|
2003-08-08
I’ve been looking into various flight schools. What qualities should I be looking for in a good flight school?
Look for friendly personnel. Meet the instructors. If they seem happy, it’s probably because they are flying for an employer they enjoy, flying well-maintained aircraft. If they look as though they would rather be somewhere else, it could be a warning flag.
q Meet the CFI (Chief Flight Instructor). Speak with them about your options in flight training.
q Look at the aircraft. Look for signs of good maintenance. If all the airplanes are missing radios, or show evidence of misuse, it could be a bad sign. The best schools will have their own maintenance operation, as it shows that they are a more complete operation and it allows them to fix planes more quickly and cost effectively. Some smaller schools are likely to put off maintenance issues as long as they can to offset costs.
q When enquiring about costs, make sure you compare apples with apples. You will hear prices per hour solo, dual, instructor rates, etc. Schools will usually give a “minimum cost estimate” based on Transport Canada minimum required hours. You should bear in mind that the minimum is rarely achieved and plan to spend up to $3000 over the minimum estimate for a Private Pilot License. The main factor in keeping costs down will be your dedication and the frequency that you fly. The saying goes, “Beware of Bargains in parachutes, life preservers, and flight training”. A $5/ hour savings you may get on hourly plane rentals at a discount school in theory may save you around $300 over the course of your private license, but if it takes you an extra 10 hours to get the license, these savings have been offset by the cost of the extra training time. Quality training, such as you will receive at Professional Flight Centre, can make a huge difference on the final dollars spent.
q Be careful of schools that demand up front payment of large sums of money. Most good schools will allow you to pay as you go.
q Look for an environment that is conducive to making contacts. Aviation is a very small community and the connections you make while training will be around for your entire career. Usually people connect with a flying buddy who is at the same level of training. Lifelong friendships have often been made at the airport.
q Find out if there is a respectable IFR department, so you don’t have to switch schools when doing the Instrument Rating. The Professional Flight Centre grew out of Professional IFR, a name that is synonymous with setting the Multi-IFR training standard for Canada.
There is an excellent article about choosing a flight school at Transport Canada’s website: http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/general/Flttrain/SelectFTU/Menu.htm
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2003-08-08
Another school has a package where I can pay $xxxxxxx up front and they will train me from 0 hours to airline. Do you have something like this??
At Professional Flight Centre, we teach you according to your own individual needs. It is impossible to put an accurate price on the total package. Usually for a Private Pilot License, Commercial, and IFR rating people spend between $28,000 and $35,000 Canadian Dollars. There are many ways you can minimize the cost of your training.
q Almost every school in the country charges you by the flight hour. Be very careful before you sign up with a school that asks for full payment up front. People will often get pressured into contracts and up-front tuition payments, only to find they are not happy at the school and wish to switch, or you run the risk of the school potentially going bankrupt.
q You should also be skeptical if a company promises employment if you train with them. Usually, this involves spending great amounts of money to train on their aircraft, and then flying minimal hours (you must share the hours with the other students of the school). You will work for no payment, or very minimal, and will have to pay for your own recurrency training.
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2003-08-08
What’s the first step to begin flying?
The first thing you should is call dispatch and book a Familiarization Flight (Fam Flight) http://www.proifr.com/VFR-career.htm
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2003-08-08
Will I have several instructors? Am I limited to just one instructor?
During the Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) program, you will have one particular instructor who is responsible for taking care of you and keeping track of your progress. This instructor will do most of your training, but you will fly with others periodically. Your relationship with your instructor is very important to your success in training, so it is vital that you have an instructor who teaches in a style compatible to your style of learning. Professional Flight Centre has over 30 instructors to choose from so you will have an opportunity to find someone who relates with you well.
q During the IFR course, you will be flying with a variety of instructors. We find this is the best way to work the IFR system as you will be exposed to a variety of flying styles and teaching styles. This replicates the commercial aviation environment. All of our Instructors methodically to our PRO IFR SYSTEM, so the student makes excellent progress and does not lose anything in the process. This prepares you well for the commercial IFR world, where you will be learning Standard Operating Procedures and working with several different Captains.
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2003-08-08
I’m very busy; can I still do the training?
Yes, we have enough instructors and aircraft to allow you to fly according to your schedule. Unfortunately, if you can only spend one or less days a week, you will be spending several minutes per flight just reviewing past lessons. As a result, you can expect your license to take significantly longer, and cost a little more as well.
|
| |
|
|
2003-08-08
How long does it take to finish the Private Pilot’s License program at Professional Flight Centre?
