Can I get any financial assistance for my training?

Most provinces provide some limited student assistance in the form of loans or grants to Canadian citizens. The amount of assistance available depends on the province concerned, on the financial need of the individual applicant, and on the length of the program being undertaken. Canadian citizens should contact their provincial student assistance office directly and seek the advice of their flight training institution. ATAC, schools often assists in the development of flight training financing programs. These financing programs are available to qualified students that attend ATAC member schools. For information on these programs, check with your local ATAC approved school.


Are there any Medical requirements to get a Pilot's licence?

A medical examination from a Transport Canada-approved medical examiner willbe required prior to solo flight. You don't have to be Superman, you just have tobe reasonably fit and healthy. You would be well advised to have your aviationmedical completed early in your training in the unlikely event that you are foundto be medically unfit to fly solo. The approved medical examiner in your areacan be contacted through any flying club or school.

Medical examiners in foreign countries approved to conduct Canadian medicalexaminations can be found by contacting:

Tel: 613-990-1310, Fax: 613-990-6623,
Civil Aviation Medicine (AARGC),
Transport Canada, Room 600, Centennial Towers,
200 Kent Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N8.

or by visiting their web site at http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/cam/menu.htm

An Aviation Medical Examiner designated by a Contracting State of theInternational Civil Aviation Organization may carry out examinations for theinitial issue or the revalidation of Canadian flight crew licences. A foreignmedical form is acceptable, providing all of the required information isincluded. Foreign students must complete their aviation medical examinationbefore travelling to Canada to begin training. Canadian schools cannot issueletters of acceptance until a Category I Aviation Medical has been obtained bythe student.


How much will it cost to get an airplane licence in Canada?
How many flying hours will I require?
How long will it take to get a licence?

To obtain your licence, you will require some ground school training, somein-flight ('dual') instruction and some supervised solo practice (sort of a learner's permit for flying). Check here for specific license requirements
http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/general/personnel/faq.htm

Prospective schools should be contacted directly to confirm hourly rates, payment plans, or 'package prices'.

The number of weeks required to complete each level of training will depend on the intensity of the training

How do I critically examine prospective flying schools/clubs?

Once you have given some thought to what you want in a flight training organization, start putting together a list of prospective schools/clubs. Ask each organization for literature concerning their programs. Ask for anoutline or curriculum for each program that you are interested in, but don't baseyour decision on the literature alone! Make notes from the information you gather from the literature and use the information during a visit tothe school. Compare the information set out in the literature with the facilities, equipment and aircraft that you will be shown during your visit.

Some of the issues you may be interested in are as follows:

1. Do the school's philosophy and objectives coincide with your own? Remember, bigger is not necessarily better.
   
   
2. What sort of priority does the organization attach to flight training?
   
   
3. If the organization has a charter service and you are interested in flying commercially, does the charter operator ever hire graduates from their flight training division?
   
   
4. If the organization is not located close to home, will they arrange housingfor you? Does the organization provide reasonably priced accommodation for their students? Is there reasonably priced accommodation close to the airport?Will the organization provide transportation to and from the airport?
   
   
5. How long has the flight school been in business?
   
   
6. Enquire about the organization's instructional staff. How many instructorsare employed by the school? How many of them are full-time, and how many arepart-time? Will your instructor always be available when you are? Will he/she be around during the entire course of your training? Your preference should beto conduct each level of training with the same instructor, where that is possible. Changing instructors constantly, or mid-stream can be time consuming and costly. One instructor will grow to know your strengths and weaknesses quickly and will ensure that you do not waste any time during your training. To be clear, many small schools/clubs provide excellent training. Bigger is not necessarily better.
   
   
7. How experienced is the instructional staff at each school? Class I instructors are the most experienced instructors, while Class II, III and IV instructors are progressively less experienced. To be clear, all licenced instructors have been certified as competent to provide flight instruction by Transport Canada, but remember, you are comparison shopping!
   
   
8. Is there a Designated Flight Test Examiner (DFTE) at the organization? These individuals are authorized to conduct flight tests for Transport Canada. Frequently it is more convenient to schedule your flight test with these individuals than to schedule your 'ride' with a Transport Canada flight test examiner.
   
   
9. Ask to see the classroom where the ground school will be conducted. Is it well-appointed, and clean? Ask to see the flight training device, if one is available.
   
   
10. How were you treated during your visit to the organization? Were you a 'somebody'? Were you treated courteously? Were your questions treated seriously, and answered in an honest, forthright manner? In short, did they treat you as if you were about to spend a few thousand dollars there?
    
    IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE DURING YOUR QUEST -- VISIT, VISIT, VISIT.
    
    You will probably be given a guided tour of the facility by an administrative officer, or the Chief Flying Instructor (CFI). Don't be afraid to ask questions! If there is something you don't understand, ASK!
    
    
11. Ask about their school insurance policy. In the unlikely event that you damage an aircraft, will you be required to pay a deductible? What is the extentof your coverage as a solo student or rental pilot?
    
    
12. Ask to see where your training records will be kept. Do they appear to be neatly organized and properly secured? Ask for an explanation of a blank Pilot Training Record.
    
    
13. Ask how often and when ground school classes are operated. How much doesthe ground school cost? How much is the ground school 'kit' (the collection of books and equipment required for the course)? Is the schedule convenient for you? Will a licensed flight instructor be teaching the course each night? There is no requirement for a ground school instructor to be a flight instructor, butremember.... comparison shopping! Are there audio or visual aids available at theschool (video/audio tapes or computer assisted instruction)?
14. After the guided tour is complete, introduce yourself to a student or two in the lobby or coffee shop. Explain that you are considering training at that school, and that you would appreciate it if they would rate the level of service that they have been receiving. Ask if they have had any problems, and if they have, how they were addressed by the school. They may even be able to steer you toward, or away from a particular instructor.
    
    
15. Does the school have a flight training device (FTD) or flight simulator? These machines simulate the cockpit environment and while they are not necessary, particularly in early training, they can be useful tools foradvanced training.
    
    
16. Ask to be given a tour of the training aircraft. Do they appear to be well-maintained and clean? 'High-wing' or 'low-wing' is really not important,but check to see that they have at least one wing on each side (a little bit of aviation humour...a very little bit). Are the aircraft equipped with headset jacks and intercom systems? Aviation headsets are expensive....and well worth the investment. The cumulative effect of prolonged exposure to excessive noiseis irreversible. Almost all schools have aircraft equipped to accommodateheadsets. In most schools they are mandatory. Shop around and buy a good headset.
    
    
17. Ask to take a look at the 'booking sheet'. Judging from the number of aircraft and instructors that are available at the school and the number of bookings, how busy is the school? How far ahead will you be required to make a booking to get an aircraft and/or an instructor?
18. Enquire about an introductory flight. This is not a demonstration flight, it isyour first lesson, so expect to do some flying! During the lesson, assess the instructor's attitude. Only you can determine if you and he/she would get along in the cockpit, but look for an instructor with a professional attitude, andsomeone who will work patiently with you to achieve high standards of performance.
    
    
19. Finally, is the school a member of the Air Transport Association of Canada? The Association actively promotes high ethical standards among its operator members. ATAC's Best Practices Manuals includes important student and consumer protection regarding a school's admission and withdrawal policies, tuition refund policy and dispute resolution policies. Last but not least, ask about a school's safety record because learning to fly should be fun, but in a well managed learning environment with due consideration for safety.