# Can one learn to fly helicopters without a fortune?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-learn-to-fly-helicopters-without-a-fortune/493953>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 22, 2009, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-learn-to-fly-helicopters-without-a-fortune/493953 "2009-04-22T07:31:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-learn-to-fly-helicopters-without-a-fortune/493953/21 "2009-04-24T05:18:36Z")

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[quote=“1920s Style “Death Ray”, post:20, topic:493953”]

I think it was taller than 5’6", I met some of the Kiwi Red team back in the days when NZ had a strike force and the guys were normal height. As you alluded to, the critical measurement is the length of your thigh.  
[/QUOTE]

Thanks- I knew it was something along those lines! At any rate, I’m too tall and too broad-shouldered to fly in an A4-K Skyhawk, so even when the RNZAF was operating them there was no way I was going to be a jet fighter pilot, unfortunately…

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-learn-to-fly-helicopters-without-a-fortune/493953/22 "2009-04-24T08:49:11Z")

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I was the right size but too slack. Spent more time out of school than in and didn’t get the required grades.

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