Flight Training
Getting started
Use your pilot licence for personal travel, business travel or recreation. Fly for the fun of it!
The Private Pilot Licence (PPL) is also the first step in a career in aviation allowing you to continue on to the Commercial Pilot Licence. Your PPL gives you the privilege of flying any non-high performance single engine aircraft on wheels by day in accordance with Visual Flight Rules. You may carry passengers but not for hire, although you may split the costs of the flight with your passengers. Please check out our Private Pilot Licence training program for an overview of training requirements and cost.
Looking to go further and pursue a career in aviation? A Commercial Pilot licence allows the pilot to fly for hire and reward and opens the avenue to what can be an exciting and lucrative aviation career. Our Flight Training page outlines training requirements and cost.
If you already have a Pilot’s licence and are looking for further endorsements such as: Night rating, Multi-engine rating, Instrument rating or VFR-over the top rating; our training page overviews those requirements as well.
Careers
Flying as a career is an extremely rewarding and adventurous experience. Aviation is a fundamental industry all over the world, and because of this, a commercial pilot might find themselves flying in just about any country. From Flight Instructing to Commercial charter to Airline Pilot, the commercially certified Pilot has endless opportunities.
What is the Process?
To advance to a commercial pilot, you must have a Private Pilot Licence (PPL.) Once this is completed, training begins on advanced maneuvers to hone your skill to a commercial level. Throughout the commercial pilot training, ratings such as night and VFR over-the-top are taught, adding to your skill and employability. Once your commercial flight training is completed, you will have over 200 hours of flight experience that will prepare you for your future in aviation.
Courses
A student for the Private Pilot Licence must be a minimum of 14 years of age to obtain a Student Pilot Permit. From there, an individual may begin training for their Private Pilot Licence, however, one must be a minimum of 17 years old to hold a Private Pilot Licence. A working knowledge of the English language is also a requisite for flight training. Flight training for the Private Pilot Licence will consist of a minimum of 45 hours of flight training including:
- 17 hours dual, including 5 hours Instrument Training, 3 hours Cross-country,
- 12 hours solo, including 5 hours Cross-country (min 150nm from home base with 2 stops away).
- Other requirements of the Private Pilot Licence are:
- A Pre Solo written test – PSTAR (administered on site)
- A Restricted Radio Operators Certificate (administered on site)
- An Aviation Language Proficiency Test (administered on site)
- Class 1 or 3 medical obtained from a Civil Aviation Medical Examiner
- A minimum of 40 hours groundschool including instruction on (Air Law, Meteorology, Navigation and Aeronautical General Knowledge)
- A Transport Canada Written Test with a 60% pass mark
- A Transport Canada Flight Test
Please keep in mind that the flight training times listed are minimums. Very few candidates are able to meet flight test standards after 45 hours of flight. Budget for 60 hours as a more realistic number.
Training is at the student’s pace and convenience. The course could take as little as 6 weeks if done full time. Average time to finish would be 4 months based on 3 lessons a week. Keep in mind that the more often you are able to fly generally the less hours it will take to complete your PPL. Flight training is best done concurrently with groundschool.
| PPL Kit | $345 | |
| Groundschool | $400 | |
| 30 Hours Dual flight | 30 X $230 | $6900 |
| 10 hours ground briefing | 10 X $60 | $600 |
| 30 hours Solo Flight | 30 X $170 | $5100 |
| Flight Test Fee (paid to examiner) | $300 | |
| Written test fee (paid to Transport Canada) | $105 | |
| Licencing fee (paid to Transport Canada) | $35 | |
| Medical Exam (paid to doctors office) | $150 | |
| Medical Processing Fee (paid to Transport Canada) | $55 | |
| *Aviation Headset | $450 | |
| Total | $14,440 |
Optional costs are marked with an asterisk.
The Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) allows the pilot to fly airplanes for hire and reward and opens the avenue to what can be an exciting and lucrative aviation career. Depending on what type of aviation job you are seeking, you may require additional ratings to be a successful applicant. A CPL may be endorsed with a Multi Engine, Instrument, Float or Instructor rating. A Night and VFR OTT endorsement are included with a CPL.
- Private Pilot Licence
- Minimum age 18
- Working knowledge of English
A minimum of 200 hours total flight time
- 100 hours Pilot in Command time
- 20 hours X-Country.
All previous flight time counts toward the Commercial Pilot Licence.
The Commercial course consists of 65 hours of flight training and 80 hours of ground school and includes a Night Endorsement.
- 35 hours of dual instruction
- 10 hours of advanced dual instruction including at least 5 hours of X-Country
- 20 hours of instrument time.
