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Part 141 Boston Helicopter School gets M Visa Approval

January 29th, 2010

It’s been a long road, but we finally received approval to issue non-immigrant vocational M Visas! What this means is we can work with the Department of State and the Department of Immigration and Customs to enroll foreign students into our Part 141 helicopter flight training program under an M Visa. Foreign students may move to the US to train with us once we approve the issuance of their Visa. While here in the US, they will train full time at North Andover Flight Academy at the Lawrence Airport. They will be assigned a student liason who will be in contact with them from the first phone call, through the application process, through their training until the time they leave. We even have housing and student transportation to and from our flight facilities! Please see our International Helicopter Students page for more information. The Press Release is below for more (or less) interesting reading. We are the ONLY Schweizer or Robinson helicopter school in Massachusetts , New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine that is a qualified Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) helicopter flight school! Come train with THE premier Part 141 helicopter flight school in the Boston Massachusetts area!

N. Andover, Ma., Jan 29, 2010 – North Andover Flight Academy, New York and New England’s premier 141 helicopter training facility, received approval to accept nonimmigrant students under the SEVP M Visa program. North Andover Flight Academy is one of the few helicopter flight schools in the US which is a Student and Exchange Visitor Program M Visa certified school.

According to Curt Peredina, Chief Instructor at North Andover Flight Academy, “NAFA has worked extremely hard to surpass the requirements needed to become SEVP certified. We have worked closely with representatives from the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Immigration and Customs (ICE) throughout the qualification and training process. Goals accomplished included an extensive evaluation and inspection while training for the tasks required of an SEVP certified flight school. We feel the M Visa approval is the perfect addition to our Part 141 helicopter training program”.
North Andover Flight Academy, based in North Andover, MA at the Lawrence Airport (KLWM) is a full service helicopter company specializing in Robinson helicopter training, maintenance and overhaul . North Andover Flight Academy has an additional base in Alexandria, NY and will be opening bases in New Hampshire in the Spring of 2010. In addition to the helicopter 141 program, North Andover Flight Academy has developed one of the first helicopter Commercial FAA/Industry Training Standards (FITS) syllabus which will be Part 141 approved.
For additional information contact Curt Peredina or Laura McIlrath at 978-689-7600, or email info@northandoverflightacademy.com.

Helicopter School FITS Syllabus

January 13th, 2010

North Andover Flight Academy on AOPA online: http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2010/100113heli.html .

If you’re coming from the fixed wing world, you have probably heard about FITS. If you’re coming from the helicopter world, chances are you have not. Well, we’re going to change this! We are nearing FAA approval of a helicopter commercial FITS syllabus under part 141. We have spent several months adopting the principles of FITS to rotary wing, and hopefully it will pay off for the entire industry. Read the article for more explanation, and stay tuned for more information here on our FITS syllabus. Our syllabus is over a hundred pages, so there is too much information to put here at this time. Believe it - it’s going to be really cool!!

Any school can say they are the premier helicopter school in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New England, but North Andover Flight Academy is changing the helicopter flight training industry.

If you have questions or comments regarding the FITS initiative and helicopter training, please email us or call us at 978-689-7600 and we will be more than happy to help.

Cold Weather Flying in New England

January 10th, 2010

Just another day at our Boston Massachusetts helicopter flight school. While we had our ships out flying, we decided to take advantage and put together a quick photo op. With some great pilots at the controls, we managed to get a few shots before we all went our separate ways. Some great New England cold weather flying, with all the machines performing very well in the cold.

R22 In Flight over Massachusetts

R22 In Flight over Massachusetts

We managed to get pictures over the Merrimack River in Massachusetts, and in Southern New Hampshire.

R22 In Flight over Southern New Hampshire

R22 In Flight over Southern New Hampshire

This particular R-22 is one which was overhauled by our I/A David Beach. Not too many people out there that can overhaul a helicopter. We have about 350 hours since overhaul on this machine. Well done Dave!

Overhead Shot of our R-22 Boston Massachusetts

Overhead Shot of our R-22 Boston Massachusetts

Sunset Southern Maine

Sunset Southern Maine

Our part of the flight ended up with hours of cross country flying over Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire, and Maine. Several landings at different spots and an amazing sunset heading west back to New Hampshire…what a nice evening!

Helicopter Flight School Making Great Steps!

December 9th, 2009

Looks like we’re in the news on AOPA! The editors were interested in a story about how Dave and John put new life into an abandoned airfield in upstate NY. Well here it is:

http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2009/091208heli.html

We owe the success of Maxson Airfield to everyone in the Alexandria area. Stop in and say hello to our CFI in Maxson, David Cole.

Filming Our Helicopter School Commercial

July 14th, 2009

With our upcoming camera work filming the feature film “The Clear”, we were ready to utilize the production company to assist us with marketing our helicopter school to the Boston and Southern New Hampshire area. The director had a vision of what the helicopter school short video should entail, and we all agreed that the shoot seemed to be headed in the right direction. We also agreed that doing the commercial shoot for our school would be a good experience for one of our students, Andy. Two helicopters, two cameraman, and 3 pilots would be the crew for filming our helicopters.

Utilizing two of our helicopters - R-22 722PG and R-44 7185P, we discussed our route, formation plans, and headed out to the ramp.

R-22 722PG ready for filming

R-22 722PG ready for filming

Our R-44

Our R-44

Chris, Andy and I led Seng and Justin of SEEntertainment out to the ramp to watch us service the helicopters.

Chris, Curt, Andy fueling the R-44

Chris, Curt, Andy fueling the R-44

Our first run for filming our ships would be into the Class B Boston airspace. As a filght of two, the coordination was much easier.

Chris and Andy over the harbor

Chris and Andy over the harbor

Around the financial district and the Pru, and back to Lawrence to discuss the next phase.

Prudential Boston

Prudential Boston

Our next stop would be the coastline of Northern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Seng switched places with Justin and would ride with me in the R-22 to get video of the 44, and Justin would be taking stills from the 44.

NAFA Crew

NAFA Crew

Helicopter over Newburyport

Helicopter over Newburyport

Our flight continued east with the Merrimack River toward Newburyport and the Southern New Hampshire coastline. A brief turn to the South toward the Boston coastline, then return to Lawrence.

Overall the shoot went well. Lots of formation flying, some experience for one of our students, and a great shoot with the guys from SEEntertainment. Thanks to Justin and Seng for their help.

We’re all looking forward to the North Andover Flight Academy Commercial, I will post it as soon as it is finished.

I will also talk about our movie shoot with the SEE production company on the upcoming movie “The Clear”. Looks like that will be a fun day of helicopter flying.