Mauna Loa Helicopters

Mauna Loa Helicopters was established in 1992 at Kona Airport on the Big Island of Hawaii, making it one of the most experienced FAA Part 141 helicopter flight schools in the Pacific region. Over three decades, the school has grown to operate training campuses on two Hawaiian islands—the Big Island (Kailua-Kona) and Oahu (Honolulu)—and has built an international reputation for producing skilled helicopter and fixed-wing pilots.

The school's fleet of 15 aircraft covers the full spectrum of Robinson helicopter training—R22, R44, and R66—from initial two-seat primary instruction through advanced turbine operations. The R66, powered by a Rolls Royce engine and capable of reaching 14,000 feet MSL, gives students exposure to turbine systems while still flying the most widely sold light turbine helicopter in history. For fixed-wing training, Mauna Loa operates Cessna 172Ns, Piper Arrow IIs, and twin-engine Piper Seneca IIs, making it one of the rare schools capable of offering a complete aviation education under one roof.

Mauna Loa Helicopters holds FAA Part 141 approval and is accredited by ACCSC, and is approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for GI Bill benefits. The school is one of very few helicopter schools anywhere that offers Instrument, Instrument Instructor, and ATP training for rotorcraft—a rare and highly sought-after capability. Students benefit from Hawaii's extraordinary flying weather, averaging more flyable days per year than nearly any location in the continental United States, in one of the most visually spectacular training environments on earth.