This depends entirely on the student. Most people will obtain the license by about 60 hours flight time. Transport Canada requires a minimum 45 hours flight time. Some students, however, may take longer to complete the course.
q The main factor affecting hours and time to complete the course is the frequency you can fly. Ideally, if you can fly 3 to 5 times a week, you will spend minimal time every flight doing review and therefore minimize your time spent in the air. This will also minimize the cost of your license of course. Usually full-time students (3 – 5 flights a week) can finish the Private Pilot course in 8 to 12 weeks.
q If you can only fly once or twice a week, you can expect to spend significant portions of each flight doing review and practice of skills from previous lessons. Flying part time like this can take 6 months to a year to finish the course.
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| |
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2003-08-08
How long does it take to finish the Commercial Pilot’s License (CPL) program at Professional Flight Centre?
Like the PPL, this depends on the situation. The CPL program entails a certain amount of groundschool and flight hours. One of the biggest achievements in the CPL course is to obtain 200 flight hours. This is the main time consuming element. Booking flights every day, a full-time student can finish the course in less than a year. Flying part time, it can take 18 to 24 months.
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| |
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|
2003-08-08
What are the prerequisites to start flying?
To begin training, there are no prerequisites. Anybody, even a 6 year old, can do a familiarization flight and begin logging dual training hours!!
There are prerequisites for obtaining the various Licenses and permits:
q To obtain a student pilot permit (you need this to fly solo), you must:
-be at least 14 years of age
-Hold a category I, III, or IV medical certificate or assessment letter.
q To obtain a Recreational Pilot License (a restricted license allowing flight with no more than one passenger, only in Canada), you must:
-Be at least 16 years of age
-Hold a category I, III, or IV medical certificate
q To obtain a Private Pilot license (Allowing more than one passenger), you must:
-Be at least 17 years of age
-Hold a category I or III, medical certificate
q To obtain a Commercial Pilot license (allowing you to earn money as a pilot), you must:
-Be at least 18 years of age
-hold a category I medical certificate
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|
|
2003-08-08
What ratings does the CPL program cover?
The Night Rating is included in the CPL program. The license gives the holder VFR over the top privileges as well. Most students incorporate the Multi-IFR Rating in their minimum 200 hours. It is also advised to take advantage of our Citabria and do a tailwheel conversion and some aerobatic training as part of your CPL course. |
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2003-08-08
How many aircraft are in your fleet?
Professional Flight Centre has a fleet of 6 Cessna 172’s, 6 Cessna 152’s, 4 Beech Duchesses, a Piper Seminole, and a Robinson R22 all in active duty. We also have a Piper Cherokee and an aerobatic Citabria coming on line soon.
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2003-08-08
What is the availability of these aircraft?
Because we have our own in-house maintenance facility, availability is not a problem. Our dispatchers are vigilant in making sure that flights are not cancelled because of maintenance problems. We can make aircraft available for after-hours flights and weekend trips as well. If you have a request, we’ll do our best to accommodate you. |
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2003-08-08
Should I fly the Cessna 152 or the 172?
The Cessna 172 is the 4 seater version of the 152. Most people do their initial training on the 152 as it is a little more economical. Larger people however may find the 172 more practical. Quite often much of the cross-country time building is done on the 172 because it is faster and the students will bring passengers on their trips. The 152 is a little less money and the more economical way to go. The choice is up to you.
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2003-08-08
What days do you have ground school? If my schedule doesn’t work with groundschool do I have other options? Is there any course outline or syllabus I can reference to? When is the start date for the next groundschool?
q For the Private Pilot License course, we offer ground school on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, as well as on Saturday mornings. You can choose which ones to attend based on your personal schedule. The groundschool is divided into several topics. These are:
q Airframes and Systems
q Flight Instruments
q Aerodynamics and theory of flight
q Flight operations
q Canadian Air Regulations (CAR’s)
q Meteorology
q Pilot Decision Making
q Navigation
q It takes about three months to cycle through all the topics. The groundschool is not cumulative, meaning that you can start at the beginning of any of the topics. If you miss a lesson, you can take it the next time around free of charge, or catch that lesson when the other groundschool class does it. Such as, if you regularly attend Tuesday/Thursday groundschool, you can sit in on Saturday morning groundschool when you feel the need to brush up on any of the topics!
|
| |
|
|
2003-08-08
Are there any diplomas or a joint-degree with a university that I can acquire along with the training?
q Professional Flight Centre is not formally affiliated with any college program at the moment. We have not needed to do so as our niche in the flight training market is to deliver the very best flight training possible, while being flexible and sensitive to the individual student’s needs. It is true that a degree can help a great deal in a pilot’s career, but we usually recommend that students obtain a degree in something non-aviation related at an accredited university. That way, you are not putting “all your eggs in one basket”. Many of the instructors at Pro have completed degrees in business, science and the arts, all while instructing and building hours! |
| |
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2003-08-08
After completing the CPL program, will I be able to get a job flying a big jet?
