Northern Helicopters and Hibbing Community College join forces for a bright takeoff - Peter Passi, Duluth News Tribune, Published Monday, April 07, 2008
Would-be helicopter pilots are descending on what might seem an unlikely destination — Hibbing.
But this Iron Range city recently has emerged as the largest helicopter training center in the state.
Northern Helicopters and Hibbing Community College joined forces two years ago to offer a unique program that teaches students how to fly helicopters as they earn an associate of applied sciences degree in aviation. The two-year program is the only of its kind in Minnesota and one of only a handful in the nation’s midsection.
Flight instructor Falko Baguhl inspects the main rotor blades of a Robinson R22 for a preflight check on Tuesday at Northern Helicopters in Hibbing.
Brian Johnson, Northern Helicopters’ founder and owner, said the young program already is drawing students from throughout the Midwest, but he aims to market it more broadly, reaching out clear to Europe.
The school employs two German-born flight instructors — Falko Baguhl, 24, and Fabian Miche, 23 — with whom Johnson is consulting. Baguhl and Miche listed a number of advantages to training as helicopter pilots in the States, chief among them the strength of the Euro compared to today’s dollar. Others include the lower costs of fuel and flight time here. An hour of helicopter flight time, Miche said, would typically cost about $800 in Germany, compared to $300 in Hibbing.
“There’s a huge market to tap, and we’re trying to figure out the best way to reach out to it,” Johnson said.
Although Hibbing Community College only occasionally hosted foreign students in the past, an influx of international students could change the complexion of its campus.
“It could bring a new dimension to our college,” said Michael Raich, the school’s dean of academics.
“This could be a very interesting and dynamic time for us, but the bottom line is that the program needs to be successful for students,” Raich said, noting that the college may need to provide additional support services for international students.
Northern Helicopters has more than 30 students on its helicopter flight school roster, with about two-thirds of them enrolled through Hibbing Community College. One of those program participants is Paul Malzahn, a 26-year-old student from Minnesota Lake who one day hopes to fly for a medical rescue service. Having logged about 45 hours of flight time so far, Malzahn said the thrill of flying a helicopter was apparent from the start of his studies.
“I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face after my first lesson,” he said.
But mastering the helicopter has not been easy. Aviators control helicopters by way of two hand sticks and two foot pedals.
“Just learning to hover in place has taken time,” Malzahn said.
Baguhl said not everyone has the makings of a helicopter pilot. He said helicopter aviators need to remain calm under pressure and be capable of multitasking.
Nodding in agreement, Miche explained helicopters don’t have a stable flight attitude and therefore require a pilot’s constant attention.
“You need to be able to navigate, communicate and think ahead while flying at the same time,” he said.
In spite of the challenges of flying a helicopter, Miche said he considers time spent in the cockpit the highlight of becoming a pilot.
“Flying is the fun part, but getting certified involves a lot of bookwork, as well,” he said. Given the rigors of the program, he said students must possess a passion for aviation to succeed.
For every hour of flying, students typically spend three to five hours hitting the books, Johnson said.
The education isn’t cheap, either. Baguhl estimated it typically takes about $55,000 of instruction and at least 200 hours of flight time to become certified as a flight instructor.
Aspiring helicopter pilots often become flight instructors in order to gain additional experience in the air. It typically takes 1,000 flight hours to qualify for other jobs in the industry.
“It’s basically a license to learn,” Miche said of flight instructor certification.
He and Baguhl went to flight school in Oregon, where they became friends. They landed in Hibbing while seeking out flight instructor jobs.
“You need to go to where the jobs are,” Baguhl said.
Helicopter flight instructors typically earn $20 to $25 per hour, Miche said. But experienced helicopter pilots who graduate to other jobs can earn $150,000 to $250,000 per year, he said.
“You can move around and see the world and get paid for it. Or you can stay in one place once you get up enough experience,” Miche said.
Johnson, a Virginia, Minn., native, views Hibbing as a good setting for teaching people how to fly helicopters. He said the low-traffic Chisholm/Hibbing Airport allows students to focus on learning the basics with minimal distractions.
Baguhl said that as students advance, their training will take them into more congested air spaces, such as Duluth and then the Twin Cities.
Johnson expects his flight school to grow as word of it spreads.
“We’re one of the best-kept secrets around,” he said.
He’s already ramping up in anticipation of additional students.
Northern Helicopters’ fleet currently consists of two Robinson R22s, one Robinson R44 and a Bell 206B-3 JetRanger. The company has five more R22s and four more R44s on order. Johnson expects to use about half those new helicopters for the flight school and sell the remainder.
Northern Helicopters was recently awarded the rights to serve as the first Minnesota dealership and service center for the Robinson Helicopter Co.
Shaun Germolus, executive director of the Chisholm/Hibbing Airport, said Northern Helicopters already has taken over the lease of a former administrative and maintenance facility at the airport and expects the business’ space needs to grow as the dealership, school and service center become better established.
“Brian has made it clear that this is the base that he will operate from,” Germolus said. “It’s good for him and good for our airport.”
PETER PASSI covers business and development. He can be reached weekdays at (218) 279-5526 or by e-mail at
ppassi@duluthnews.com.
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