The SkyPath program provides career guidance and mentoring for future professional aviators and also ensures a consistent, efficient, and effective pipeline for Sundance Helicopters and industry partners to secure operationally-ready and highly-qualified helicopter pilots.
This is the fourth partnership for SkyPath as it is also available at top-flight academies such as Leading Edge Aviation (Bend, OR), UND Aerospace (Grand Forks, ND) and Southern Utah University (Cedar City, UT).
“With 39 years of experience training top pilots from around the world, Sundance was eager to work with Hillsboro Heli Academy. Sundance is proud to launch SkyPath at this institution,” said Mark Schlaefli, Director of Operations for Sundance Helicopters and creator of SkyPath. “We look forward to seeing their first graduates from the program and helping them become a part of the Sundance team.”
Through the SkyPath approach, a pilot candidate would apply for the program via select partner flight schools such as Hillsboro Heli Academy. As the pilot candidate progresses through ratings, they are evaluated for their performance, and the top tier candidates are guaranteed an interview with Sundance for available training slots.
“We are extremely excited to partner with operators like Sundance Helicopters and the SkyPath pilot program to provide quality applicants as well as direction and guidance for our students to achieve their goals as pilots in the helicopter industry,” said Jared Friend, Hillsboro Heli Academy General Manager.
Once accepted, the pilot candidate continues through the remaining ratings at Hillsboro Heli Academy and eventually progresses into the instructional phase as a Certified Flight Instructor. After a period of dual given and once the Part 135 minimums are met, he or she will be given a guaranteed interview with Sundance Helicopters.
Initial Operating Experience phase
The program also includes an Initial Operating Experience phase, which will emphasize direct experience over flight hours and will provide advanced training and mentoring that results in career path acceleration while adding additional layers of safety, training and mentoring. This approach provides for a reduction in the flights hours traditionally required, and replaces it with direct experience and evaluation.
These steps will ensure that Sundance Helicopters has actively taken a role in the development and training of pilots from the very beginning of their careers, instilling Sundance Helicopters’ core value of safety and emphasizing decision making and the Sundance PIC culture.
About Sundance: Sundance Helicopters is the most experienced and highest-rated experiential tourism company in the Las Vegas market, serving over 4 million guests since 1985. As one of America’s top 3 most booked tours, we have been awarded USA Today’s 10Best as the #1 “Best Helicopter Tour”, TripAdvisor’s “Certificate of Excellence” 9 years in a row (2011-2019) and voted Las Vegas Review Journal’s “Best Helicopter Tours” (2017-2018), “Best Charter Tours” (2018), “Best Event Planner“ (2018), Best Family Attraction” (2017), and “Best Extreme Adventure” (2017). Our purpose is to enrich lives through awe-inspiring experiences. Our team achieves this by providing safe, reliable, extraordinary and personalized customer experiences.
Through our modern and well-maintained aircraft fleet, we offer a variety of tours to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam, and other Southwest locations, as well as charter and custom tours for corporate, government, and social groups. Along with our sister company, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters (Kahului, HI), Sundance is part of the Tourism Division of Air Methods Corporation (Denver, CO).
About SkyPath: The SkyPath Helicopter Pilot Program, developed by highest-rated experiential tour company Sundance Helicopters, is an ab-initio flight training solution that will facilitate development for career minded aviators. Through a nationwide network of SkyPath Training Providers such as top-tier flight academies Leading Edge Aviation (Bend, OR), UND Aerospace (Grand Forks, ND), Southern Utah University (Cedar City, UT) and Hillsboro Heli Academy (Troutdale, OR) in addition to world-renowned aviation companies such as Air Methods Corporation and Redding Air Service, the SkyPath Program will provide a solid foundation for training and a steady stream of talent for program partners.
See also |
academy
Skypath Pilot Program State of Nevada HAA
Hillsboro Aero Academy State of Oregon Sundance Helicopters State of Nevada 
Helicopters Flight School - Training Civilian Hillsboro Heli Academy Partners with Bristow