After completing the CPL program, you will have approximately 200 hours. To get a job in the right seat as copilot (First Officer or FO) you need to take an exam called the IATRA. To take this test you will need 250 flight hours. See the next questions for more information.
|
| |
|
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2003-08-08
After the CPL program, what should I do next in order to be a professional pilot?
q The next step is to find that elusive first job to get your foot in the door. In fact, by training at Pro, you will have been working on this step all along. This is because the number one factor in getting a first job is making contacts. Professional Flight Centre is one of the largest flight schools in Canada, and definitely does more advanced Multi-Engine Instrument Ratings than any other school in British Columbia! The atmosphere around the terminal where the school is located is always buzzing with activity, and has a positive feel, conducive to building relationships with others.
q By the end of your Professional Pilot Program, you will have developed a network of contacts that you will likely keep through your entire career. Your Instructors and friends you make at the airport will usually obtain work, then help their students and friends along as they move up the ladder.
|
| |
|
|
2003-08-08
What kind of job will I be able to get when I’m finished the Professional Pilot Program?
q The Commercial Pilot's License in itself is a professional pilot's license. If you want the quickest way to the airlines, the next step is to begin building hours. Some pilots get a float endorsement and head up North to work the docks and hopefully land a job flying a Beaver or something of the like. If you have an aptitude for teaching, instructing is a rewarding career. Other options are agricultural flying, flying skydivers, towing gliders and banners, and ferrying planes to name a few. You will pick a route later on based on your interests and personality.
q There are many ways for a new Commercial Multi-IFR pilot to obtain employment. If you think you have an aptitude for instructing, your best choice is to carry on with an Instructor Rating and teach flying for a few years for a school that has twins to move into. At Pro, we quite often hire our own students if they exhibit the attitude and skills that we see fit for a Professional Flight Centre Instructor. If you don’t think you are suited to instructing, you can build flight hours by flying in other fields. See the next question for more information…
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2003-08-08
How is the job market for commercial fixed wing pilots? Helicopter?
Links
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Meet the Team
NEWS AND EVENTS
About Vancouver
The 2010 Winter Olympics
STUDENT RESOURCES
Frequently Asked Questions:
When visiting flight schools there are several things you should be looking for, and questions you should be prepared to ask:
I’ve been looking into various flight schools. What qualities should I be looking for in a good flight school?
Another school has a package where I can pay $xxxxxxx up front and they will train me from 0 hours to airline. Do you have something like this??
What’s the first step to begin flying?
Will I have several instructors? Am I limited to just one instructor?
I’m very busy; can I still do the training?
How long does it take to finish the Private Pilot’s License program at Professional Flight Centre?
How long does it take to finish the Commercial Pilot’s License (CPL) program at Professional Flight Centre?
What are the prerequisites to start flying?
What ratings does the CPL program cover?
How many aircraft are in your fleet?
What is the availability of these aircraft?
Should I fly the Cessna 152 or the 172?
Are there any financing options for the training tuitions, such as government student loans?
What days do you have ground school? If my schedule doesn’t work with groundschool do I have other options? Is there any course outline or syllabus I can reference to? When is the start date for the next groundschool?
Are there any diplomas or a joint-degree with a university that I can acquire along with the training?
After completing the CPL program, will I be able to get a job flying a big jet?
After the CPL program, what should I do next in order to be a professional pilot?
What kind of job will I be able to get when I’m finished the Professional Pilot Program?
How is the job market for commercial fixed wing pilots? Helicopter?
What prerequisites do I need in order to join the Professional Flight Centre CPL program?
Is there a start date for the Professional Pilot Program?
Are there social activities where I can meet other aviation people?
Where are you located?
Can I get there by bus?
Can I get a helicopter commercial license without doing the private first?
What kind of money will I make as a professional pilot?
Can I instruct at Professional Flight Centre when I finish the CPL program and instructor rating?
What kind of weather is there in Vancouver?
When is a good time to start my training?
I have heard much about Pro IFR. Is Professional Flight Centre the same thing?
