Central Illinois: a great place to fly

Central Illinois Air is located in Illinois; a consistently flat area, comprising mostly of farmland, providing a nearly endless amount of places to land in the event of an emergency while we train. Our weather maintains well-rounded seasons. We do have precipitation on occasion, but rarely more than a few days at a time.

Our airport is larger than the average uncontrolled airport, which incidentally has all the benefits of a large airport without the hassle of a tower wasting your instruction time. One of the great benefits is that we have an ILS system, which is used to train and fly instrument approaches in the event of bad weather.

At Central Illinois Air, we are a Part 61 school which means you have to meet different requirements to get your Private certificate than if you were to go to a part 141 school. One prime example is that you will be able to get more personal training with your instructor. While we have designated areas for instruction, the setting is not in front of a class and you are not learning at everyone else’s pace. You get the time and attention you need, in the areas in which you are deficient without paying additional fees for lessons to enhance your weak areas.

Schweizer 300CBi

At CIA we primarily instruct in a Schweizer 300CBi. The 300CBi is a fully articulated helicopter designed for the specific purpose of teaching commercial instruction to pilots. It is the apex of nearly 50 years of instruction and flight engineering. The Schweizer is reported as having a number of incidents per 100,000 flight hours lower than those for single engine fixed wing aircraft, not to mention turbine and piston helicopters, making it one of the safest aircraft to fly.

Aside from the overall statistics of the helicopter there are numerous other reasons that CIA has decided to use the Schweizer as the training helicopter. One would be the fact that it has a fuel-injected system that eliminates the worry for carburetor ice. Also, there is no governor that controls the throttle movements, thereby forcing students to learn how to fly the helicopter while manually maintaining rotor-blade rpm. Thirdly, a 600lb cabin capacity allows for a higher weight limit. For an added bonus, the Schweizer has an electric trim that aids in cyclic control during windy conditions. And finally one of the most prodigious reasons for utilizing the Schweizer as opposed to any other is the inertia that is sustained in the rotor system. The fact that the blades will maintain their lift capability longer than most other training piston helicopters allots a far greater potential for a safe landing in the event of engine failure.

Private Pilot

Whether you are looking to further your career in helicopters or merely trying to find a more time efficient way to commute to work, obtaining your Private Pilot Rotorcraft rating is your first step into the realm of helicopters. At Central Illinois Air we focus on developing a good foundation of general knowledge in aviation as well as practical experience specific to helicopter flight. We have instructors that will work with you around the clock to ensure you optimize your flight time.