ANTHELION HELICOPTERS

Founded in 2014 by commercial pilots Alex P Chaunt and Nina Keefer, Anthelion Helicopters has grown into one of Southern California's most respected helicopter flight training schools. Operating out of Long Beach Airport (LGB), the school was built on a simple premise: that students deserve better than the training culture Chaunt and Keefer had encountered earlier in their own careers. Together they bring over 13,000 combined flight hours across Part 135 operations including helicopter tours, utility, and Emergency Medical Services — experience that informs every stage of training at Anthelion.

The school holds FAA Part 141 accreditation and offers a full progression of rotary-wing certificates and ratings: Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, CFI, CFII, and ATP. Anthelion's fleet spans Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters alongside the Guimbal Cabri G2, making it the only flight school in California to train students in both Robinson and Guimbal rotorcraft. A Cessna 172 rounds out the fleet for fixed-wing cross-training. Chief Instructor Nina Keefer leads a team that has guided more than 500 students through their certificates, with the school claiming a 100% checkride pass rate.

Anthelion's location on Airflite Way at LGB places students in a busy Class D airspace environment from day one, providing real-world exposure to towered airport operations and diverse Southern California flying conditions. The school serves students from across the Los Angeles and Orange County region and accommodates both accelerated and part-time training schedules. With a strong community presence across YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, Anthelion has built a following that reflects both its teaching philosophy and its enthusiasm for rotary-wing aviation.