Why does Professional Flight Centre have such a wide spread reputation for its Multi-IFR ratings?
Where do your students come from?
Are most of your students flying for fun, for a career, or for advanced training?
What are the advantages of flying in Canada? British Columbia? Boundary Bay?
How am I charged for flying?
How much more does helicopter cost than fixed wing?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I’ve been looking into various flight schools. What qualities should I be looking for in a good flight school?
q Look for friendly personnel. Meet the instructors. If they seem happy, it’s probably because they are flying for an employer they enjoy, flying well-maintained aircraft. If they look as though they would rather be somewhere else, it could be a warning flag.
q Meet the CFI (Chief Flight Instructor). Speak with them about your options in flight training.
q Look at the aircraft. Look for signs of good maintenance. If all the airplanes are missing radios, or show evidence of misuse, it could be a bad sign. The best schools will have their own maintenance operation, as it shows that they are a more complete operation and it allows them to fix planes more quickly and cost effectively. Some smaller schools are likely to put off maintenance issues as long as they can to offset costs.
q When enquiring about costs, make sure you compare apples with apples. You will hear prices per hour solo, dual, instructor rates, etc. Schools will usually give a “minimum cost estimate” based on Transport Canada minimum required hours. You should bear in mind that the minimum is rarely achieved and plan to spend up to $3000 over the minimum estimate for a Private Pilot License. The main factor in keeping costs down will be your dedication and the frequency that you fly. The saying goes, “Beware of Bargains in parachutes, life preservers, and flight training”. A $5/ hour savings you may get on hourly plane rentals at a discount school in theory may save you around $300 over the course of your private license, but if it takes you an extra 10 hours to get the license, these savings have been offset by the cost of the extra training time. Quality training, such as you will receive at Professional Flight Centre, can make a huge difference on the final dollars spent.
q Be careful of schools that demand up front payment of large sums of money. Most good schools will allow you to pay as you go.
q Look for an environment that is conducive to making contacts. Aviation is a very small community and the connections you make while training will be around for your entire career. Usually people connect with a flying buddy who is at the same level of training. Lifelong friendships have often been made at the airport.
q Find out if there is a respectable IFR department, so you don’t have to switch schools when doing the Instrument Rating. The Professional Flight Centre grew out of Professional IFR, a name that is synonymous with setting the Multi-IFR training standard for Canada.
There is an excellent article about choosing a flight school at Transport Canada’s website: http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/general/Flttrain/SelectFTU/Menu.htm
Back to Top
Another school has a package where I can pay $xxxxxxx up front and they will train me from 0 hours to airline. Do you have something like this??
q At Professional Flight Centre, we teach you according to your own individual needs. It is impossible to put an accurate price on the total package. Usually for a Private Pilot License, Commercial, and IFR rating people spend between $28,000 and $35,000 Canadian Dollars. There are many ways you can minimize the cost of your training.
q Almost every school in the country charges you by the flight hour. Be very careful before you sign up with a school that asks for full payment up front. People will often get pressured into contracts and up-front tuition payments, only to find they are not happy at the school and wish to switch, or you run the risk of the school potentially going bankrupt.
q You should also be skeptical if a company promises employment if you train with them. Usually, this involves spending great amounts of money to train on their aircraft, and then flying minimal hours (you must share the hours with the other students of the school). You will work for no payment, or very minimal, and will have to pay for your own recurrency training.
Back to Top
What’s the first step to begin flying?
q The first thing you should is call dispatch and book a Familiarization Flight (Fam Flight) http://www.proifr.com/VFR-career.htm
Back to Top
Will I have several instructors? Am I limited to just one instructor?
q During the Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) program, you will have one particular instructor who is responsible for taking care of you and keeping track of your progress. This instructor will do most of your training, but you will fly with others periodically. Your relationship with your instructor is very important to your success in training, so it is vital that you have an instructor who teaches in a style compatible to your style of learning. Professional Flight Centre has over 30 instructors to choose from so you will have an opportunity to find someone who relates with you well.
q During the IFR course, you will be flying with a variety of instructors. We find this is the best way to work the IFR system as you will be exposed to a variety of flying styles and teaching styles. This replicates the commercial aviation environment. All of our Instructors methodically to our PRO IFR SYSTEM, so the student makes excellent progress and does not lose anything in the process. This prepares you well for the commercial IFR world, where you will be learning Standard Operating Procedures and working with several different Captains.
