Rotor Wing Transition Program

The Rotor Wing Transition Program at Paragon Flight is one of the best in the nation. Located in Fort Myers, Florida, we are uniquely able to help rotor pilots transition to fixed-wing aviation as airline pilots.

As a superior performing flight training institution, Paragon Flight has been repeatedly honored as an excellent source for flight training. Our goal is to meet clients where they are and, for military and civilian helicopter pilots, this mission often includes heightened flexibility and an accelerated timeline.

Paragon Flight is an FAA-approved Part 141 and FAA-approved Part 61 flight school. We’re overseen by the FAA and provide an FAA-approved curriculum while also providing greater flexibility than Part 141-only schools.

Our instructional team consists of experienced flight instructors, and we’ve collaborated with Jeppesen to provide the best available training tools and curriculum.

Perhaps the most critical element of your training will be the aircraft. Gain fixed-wing experience in safe and modern planes when you fly with us. Our fleet of aircraft include the Cessna 172 Skyhawk, the Cessna Stationair C206H, the Cirrus SR20 and SR22, and the Piper PA-44 Seminole. Each of these aircraft has glass cockpit technology to familiarize our pilots with the navigation equipment they’ll encounter in commercial aircraft.

For military-trained helicopter pilots, 500 hours of logged flight time is sufficient for entry into the Rotor Wing Transition Program as long as 100 hours is spent cross country, 75 at night, and 75 using instruments. Military rotor pilots will likely automatically surpass these requirements.

Civilian helicopter pilots must have 1,250 total flight hours. Of these hours, 100 should be cross country, 75 of night hours, and 75 hours spent monitoring instruments.

Rotor pilots will enter our program with different amounts of logged flight hours under their belts. Recognizing this fact, we structure the programs for individual pilots to meet the demands of the certification.

Within the rotor wing transition program, most of the training occurs in the air. We understand that existing pilots know the language of aviation and understand navigation and laws of aeronautics. This prior knowledge accelerates the transition. The program does require specific terms of training. These include the following:

• For Military Helicopter Pilots:
  • 750 flight hours in total
  • 200 hours flying cross country
  • 100 hours spent flying at night
  • 75 hours of instrument time
  • 25 hours of multi-engine flight time
• For Civilian Helicopter Pilots:
  • 1,500 flight hours in total
  • 200 hours of cross-country flight time
  • 100 hours of night flight
  • 75 hours of instrument time
  • 25 hours of multi-engine flight time

The beautiful weather of Southwestern Florida is a highlight of Paragon Flight. We can provide proximity to multiple airports and practice fields. The accelerated timeline you seek can be finished even faster when you have over 350 days of ideal flight time each year. We provide the weather, the training space, the instructors, and the curriculum to get you out of the copter seat and into airline pilot gear faster.

Whether you are a military or civilian helicopter pilot, choose the Rotor Wing Transition Program here at Paragon Flight to simplify your move to the airline pilot seat. Give us a call by dialing (239) 274-3170 to customize your program today!