About Airwest Aviation Academy

Airwest Aviation Academy seeks to set a higher standard of instruction and integrity within the flight training community by being committed to developing students in a professional and efficient learning environment that brings them closer to their goals as future pilots. We believe this process is achieved through close one-on-one interaction between the instructor and student, dedicated development of our staff through a continual learning process, and a philosophy of open-door management.

Years of experience as a commercial operator have allowed AAA to become one of the few flight schools that can truly offer “real world” flight training. Drawing from the techniques that we use in the field, AAA students gain a distinct advantage over the competition by performing maneuvers just as they are performed in the professional world. This approach to flight instruction enables the student to easily transition the gap that so often exists between what the student learns in the training environment and what is truly encountered once they fly as an employed helicopter pilot.

“AAA instructors teach real world situations and prepare you to handle them safely and efficiently.”
Phillip Grigg - Commercial student 2008

All AAA instructors and staff are committed to delivering first-rate instruction and support in a positive learning environment. Quality instruction leads to quality pilots, which in turn leads to a quality reputation within the industry. This is what AAA is about.

 

Aircraft selection is integral to the success of flight training. This is why AAA proudly uses the Enstrom F28F Falcon as their primary training aircraft. Robust, reliable, and ready to perform virtually any mission, the Enstrom F28F has the capacity to meet the demands placed upon it by flight instruction. With one of the best safety records of any light helicopter available* (www.ntsb.gov), the F28F allows for ample shoulder and leg room for both pilot and passengers due to its wide, roomy cabin and reclined ergonomics. In addition to the relaxed interior, Enstrom has added several safety and comfort features that further enhance your flying experience. Fully adjustable venting, thick padded seats, shock-absorbing landings skids, and a fully articulated rotor system ensure that in-flight and landing conditions are as comfortable as possible. Take a flight in an F-28F and you’ll see the difference that sets it apart from the competition.

“With its unequaled performance, exceptional stability, and excellent safety record, you get more than just a trainer with the F-28F”
Jerry Mullins – Enstrom President & CEO

The 4th in a successful line of F-28 models, the F-28F Falcon, is the workhorse of Enstrom’s piston line. A 61 inch wide cabin provides comfortable seating for three people and features large, wide-opening doors. With the feel and the flight characteristics of a much larger helicopter, the F-28F is both inspiring and fun to fly. The three-bladed fully articulated system provides excellent stability and allows the pilot to operate the aircraft above and beyond the performance envelopes of other comparable training helicopters, without the worrying about the aerodynamic issues associated with a two-bladed system (i.e. - Low g maneuvers and mast bumping). Enstrom has done an excellent job in designing the F-28F’s control system to operate with the fewest components as possible, negating the need for heavy, cumbersome hydraulic systems to aid the pilot during flight. The helicopter’s cyclic top controlled trim system is responsive and easy to use. The collective is also balanced and positioned in such a manner to allow for worry-free, stable operation in almost any condition. Both the cyclic and collective have a firm, authoritative feel, which drastically reduces pilot workload – A major plus when learning the complexities of helicopter flight.

At Airwest we don’t sacrifice the best equipment for less expensive helicopters at the student’s expense. We believe in having the right machine for the job, not the cheapest, not the most popular, but what gets the job done in the best and most efficient way possible. Below you’ll find a table comparing the Robinson R-22, the most common flight trainer (and least expensive for the School to buy meaning more profit for them), and our Enstrom aircraft which overpowers, outperforms, and is safer than the leading competition. Yet, the students cost to fly them is the comparably the same.

See Helicopter comparison chart below.

Weights	Enstrom F28F	Robinson R22
Gross Weight	2600 lbs	1370 lbs
Empty Weight	1640 lbs	855 lbs
Useful Payload	960 lbs	515 lbs
Fuel	40 U.S. Gallons	19.2 U.S. Gallons
Optional Auxilary Fuel	13 U.S. Gallons	10.5 U.S. Gallons
Available Payload for Passengers/baggage w/std. fuel	720 lbs	400 lbs
Powerplant	Lycoming IO 360 F1AD, 4cyl, Turbocharged 225 hp	Lycoming O-360 4-cyl, derated to 131 hp
Performance	Enstrom F28F	Robinson R22
Maximum Airspeed (Vne)	112 mph	112 mph
Cruise Airspeed	102 mph	108 mph
Maximum Range (No Reserve)	263 st. mi.	200 st. mi.
Maximum Range (w/Aux Fuel)	350 st. mi	300 st. mi.
Average Fuel Consumption	14.7 gallons per hour	10 gallons per hour
Rate of Climb at Sea Level	1450 ft/min	1000 ft/min
Maximum Operating Altitude	12,000 ft w/full turbo	14,000 ft
Hover Ceiling, In Ground Effect (IGE)	13,200 ft	9,400 ft
Hover Ceiling, Out of Ground Effect (OGE)	8,700 ft	not available
Crash Statistics*	Enstrom F28F	Robinson R22
1 year -------------------------------- Crash/Fatalities	0 crashes / 0 Fatalities	24 crashes / 3 Fatalities
5 year ------------------------------- Crash/Fatalities	8 crashes / 0 Fatalities	170 crashes / 37 Fatalities
10 year------------------------------- Crash/Fatalities	24 crashes / 1 Fatalities	340 crashes / 83 Fatalities
20 year------------------------------ Crash/Fatalities	66 crashes / 3 Fatalities	601 crashes / 133 Fatalities
Percentage of Fatalities per crashes over 20 years	4.5%	22.1%
Operating cost per hour	Enstrom F28F	Robinson R22
	$310/hr, including fuel and instructor's fees	275/hr avg. cost not including fuel fees ($50 per flight on avg.)
* Statistics obtained from www.ntsb.gov

AAA is located at the Glendale Municipal Airport (KGEU). Part of the Phoenix Metropolitan area, students will be exposed to a variety of experiences such as; hot and high operations, nearly 365 days of flyable weather, towered airports, complex airspace, uncontrolled airports/airspace, Instrument procedures, mountain flying up to 8300ft, and off airport landing operations that are all within 0 to 20 minutes from our facility. Glendale offers students everything they would need in a training environment. Already a Mecca for fixed-wing training, Glendale is a great location to train, live, and visit.

Glendale offers students an entertaining lifestyle outside of flight school as well. Glendale has received a lot of notice from the public eye recently when the city hosted Super Bowl. Glendale and the surrounding Phoenix Metropolitan have everything a city could offer. Whether it’s social, entertainment, outdoor recreation, sporting events, great restaurants, or just enjoying the beautiful weather, Phoenix/Glendale has it all.

Glendale Airport

At Airwest, our training syllabus is derived from years of flying missions such as: Charter, Precision Long-line, Fire Fighting, Film, Emergency Medical Services, Aerial Photography, and many others. Our lessons learned, are handed down from instructor to student. In addition, students will be able take a behind the scenes look into what it is like to be a professional pilot and the preparation required to successfully complete missions.

 

To find out more information about our services please visit us www.airwesthelicopters.com