Back to Top
I’m very busy; can I still do the training?
q Yes, we have enough instructors and aircraft to allow you to fly according to your schedule. Unfortunately, if you can only spend one or less days a week, you will be spending several minutes per flight just reviewing past lessons. As a result, you can expect your license to take significantly longer, and cost a little more as well.
Back to Top
How long does it take to finish the Private Pilot’s License program at Professional Flight Centre?
q This depends entirely on the student. Most people will obtain the license by about 60 hours flight time. Transport Canada requires a minimum 45 hours flight time. Some students, however, may take longer to complete the course.
q The main factor affecting hours and time to complete the course is the frequency you can fly. Ideally, if you can fly 3 to 5 times a week, you will spend minimal time every flight doing review and therefore minimize your time spent in the air. This will also minimize the cost of your license of course. Usually full-time students (3 – 5 flights a week) can finish the Private Pilot course in 8 to 12 weeks.
q If you can only fly once or twice a week, you can expect to spend significant portions of each flight doing review and practice of skills from previous lessons. Flying part time like this can take 6 months to a year to finish the course.
Back to Top
How long does it take to finish the Commercial Pilot’s License (CPL) program at Professional Flight Centre?
q Like the PPL, this depends on the situation. The CPL program entails a certain amount of groundschool and flight hours. One of the biggest achievements in the CPL course is to obtain 200 flight hours. This is the main time consuming element. Booking flights every day, a full-time student can finish the course in less than a year. Flying part time, it can take 18 to 24 months.
Back to Top
What are the prerequisites to start flying?
To begin training, there are no prerequisites. Anybody, even a 6 year old, can do a familiarization flight and begin logging dual training hours!!
There are prerequisites for obtaining the various Licenses and permits:
q To obtain a student pilot permit (you need this to fly solo), you must:
-be at least 14 years of age
-Hold a category I, III, or IV medical certificate or assessment letter.
q To obtain a Recreational Pilot License (a restricted license allowing flight with no more than one passenger, only in Canada), you must:
-Be at least 16 years of age
-Hold a category I, III, or IV medical certificate
q To obtain a Private Pilot license (Allowing more than one passenger), you must:
-Be at least 17 years of age
-Hold a category I or III, medical certificate
q To obtain a Commercial Pilot license (allowing you to earn money as a pilot), you must:
-Be at least 18 years of age
-hold a category I medical certificate
Back to Top
What ratings does the CPL program cover?
q The Night Rating is included in the CPL program. The license gives the holder VFR over the top privileges as well. Most students incorporate the Multi-IFR Rating in their minimum 200 hours. It is also advised to take advantage of our Citabria and do a tailwheel conversion and some aerobatic training as part of your CPL course.
Back to Top
How many aircraft are in your fleet?
q Professional Flight Centre has a fleet of 6 Cessna 172’s, 6 Cessna 152’s, 4 Beech Duchesses, a Piper Seminole, and a Robinson R22 all in active duty. We also have a Piper Cherokee and an aerobatic Citabria coming on line soon.
Back to Top
What is the availability of these aircraft?
q Because we have our own in-house maintenance facility, availability is not a problem. Our dispatchers are vigilant in making sure that flights are not cancelled because of maintenance problems. We can make aircraft available for after-hours flights and weekend trips as well. If you have a request, we’ll do our best to accommodate you.
Back to Top
Should I fly the Cessna 152 or the 172?
q The Cessna 172 is the 4 seater version of the 152. Most people do their initial training on the 152 as it is a little more economical. Larger people however may find the 172 more practical. Quite often much of the cross-country time building is done on the 172 because it is faster and the students will bring passengers on their trips. The 152 is a little less money and the more economical way to go. The choice is up to you.
Back to Top
Are there any financing options for the training tuitions, such as government student loans?
q Our Operations Manager, Mr. Mark Stierli is our expert on this topic. There are many ways to get funding from several institutions, depending on your situation. Mark will be happy to work with you to find an option that suits you. Early in 2004 we plan to be PPSEC accredited! This means that our students are eligible for government funded student loans.
q If you have an aboriginal background funding is very easy to obtain, as we have a close relationship with several programs for native students.
