R44 Job-Ready Block

For commercial-rated helicopter pilots whose logbook says R22 or S300 and whose target job says R44. Dual time in the Robinson R44 Raven II with a resident CFII, housing on the field included, and the paperwork review that gets an application read.

Questions? Call (518) 634-6375 · info@flyheliadk.com

The gap

What tour operators ask for

A commercial certificate earned in an R22 or an S300 is a real certificate. It is also, on a lot of job postings, the wrong type. Here is what three tour operators were asking for when we checked.

Published job requirements, checked Oct 16, 2026

Requirements change with each posting; verify with each operator before you apply. We do not promise jobs or placement — we close the R44 gap and get your file in order.

Two blocks

Pick the block that closes your gap

Both blocks are flown dual in the Robinson R44 Raven II with Walter Dusseldorp, CFII (Helicopter), from Harris Airport (83K), Fort Ann, NY.

BlockFlight timePricePer hourIncluded
25-hour block25 Hobbs hours dual, R44 Raven II$16,875$675 / hrHousing on the field · SFAR 73 awareness + endorsement work · logbook portfolio review · résumé and application review
50-hour block50 Hobbs hours dual, R44 Raven II$32,500$650 / hrEverything in the 25-hour block, with the hours most R44 postings ask for
All hours are dual. The CFII is in the aircraft with you on every flight. There is no solo rental and no solo-PIC rate; if that is what you need, we are not the right fit, and we will say so on the call.

What is in every block

  • Dual flight time with the CFII in the R44 Raven II — the aircraft the postings name, over the terrain that makes the time worth something
  • Housing on the field at no additional cost during your stay — a private unit steps from the hangar
  • SFAR 73 R44 awareness training and the flight work toward the R44 endorsements you are eligible for
  • Logbook portfolio review — how your time is logged, totaled and presented so a chief pilot can read it in two minutes
  • Résumé and job-application review with Walter, so your file reads the way a chief pilot expects it to

How a block runs

Most pilots fly the block as one or two stays on the field of 7–10 days each, two flights a day when the weather allows, with ground sessions on the days it does not. Mountain, confined-area and pinnacle work is built into the block because that is the terrain outside the hangar door; if you want it as a structured program with its own certificate, see the Adirondack Mountain & Confined-Area Course.

Winter stays are available January–March 2027 as Winter Immersion seats. Weekday lessons by appointment, full availability November–April.

Weight: 285 lb per seat and no more than 540 lb total for everyone on board other than the pilot in command. The pilot makes the final call on every flight depending on weather, fuel and flight length.

Where you stay

Housing on the field, included

One private unit on the field: office, bed, full bath, kitchen, Wi-Fi, steps from the hangar. It is yours for the training stay at no additional cost. Food and travel are not included. When the unit is taken, a second pilot stays at our partner B&B 55 minutes away, so we train about two pilots at a time and the schedule stays honest.

Living on the field →

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is any of the block solo or rental time?
No. Every hour in the R44 Job-Ready Block is dual: Walter, CFII (Helicopter), is in the aircraft with you on every flight. We do not publish a solo or rental rate for the R44.
How do the hours log?
Every hour logs as dual received in the Robinson R44 Raven II with the CFII's endorsement. Whether and how that time also logs as pilot-in-command time under 14 CFR 61.51 depends on your certificate and ratings, and we review that with you in the logbook portfolio session rather than promising it on a web page.
What is the SFAR 73 work?
SFAR 73 sets the Robinson-specific awareness training and the R44 endorsement requirements for pilots and instructors. The block includes the awareness training and the flight work that leads to the R44 endorsements you are eligible for, signed by the CFII.
Where do I stay?
In the private unit on the field — office, bed, full bath, kitchen, Wi-Fi, steps from the hangar — at no additional cost during your block. If the unit is taken, a second pilot stays at our partner B&B 55 minutes away. Food and travel are not included. See Living on the field.
Can I do the block as a winter stay?
Yes. The R44 Job-Ready Block is one of the four programs you can hold a Winter Immersion seat for, January–March 2027, with a $2,500 deposit that is refundable until Dec 31, 2026 and then credited to the block.
Is there a weight limit?
Weight: 285 lb per seat and no more than 540 lb total for everyone on board other than the pilot in command. The pilot makes the final call on every flight depending on weather, fuel and flight length.
Intake

Tell us where your logbook stands

Send the form and Walter will come back with the block that fits, dates on the field, and anything your file needs before you apply. Or skip the form and book a 15-minute call with Walter.

We reply within 24 hours. Prefer to talk? Call (518) 634-6375 or email info@flyheliadk.com, or book a 15-minute call with Walter.