of self-study, ATPL(H)/IR is 114 and 580 respectively.

Do I need 1000 flight hours to enroll in the course?

No. To start the theory course you just need a license at least at PPL(H) level and the other entry requirements. The 1000 flight hours are a condition for the ATPL(H) license itself to be issued, not for starting theoretical training.

How long does ATPL(H)/IR theoretical training take?

Almost 700 hours of program: 114 with an instructor and 580 of self-study. Studying alongside a job, it realistically takes over a year. The full set of exams has to be passed within 18 months of the first attempt.

How much does a helicopter pilot theory course cost?

We don't publish figures on the page, because this course is priced from a few parts: instructor-led classes in the format you choose, self-study materials with access to the question bank, and the number of consultations before exam sessions. The authority's exam fees are paid separately, per subject. Write or call and we'll send a quote for your variant.

Can I continue practical training with you after the theory?

Yes. We run CPL(H) practical training and type rating courses at Radom-Piastów airport, on both piston and turbine helicopters. Theory and practical training at one school simplify the paperwork and the planning.

ATPL(H)/IR theoretical training for helicopter pilots

ATPL(H)/IR theory is the highest level of theoretical training for a helicopter pilot who is thinking about flying professionally and about instrument flight. We run the course at our ATO based at Radom-Piastów airport, under an approved Part-FCL syllabus. Passing the theory at ATPL level also covers the theoretical knowledge for the CPL(H) license and the IR(H) rating, so one set of exams settles the theory for the whole career path ahead.

Who actually needs ATPL(H)/IR, and when

The ATPL(H) airline transport license is required wherever you fly professionally in commercial air transport and sit in the commander's seat. But the theoretical knowledge starts to matter much earlier, because passing at ATPL level covers the material required for the CPL(H) commercial license and for the IR(H) instrument rating. In practice, it is the theory for the whole road from a private license to a job with an airline.

The right moment for this course usually comes once a pilot already holds a PPL(H) and has decided that flying helicopters is going to be a career, not just a weekend passion. The theory can be done early, regardless of weather and before the most expensive part of training, the flight hours. Before signing up, it is worth looking at one number: almost 700 hours of study, mostly on your own.

Syllabus and how the training runs

The course splits into 114 hours of instructor-led classes and 580 hours of self-study. Time with the instructor goes into the harder parts of the material, calculation exercises and typical exam traps, while the rest is independent work following a study plan.

The scope covers air law, general aircraft knowledge (airframe, systems, powerplant, instruments), mass and balance, performance, flight planning and monitoring, human performance, meteorology, general navigation, radio navigation, operational procedures, principles of flight, and VFR and IFR communications.

The IR variant adds the full instrument material: IFR procedures, approaches, minima, route planning. This is the part that separates a pilot who flies a helicopter in good weather from one who is ready to fly in instrument conditions. Studying alongside a full-time job, the whole course usually takes over a year, since 580 hours of self-study have to fit somewhere real.

What the exams look like

Exams are taken before the examination board of the civil aviation authority, as multiple-choice tests, one subject at a time. The pass mark is 75 percent. Nothing gets averaged out: a weak result in meteorology will not be rescued by a great result in air law.

The timeframe is fixed. You have to pass the full set within 18 months, counting from the end of the month in which you sit your first exam. You get a maximum of six sessions and no more than four attempts at any single subject. Because of this, we arrange the order of subjects around the pace at which each candidate is actually able to study.

What a pass in the theory gives you

Passing at ATPL(H) level covers the theoretical knowledge requirements for the CPL(H) commercial license and for the IR(H) rating. Instead of two separate courses and two sets of exams, you sit one, broader set.

The airline transport license itself is a separate matter. Part-FCL requires you to be at least 21 years old, hold a class 1 medical certificate and have 1000 hours as a helicopter pilot, which is why the theory is usually done first and the hours are logged afterwards. Passed exams allow the license to be issued for 36 months, and a pass in ATPL theory remains valid for 7 years from the last expiry date of the IR rating entered on the license.

What actually drives the price of this course

The biggest factor is the format you choose for those 114 hours with an instructor: group learning costs less than one-to-one consultations, and remote classes cost less than on-site ones. On top of that come the materials for the 580 hours of self-study, including access to the question bank, and the authority's exam fees, charged separately per subject and per resit. We send the current price list and the date of the next group intake once you get in touch.

Studying where you will later fly

Classes run at Radom-Piastów airport, the same place where we run our practical training. After the exams, you do not need to find another school for your CPL(H) practical training or for a type rating, and the flying happens on our own training helicopters, both piston and turbine, listed on the Fleet page. The airport is within driving distance of Warsaw, Łódź or Lublin, which makes it easier to plan your visits over a course spread across months.

Course programme

114 hours of instructor-led classes
580 hours of self-study following a study plan
air law and operational procedures
general aircraft knowledge: airframe, systems, powerplant, instruments
mass and balance, and helicopter performance
meteorology, general navigation and radio navigation
flight planning and monitoring, including IFR flights
human performance
principles of helicopter flight, and VFR and IFR communications
instrument procedures and approaches to the level required for IR
mock exams before every examination session

After passing the full set of exams, a pilot has completed the ATPL(H) theoretical knowledge together with IR, also recognized for CPL(H) and IR(H).

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between ATPL(H)/IR theory and CPL(H) theory?: The ATPL scope is broader, and the IR version adds the full instrument material. CPL(H) theory is 95 hours with an instructor and 535 hours of self-study, ATPL(H)/IR is 114 and 580 respectively.
Do I need 1000 flight hours to enroll in the course?: No. To start the theory course you just need a license at least at PPL(H) level and the other entry requirements. The 1000 flight hours are a condition for the ATPL(H) license itself to be issued, not for starting theoretical training.
How long does ATPL(H)/IR theoretical training take?: Almost 700 hours of program: 114 with an instructor and 580 of self-study. Studying alongside a job, it realistically takes over a year. The full set of exams has to be passed within 18 months of the first attempt.
How much does a helicopter pilot theory course cost?: We don't publish figures on the page, because this course is priced from a few parts: instructor-led classes in the format you choose, self-study materials with access to the question bank, and the number of consultations before exam sessions. The authority's exam fees are paid separately, per subject. Write or call and we'll send a quote for your variant.
Can I continue practical training with you after the theory?: Yes. We run CPL(H) practical training and type rating courses at Radom-Piastów airport, on both piston and turbine helicopters. Theory and practical training at one school simplify the paperwork and the planning.