How does the CPL(H) licence differ from PPL(H)?

PPL(H) lets you fly a helicopter privately, without pay. CPL(H) is a professional licence that lets you fly for money. That brings higher requirements: a class 1 medical certificate, more flight hours, and a broader theory syllabus.

How long does CPL(H) theoretical training take?

The programme is 95 hours with an instructor and 535 hours of self-study. The calendar time depends on your own pace, since it's set by how many hours a week you can put into self-study.

Can I start CPL(H) theory without a PPL(H) licence?

No, a valid PPL(H) licence is required. If you're starting from zero, the integrated 0-CPL(H) programme often makes more sense, taking you from your first helicopter flight to a professional licence in one course.

How long does a passed theory stay valid?

Part-FCL sets a window for completing all subjects and a validity period for a passed theory, counted through to the skill test. The number of attempts per subject is also limited, so we plan the dates together with the candidate.

Can I fly commercially once I've passed the theory?

Not yet. Passed exams let you move on to CPL(H) practical training and the skill test on a helicopter. The licence follows once you meet all the requirements, including flight hours and age.

How much does the CPL(H) theoretical course cost?

The price mainly depends on the format: group classes are cheaper than one-on-one sessions built around your schedule, and extra blocks for a subject giving you trouble are billed separately. ULC exam fees go directly to the authority. We give you a figure after a conversation.

CPL(H) theoretical training, professional helicopter pilot licence

CPL(H) theory is what separates a private pilot from a professional one. The course covers 95 hours with an instructor and 535 hours of self-study, and ends with state exams across the full set of aviation subjects. We run it at our EASA ATO based at Radom-Piastów airport, for pilots holding a PPL(H) licence who want to fly helicopters for pay.

The CPL(H) theoretical exam at the ULC and what it means for the course

Exams are taken before the Aviation Examination Board at the Polish Civil Aviation Authority (ULC), one subject at a time, as single-choice tests. The pass mark is 75 percent, and entry to the session requires a course completion certificate issued by the training organisation.

Part-FCL rules limit how many attempts you get per subject and how much time you have to complete the whole session, and a passed theory stays valid for a set period. That's why the course is built around the exam schedule, not the order of chapters in a textbook. We start with subjects that pull in the rest of the material, like principles of flight and performance, then move to ones you can get through faster. We set the order of attempts together with the candidate.

Who CPL(H) theory is for

The course is for pilots holding a valid PPL(H) who want to move from recreational helicopter flying into aviation work. A professional licence lets you fly for pay, so the entry requirements are stricter: a class 1 medical certificate and English good enough to work with aviation materials.

Before starting, we check your grounding in maths and physics, because performance, mass and balance, and flight planning all rest on calculations and charts. You can work through theory in parallel with building flight hours, and you sit the exams independently of how many hours are logged in your pilot's logbook.

What the programme covers

The programme matches EASA requirements: 95 hours with an instructor plus 535 hours of self-study. Classroom sessions organise the material, explain the tricky parts, and work through problems in exam format, while the candidate does most of the work alone, between sessions.

The material covers the full set of exam subjects, listed below in the course programme. We teach every topic from a helicopter perspective, not a fixed-wing one, which shows most clearly in performance, in planning operations from helipads, and in principles of flight, where the main rotor follows its own physics. Some topics will look familiar from PPL(H), but questions at professional level more often call for reading a chart or running a calculation than recalling a definition.

What comes after passing the theory

Theory alone doesn't authorise paid flying. Once the exams are passed, the pilot moves on to CPL(H) practical training, sits the skill test, and only after meeting the flight-hour and age requirements receives the professional licence.

With a CPL(H) you can carry passengers, carry out aerial work, and fly scenic flights. It also opens the door to further training: the FI(H) instructor rating, or ATPL(H) theory and an instrument rating. What a pilot actually does on the job, though, comes down to type ratings, which are earned separately, on specific aircraft.

What the theory fee covers

With theory you pay for access to classes and materials, not for hours in a helicopter, so the bill is predictable from the start. The difference comes down to format: group classes work out cheaper than one-on-one sessions built around an individual schedule, and each extra block for a tougher subject is billed separately. ULC exam fees are paid directly to the authority by the pilot, and they go up with every repeat attempt at a subject.

What training at Radom-Piastów looks like

We run classes at Radom-Piastów airport, in the same place as practical training. We build the schedule in blocks, for people who work, and we track progress with tests in a format close to the state exam, with the same 75 percent pass mark.

Practical training after theory runs on our training aircraft: the piston Guimbal Cabri G2 and Robinson R44, and the turbine Robinson R66 and Airbus AS350, with the rest of the fleet described on the Fleet page. A pilot who starts with theory can stay at one training organisation for the whole road to a professional licence.

Course programme

95 hours of theoretical classes with an instructor
535 hours of self-study with course materials
air law and operational procedures
general aircraft knowledge and instrumentation
mass and balance, performance, flight planning
aviation meteorology
general navigation and radio navigation
human performance, human factors and physiological limitations
principles of helicopter flight and VFR communications
practice tests in ULC exam format
course completion certificate, required for the CPL(H) exams

Once the theoretical exams are passed, the pilot moves on to the CPL(H) practical stage. Training is run by the Heli Solution EASA ATO based at Radom-Piastów airport.

Frequently asked questions

How does the CPL(H) licence differ from PPL(H)?: PPL(H) lets you fly a helicopter privately, without pay. CPL(H) is a professional licence that lets you fly for money. That brings higher requirements: a class 1 medical certificate, more flight hours, and a broader theory syllabus.
How long does CPL(H) theoretical training take?: The programme is 95 hours with an instructor and 535 hours of self-study. The calendar time depends on your own pace, since it's set by how many hours a week you can put into self-study.
Can I start CPL(H) theory without a PPL(H) licence?: No, a valid PPL(H) licence is required. If you're starting from zero, the integrated 0-CPL(H) programme often makes more sense, taking you from your first helicopter flight to a professional licence in one course.
Where are the CPL(H) theoretical exams held?: Before the Aviation Examination Board at the Polish Civil Aviation Authority (ULC), one subject at a time, as single-choice tests. The pass mark is 75 percent. We issue the certificate needed for exam entry once the course is complete.
How long does a passed theory stay valid?: Part-FCL sets a window for completing all subjects and a validity period for a passed theory, counted through to the skill test. The number of attempts per subject is also limited, so we plan the dates together with the candidate.
Can I fly commercially once I've passed the theory?: Not yet. Passed exams let you move on to CPL(H) practical training and the skill test on a helicopter. The licence follows once you meet all the requirements, including flight hours and age.
How much does the CPL(H) theoretical course cost?: The price mainly depends on the format: group classes are cheaper than one-on-one sessions built around your schedule, and extra blocks for a subject giving you trouble are billed separately. ULC exam fees go directly to the authority. We give you a figure after a conversation.