Back to Top
What days do you have ground school? If my schedule doesn’t work with groundschool do I have other options? Is there any course outline or syllabus I can reference to? When is the start date for the next groundschool?
q For the Private Pilot License course, we offer ground school on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, as well as on Saturday mornings. You can choose which ones to attend based on your personal schedule. The groundschool is divided into several topics. These are:
q Airframes and Systems
q Flight Instruments
q Aerodynamics and theory of flight
q Flight operations
q Canadian Air Regulations (CAR’s)
q Meteorology
q Pilot Decision Making
q Navigation
q It takes about three months to cycle through all the topics. The groundschool is not cumulative, meaning that you can start at the beginning of any of the topics. If you miss a lesson, you can take it the next time around free of charge, or catch that lesson when the other groundschool class does it. Such as, if you regularly attend Tuesday/Thursday groundschool, you can sit in on Saturday morning groundschool when you feel the need to brush up on any of the topics!
Back to Top
Are there any diplomas or a joint-degree with a university that I can acquire along with the training?
q Professional Flight Centre is not formally affiliated with any college program at the moment. We have not needed to do so as our niche in the flight training market is to deliver the very best flight training possible, while being flexible and sensitive to the individual student’s needs. It is true that a degree can help a great deal in a pilot’s career, but we usually recommend that students obtain a degree in something non-aviation related at an accredited university. That way, you are not putting “all your eggs in one basket”. Many of the instructors at Pro have completed degrees in business, science and the arts, all while instructing and building hours!
Back to Top
After completing the CPL program, will I be able to get a job flying a big jet?
q After completing the CPL program, you will have approximately 200 hours. To get a job in the right seat as copilot (First Officer or FO) you need to take an exam called the IATRA. To take this test you will need 250 flight hours. See the next questions for more information.
Back to Top
After the CPL program, what should I do next in order to be a professional pilot?
q The next step is to find that elusive first job to get your foot in the door. In fact, by training at Pro, you will have been working on this step all along. This is because the number one factor in getting a first job is making contacts. Professional Flight Centre is one of the largest flight schools in Canada, and definitely does more advanced Multi-Engine Instrument Ratings than any other school in British Columbia! The atmosphere around the terminal where the school is located is always buzzing with activity, and has a positive feel, conducive to building relationships with others.
q By the end of your Professional Pilot Program, you will have developed a network of contacts that you will likely keep through your entire career. Your Instructors and friends you make at the airport will usually obtain work, then help their students and friends along as they move up the ladder.
Back to Top
What kind of job will I be able to get when I’m finished the Professional Pilot Program?
q The Commercial Pilot's License in itself is a professional pilot's license. If you want the quickest way to the airlines, the next step is to begin building hours. Some pilots get a float endorsement and head up North to work the docks and hopefully land a job flying a Beaver or something of the like. If you have an aptitude for teaching, instructing is a rewarding career. Other options are agricultural flying, flying skydivers, towing gliders and banners, and ferrying planes to name a few. You will pick a route later on based on your interests and personality.
q There are many ways for a new Commercial Multi-IFR pilot to obtain employment. If you think you have an aptitude for instructing, your best choice is to carry on with an Instructor Rating and teach flying for a few years for a school that has twins to move into. At Pro, we quite often hire our own students if they exhibit the attitude and skills that we see fit for a Professional Flight Centre Instructor. If you don’t think you are suited to instructing, you can build flight hours by flying in other fields. See the next question for more information…
Back to Top
How is the job market for commercial fixed wing pilots? Helicopter?
By researching the job market, you will find that aviation is extremely diverse. Here are just a few of the careers that Professional Flight Centre alumni have been a part of:
o Flying Float and Ski planes in Northern Canada
o Water bombing forest fires
o Ferrying aircraft for purchase, maintenance, or relocation.
o Parachute jump plane piloting
o Pipeline flying
o Instructing
o Sightseeing tours
o Crop dusting
o Flying into hunting and fishing lodges
o Adventure flying in Africa, Antarctica, South America
o Regional Charter or scheduled airline
o Major Airline international jet flying
o Corporate flying for large companies
o Corporate flying for wealthy business people or entertainment celebrities
o Military operations
q The helicopter job market is just as exciting as well, and Canada is a great place to do it. Some of the major helicopter jobs include:
o Slinging helibags for seismic exploration
o Moving oil rigs
o Forestry
o Forest fire suppression operations
o Heli skiing operations
o IFR operations for offshore drilling rigs
o IFR operations for charter and scheduled flights
o Pipeline flying
o Cherry drying in the Okanagan
o Instructing
o Sightseeing tours
o Construction with an aircrane
o Military operations
q The airline industry is predicted to improve significantly. The current rate of retirement of pilots is predicted to cause a severe pilot shortage within 5 years or so. Now is a perfect time to get into aviation, because by the time you finish your training and begin building hours at an entry-level job, the airline industry should be in full swing again just when your hours are significant enough to land that dream job!