- 5 hours dual night with 2 hours X-country
- 30 hours of solo flight time
- 25 hours of general practice, including airwork, and radio communication
- 5 hours solo night (10 take offs and landings)
- Straight line cross country of at least 300 nautical miles with landings at 3 airports other than the departure airport
- A minimum of 80 hours ground school. Including instruction on Air Law, Meteorology, Navigation, and General Knowledge.
-A Transport Canada Written Exam with a 70% pass mark
-A Transport Canada Flight Test
-Class 1 Medical obtained from a Civil Aviation Medical Examiner
Please keep in mind that the flight training times listed are minimums. Very few candidates are able to meet flight test standards after 35 hours of dual instruction. Budget for 45 hours as a more realistic number.
Training is at the student’s pace and convenience. The course could take as little as 6 weeks if done full time (not including solo build up time to reach 200 hours). Average time to finish would be 6 months based on 3 lessons a week.
Here is a breakdown of costs associated with the CPL course assuming it is done right after a PPL which was accomplished in 60 hours. Optional costs are marked with an asterisk.
| Groundschool | $900 | |
| Medical Exam and ECG (paid to doctors office) | $230 | |
| Medical Processing Fee paid to Transport Canada) | $55 | |
| *Aviation Headset | $450 | |
| 45 Hours Dual flight | 45 X $230 | $10,350 |
| 10 hours ground briefing | 10 X $60 | $600 |
| 30 hours Solo Flight practice | 30 X $170 | $5,100 |
| 65 hours Solo build up time | 65 X 170 | $11,050 |
| Flight Test Fee (paid to examiner) | $300 | |
| Written Test Fee (Paid to Transport Canada) | $105 | |
| Licencing Fee (Paid to Transport Canada) | $35 | |
| Total | $29,175 |
The Commercial Pilot Licence is GST exempt and is fully income tax deductible.
A Night rating allows you to fly during the hours of legal darkness which can be useful during the short days of winter in the North. A Night rating may be endorsed on a Private Pilot Licence after the training has been completed, there is no written or flight test required.
- Private Pilot Licence
A minimum of 15 hours of flight training:
- 10 hours dual
- 5 hours instrument
- 5 hours night of which 2 hours will be cross country
- 5 hours solo night
- 10 take offs and landings
There is no groundschool requirement however there will be some ground briefings on instrument flying, navigation, radio navigation aids, and aircraft and airport operations during the hours of darkness.
This assumes that the student completed 5 hours of instrument training during the PPL.
Training is at the student’s pace and convenience. The course could take as little as 2 weeks if done full time. Average time to finish would be 1 month based on 3 lessons a week. Due to lack of night during the summer, plan to complete the night rating in Fall, Winter or early Spring.
Here is a breakdown of costs associated with the Night Rating. These costs to not include GST.
| 10 Hours Dual flight | 10 X $230 | $2,300 |
| 5 hours ground briefing | 5 X $60 | $300 |
| 5 hours Solo Flight practice | 5 X $170 | $850 |
| Transport Canada Licencing Fee | $35 | |
| Total | $3,485 |
The VFR Over-the-Top Rating (VOTT) increases the versatility of your pilot licence by allowing you to fly in clear air above a cloud layer and out of sight of ground, provided that your destination is under a clear sky or scattered clouds, and is forecast to remain so for a period of time after your intended time of arrival. A VOTT rating may be endorsed on a Private Pilot Licence.
- Private Pilot Licence
A minimum of 10 hours of instrument flight training
There is no groundschool requirement however there will be some ground briefings on instrument flying, radio navigation aids and weather.
This assumes that the student completed 5 hours of instrument training during the PPL.
Training is at the student’s pace and convenience. The course could take as little as 2 weeks if done full time. Average time to finish would be 1 month based on 2 lessons a week.
| 10 Hours Dual flight | 10 X $230 | $2,300 |
| 5 hours ground briefing | 5 X $60 | $300 |
| Transport Canada Licencing Fee | $35 | |
| Total | $2,635 |
A portion of your training will be spent attending groundschool. Private Pilot groundschool introduces flying concepts and theories in a classroom environment, providing you with the required knowledge to pass the Transport Canada written exam. The Transport Canada requirement for Private Pilot groundschool is 40 hours of instruction in the following areas:
- Air Law
- Meteorology
- Navigation
- Aeronautical General Knowledge
While the minimum requirement for groundschool is 40 hours, it is not uncommon to require extra time to be ready for the written exam.
Our Private Pilot groundschool course will begin in January 2016 and run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30pm to 8:30 pm, continuously. Our groundschool is designed in such a way that if you can only attend one class a week it is still possible to get the required hours for your licence.
To sign up for groundschool, you will be required to pay the groundschool fee in full in advance. You must also purchase a groundschool kit which contains the required textbooks and materials used in class.