
Bentley Kendrick
I grew up in Denver and Wyoming. Like so many pilots, I caught the aviation bug at an age that was as early as I can remember. College and early jobs somehow led elsewhere and it was not until I was 25 years old that I commited to a career as a professional pilot. I worked through several aviation degrees and earned my ratings over the next four years on my way to becoming a Regional Airline First Officer, Captain, and then Check Airman. I was then fortunate to move up to United Airlines in 1998, where I have since flown a variety of large jets.
As a relative newcomer to the world of Helicopters, I was surprised by how unstructured and piecemeal much of the flight training was at the majority of schools. My background was in ab initio training, modeled after the Military flight training programs and adapted by the airlines, and I knew first hand how effective it was. The military and airlines both have a huge amount invested in the successful outcome of their flight training programs as they not only can cost over $2500 a day, but are built on the necessity of turning out the best possible pilots in the minimal time with a minimal failure rate. The essence of this process is to take motivated, hard-working applicants and provide them with the environment and structure they need to become the best in their field.
One of my primary roles at Colorado Heli-Ops is to help integrate my 20 years of aviation experience into designing a superior training program which incorporates many of the most effective models used by the military and the airlines. The training program itself is challenging, fun, competitively priced, and exposes the students to not only the basics of flight and classroom knowledge, but provides actual experience with high altitude operations, four season weather, and the career guidance which they will need in the real world. Better training means that you will be better prepared, more competent, and a more confident graduate who is ahead of the curve and has what it takes to succeed as a professional helicopter pilot.
As a relative newcomer to the world of Helicopters, I was surprised by how unstructured and piecemeal much of the flight training was at the majority of schools. My background was in ab initio training, modeled after the Military flight training programs and adapted by the airlines, and I knew first hand how effective it was. The military and airlines both have a huge amount invested in the successful outcome of their flight training programs as they not only can cost over $2500 a day, but are built on the necessity of turning out the best possible pilots in the minimal time with a minimal failure rate. The essence of this process is to take motivated, hard-working applicants and provide them with the environment and structure they need to become the best in their field.
One of my primary roles at Colorado Heli-Ops is to help integrate my 20 years of aviation experience into designing a superior training program which incorporates many of the most effective models used by the military and the airlines. The training program itself is challenging, fun, competitively priced, and exposes the students to not only the basics of flight and classroom knowledge, but provides actual experience with high altitude operations, four season weather, and the career guidance which they will need in the real world. Better training means that you will be better prepared, more competent, and a more confident graduate who is ahead of the curve and has what it takes to succeed as a professional helicopter pilot.
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