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2003-08-08
What prerequisites do I need in order to join the Professional Flight Centre CPL program?
To begin the program, there are no prerequisites. To go solo, however, there are minimum age limits. You will also need to pass a medical exam. |
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|
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2003-08-08
Is there a start date for the Professional Pilot Program?
At Professional Flight Centre, we specialize in instructing people according to their own needs. You can begin your flight training at any time and progress at your own rate. Other than the groundschools and seminars, you are on your own schedule. |
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2003-08-08
Are there social activities where I can meet other aviation people?
Yes, Boundary Bay Airport is full of activities for those interested in aviation. Groups such as Women In Aviation are great for promoting interest in flying. There are often Fly-ins, barbecues, etc. Professional Flight Centre itself is a great place to simply hang around and meet interesting people. There is a vibrant social scene at Pro. We even have our own hockey team! |
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2003-08-08
here are you located?
q We are located in the main terminal at Boundary Bay Airport (CZBB), which goes from being 5th to 3rd busiest airport in Canada, with only LB Pearson (Toronto) and Vancouver Intl. ahead. Calgary Intl. Montreal Dorval, and Montreal St. Hubert are usually on par with CZBB. There are over 100,000 circuits done here on an annual basis.
q CZBB is located just South of Vancouver, BC. From the airport, you can be downtown Vancouver within half an hour by car or about 45 min by bus. It is right on the ocean with a beautiful view and a lot of different terrain to fly around. We have water, mountains, plains, plus International airports, uncontrolled airports, and grass strips to fly to.
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2003-08-08
Can I get there by bus?
Yes, there is a bus that comes to Boundary Bay Airport via the Ladner Exchange. Click to see Vancouver’s bus routes. http://www.translink.bc.ca/ |
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2003-08-08
Can I get a helicopter commercial license without doing the private first?
Yes. Because of the nature of helicopters, most people have no need for a private helicopter license and can go straight to Commercial. |
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2003-08-08
at kind of money will I make as a professional pilot?
Your first job will probably be in the $20 000 to $35 000 range, and it goes up from there. A major airline captain can make as much as $200,000 plus. |
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2003-08-08
Can I instruct at Professional Flight Centre when I finish the CPL program and instructor rating?
Although we cannot promise anybody employment at Pro, we do most of our hiring from our pool of Instructor candidates. At Professional Flight Centre, we make sure all of our Instructors are trained well beyond the Transport Canada standards for the Instructor Rating. We have developed a world wide reputation for having instructors that are to the highest standard. After completing the Professional Pilot Program with us, you may be eligible to instruct for us. We choose the best instructors based primarily on attitude. All of our instructors are in their position because they want to be Instructors, not because they want to build flight hours. We hire our Instructors based on ATTITUDE, PERSONAL SKILLS, and PERFORMANCE. |
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2003-08-08
What kind of weather is there in Vancouver?
Vancouver is one of the only places in Canada that doesn’t experience a harsh Winter. The Spring and Summer are the dry seasons, and Autumn and Winter are the rainy seasons. Most overseas students think Canada is cold and frozen most of the year. They are always surprised to find that Vancouver is pleasant year round. It normally snows 2-3 times per year and is normally gone the next day. |
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2003-08-08
When is a good time to start my training?
Although you can begin flying at any time during the year, it is usually best to begin during the months of March to May. This way, you can do all of the single engine training in good weather, so not many flights will be cancelled due to low ceilings. By the time the rainy season comes, you will be into your Instrument rating, and you will build some valuable actual Instrument Meteorological Conditions flight training time! |
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2003-08-08
I have heard much about Pro IFR. Is Professional Flight Centre the same thing?
q Professional Flight Centre started out many years ago as Professional IFR. We were based in Vancouver International and ran Beech Duchesses and ATC 810 simulators, doing multi-engine Instrument ratings. Our reputation grew fast because of John Montgomery’s teaching style, manuals, and our solid system that just WORKS. The airlines began to love our graduates. We soon became the standard for IFR training in Western Canada, and eventually companies from all over the world were sending students to us.
q There was an increasing demand to bring our unique, effective system of instruction to the VFR end of flight instruction. (For those new to aviation, IFR is “Instrument Flight Rules” and is more advanced training. VFR is “Visual Flight Rules”. Initial training is done VFR.) We hired the best visual flight instructor we could find, Francois Leh, and bought some Cessna 152’s and 172’s, plus a helicopter and started a new company, Professional Flight Centre to more completely reflect our total operation. Francois, with his incredible passion for flying and quality instruction, has worked night and day to make Professional Flight Centre the school it is today.
q With the addition of a helicopter department, we truly are the “Professional Flight Centre”. So the answer is, YES, we are the same company!!
