Safety Record & Certifications
30+ years of FAA-overseen operations — and zero training accidents.
Why It Matters
Safety Isn't a Slogan. It's a Track Record.
Since 1994, Helicopter Experts has trained over a thousand pilots and flown thousands of charter, tour, and survey hours across South Texas — without a single training accident. The certifications below tell you what we're allowed to do. The safety practices that follow tell you how we do it.
Certifications
Our FAA & Manufacturer Approvals
FAA Part 141 Approved Flight School
Structured lesson-by-lesson syllabus, FAA-approved Training Course Outline, Chief Instructor oversight, and reduced-hour pathway to your certificate.
FAA Part 135 Air Taxi Cert. #H2EA481K
Authorizes us to fly paying passengers under the FAA's higher commercial-charter standard — pilot duty limits, recurrent training, and stricter weather minimums.
FAA Part 133 External Load
Authorizes external-load (sling) operations under FAR Part 133 for utility, construction, and ranching work.
FAA Part 136 Commercial Air Tour Operator
Operating authority for commercial air tours under FAR Part 136 — the FAA framework that covers our scheduled scenic tour flights.
FAA Part 137 Ag Operations
FAA certification for agricultural aircraft operations, including aerial application and ag-related sling work.
FAA Part 145 Repair Station
On-site FAA-certified maintenance operating as Hill Country Helicopters, LLC — annuals, 100-hours, overhauls, sheet-metal, dynamic-component changes — performed by our own A&P/IA mechanics.
Robinson Authorized Service Center
Factory-authorized Robinson Service Center — trained technicians, factory parts, and OEM procedures for R22, R44, and R66.
Authorized Robinson Helicopter Dealer
Factory-authorized R22, R44, and R66 sales — direct-from-factory pricing, factory warranty, and the same standards as the Robinson plant in Torrance, CA.
FAA Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME)
Founder Michael Bisek is an FAA-appointed Designated Mechanic Examiner — authorized to administer A&P practical tests on behalf of the FAA.
Bell 47 Helicopter Association
Active operator member of the Bell 47 Helicopter Association — one of the few schools in Texas still flying Bell 47s.
Safety Management
How We Stay Safe Day-to-Day
Standardized Procedures
Every flight uses the same checklists, callouts, and emergency procedures — across instructors, students, and charter pilots.
Maintenance-First Culture
In-house repair station means no aircraft leaves the hangar with an open squawk. Mechanics and pilots talk daily.
Conservative Weather Minimums
Internal VFR minimums above FAA Part 91 — we cancel before you ask. Hill Country weather rewards restraint.
Recurrent Training
All pilots — instructors and charter PICs — complete recurrent ground and flight training every 6 months, not just once a year.
Just-Culture Reporting
Anonymous safety reporting system. Every report is reviewed; near-misses become next month's safety briefing.
Insurance Underwriter Approved
Continuously insured by major aviation underwriters — they audit our records every year, and they keep renewing.
Verify Independently
Don't Take Our Word For It
Our FAA certificates are public record. Look us up on the FAA's Air Carrier & Operator database and the FAA Pilot School registry — search for Helicopter Experts, Inc. in Bulverde, TX. We're proud of what you'll find.
Have a Safety or Audit Question?
Insurance underwriters, charter clients, and parents of student pilots — we're happy to walk through our records.