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2003-08-08
Why does Professional Flight Centre have such a wide spread reputation for its Multi-IFR ratings?
q The Pro-IFR Multi-Engine IFR Rating system is what initially made Professional Flight Centre famous. Our reputation crosses oceans. Many students come from all over the globe because they either heard from friends or potential employers about Pro. Many international companies send their employees to Professional Flight Centre for recurrency training on a regular basis. John Montgomery himself is often commissioned by companies to travel around the country doing his IFR seminars. He even conducts seminars for our governing body, Transport Canada!
q The 3-Day IFR Seminar and the 1-Day IFR Refresher seminar are at the heart of the Pro training system. You only have to pay for the seminar once, and you can re-take it again as long as you are still a student at Pro. These seminars are conducted by John Montgomery himself and have earned a solid reputation. Usually the student will take the 3-day seminar, start the simulator program, then attend the 1-day seminar before writing the INRAT (instrument rating) written exam. With the simulator portion complete and the written test out of the way, it's time to get into the aeroplane. Pro has 4 Beechcraft Duchess 76's for training and rental at the Boundary Bay school. You can see these on the website www.proifr.com. The student will take a Multi-Engine Rating, pass that flight test, and a few practice flights later, the Multi-IFR flight test. John Montgomery is a Transport Canada Designated Flight Test Examiner for the above and will conduct your flight tests.
q With an IFR Rating and Night Rating, the student now usually gets back into the Cessnas and prepares for the Commercial flight test.
q The CPL ground school covers all the topics outlined in the Transport Canada Study and Reference Guide: Commercial. This can be found at the TC website at http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/General/Exams/Guides.htm
q Apart from the above ground schools, we offer weekend seminars for the PPL, CPL, ATPL, Crew resource management, Navajo conversions, US FAA conversions, and many others. These are a valuable resource to take advantage of. Click on the seminar page of this website for more information on the subjects covered in each seminar.
q For PPL and CPL courses, we use the standard textbook: From the Ground Up, complimented by our own manuals that are designed to present the information in a simple, graphical, easy to understand form.
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2003-08-08
Where do your students come from?
Professional Flight Centre has a world-wide reputation, so we attract students from all over Canada coming to Vancouver particularly to do the Multi-IFR Ratings. International students abound as well. We have several multi-lingual instructors, so we can help people in English, French, Korean, Swiss, German, Japanese, and Spanish. In the 2002-03 season alone, our “farm house”, (the on-site student accommodation) housed students from Spain, Portugal, Brazil, USA, England, China, Japan, Indonesia, Hungary, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Korea, Portugal, and more! |
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2003-08-08
Are most of your students flying for fun, for a career, or for advanced training?
q At Professional Flight Centre, you will find that people are motivated to fly by a wide variety of reasons. Many people are simply taking a Recreational Pilot Permit or Private Pilot License for the fun and joy of flying. Some people are small airplane owners who are looking for an adventure.
q A large proportion of students at Professional Flight Centre are alumni and are working as professional pilots. They return every year or two for IFR Refresher Seminars and training. Most of our students are in the Professional Pilot Program working their way towards a career in aviation.
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2003-08-08
Is my FAA medical ok?
FAA is the Federal Aviation Authority in the USA (the equivalent of Transport Canada in Canada). Unfortunately, you must have a Canadian Aviation medical to obtain a Canadian Pilot’s license. You can do this in the USA by a certified Canadian Aviation Medical Examiner, but we recommend that you get it done in Canada to expedite the paperwork. For more information, click on our FAA button. |
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2003-08-08
What are the advantages of flying in Canada? British Columbia? Boundary Bay?
Canada is the ideal place to learn how to fly for several reasons:
· Canada as a country is different from the USA as we see ourselves as a “mosaic of cultures” as opposed to the American “melting pot” philosophy. As a result, we have a highly diverse society and people from all countries, races and religions can feel at home without persecution or ignorance.
· Aviation is inexpensive and easily accessible.
· Our dollar is relatively weak compared to other countries, so your money will go further here. One USA dollar is equal to approximately 1.4 Canadian Dollars
· Modern Air Traffic Control Systems
· Our ICAO Licenses are recognized widely in the world
· Combined British and USA system of aviation.
· The people are known to be | |
