okotoks flight school

[wingover]

The new flight school in Okotoks, which just opened in January, was making big promises about finishing licences in 45 hours. To my recollection, their first "class" of students was supposed to be finished at the end of March.
Does anyone know how they are doing? Have they been able to actually deliver on their promises? It seemed a little optimistic to me but good on them if they are doing it.

[Tailwheelup]

If you read the posts, like many schools they have been short of an instructor or instructors.
The promises are realistic providing the instructors meet the expected standards and
that the students are not in the categories known for taking a longer than normal time.

As for the comparisons with other flight schools, its probably better to promote your
features. The student pilot private pilot grape vine is pretty active and good or bad news
travels fast. This can and does result in many student spending a lot of time traveling
to train at a school that meets their requirements.


There is now a serious problem of an instructor shortage across Canada
and its resulting an overall quality problem from PPL upwards.

[flyer 1492]

I am hearing that the wait time to start your PPL at the Calgary Flying Club is now 18 months.

[CanadianBird]

I have a friend who is planning on starting there. It's been a bit of a BS match between lack of planes, instructors, and getting a straight answer. Everything from what is included in the "Premier Price" (apparently, ground school is extra), to when there's actually availability to get into a class for it.

I'll fill you in as it goes.

[wingover]

haven't heard anything about this school for quite a while. With the wait times in Springbank, is it worth going here or should one just stay on the list and wait for CFC or SATC?

[KissPlusOne]

I'll just present the facts as cleanly as I can without ranting too much. It is a new school, and, as it has been mentioned already, there is an instructor shortage.

I know someone who started doing their CPL flight training with the Okotoks school. This is a guy who began with an RPP, owned a few different aircraft to meet his needs at the time, and has flown across Canada, gaining experience on various runway surfaces...

When he was going up for circuits in the school plane, he called downwind for a T&G, when his instructor came on the radio and said,
"No touch and gos! Only stop and backtracks!"

A few other shenanigans caused him to change schools. It might be that he has more life experience than other students, but he wasn't too impressed with the school. But, they are a fledgling school.

The quality of instruction my friend had while there was not the greatest, but maybe it was just due to the student-instructor relationship. I can't determine that.

Unfortunately, because so many instructors are being sucked upwards and onwards, the new instructors to fill the voids don't have even a year of experience, and then stuff like what I described happens. Sad.

[CpnCrunch]

When he was going up for circuits in the school plane, he called downwind for a T&G, when his instructor came on the radio and said,
"No touch and gos! Only stop and backtracks!"

I don't think I'd trust a student to do T&Gs there. Have you ever flown there? On a hot day with the 1.6% upslope it can take quite a lot of runway to get airborne in an underpowered plane. Add in the somewhat variable decision making skills of a typical student in terms of deciding when to go around...

[Squaretail]

It’s more than big enough to do touch and goes on, assuming the land developers haven’t put up another flag pole or light post up again at he end of the runway.

[CpnCrunch]

It’s more than big enough to do touch and goes on, assuming the land developers haven’t put up another flag pole or light post up again at he end of the runway.

As long as you don't touch down half way down the runway and slow down too much, but I guess that applies to a lot of runways.

[wingover]

Just had this CADOR sent to me as well:


2019-07-25
Narrative:
Controller unable to establish communications with a Okotoks Aircraft Holding Co. Inc. Cessna 172K (C-GADF) from Calgary/Okotoks Air Ranch, AB (CFX2) to Calgary/Okotoks Air Ranch, AB (CFX2) that was conducting a local city tour. Several aircraft on approach to Calgary, AB (CYYC) were delayed descent for 15 minutes until contact was re-established.


Perhaps it would be wise to stay on the wait list for the other schools!

[Beefitarian]

It’s more than big enough to do touch and goes on, assuming the land developers haven’t put up another flag pole or light post up again at he end of the runway.

As long as you don't touch down half way down the runway and slow down too much, but I guess that applies to a lot of runways.

Uh, yeah. I could do touch and goes there in either direction so it's not exactly challenging. Even up hill.

[Beefitarian]

I'm in favour of more options even if I'm happy where I go on occasion.

I am curious about this still.

Do they do casual stuff or just the lincense programs? Is there extra planes available for rental?

Here's a link with phone number in case anyone is looking for contact info.

https://flyokotoks.ca

[yhz41]

I just started working there not too long ago and its a very different type of flight school. We just had a guy last week pass his flight test in 44.9hrs! It's still a new school with kinks to work out but a much better option than the nearby big operations

By your posts it sounds like this is you first job and you arent from the yyc area so how could you possibly draw that conclusion?

[C.W.E.]

44.9 hours should be plenty of time to get a PPL.

It used to be 30 hours.

[Moesif]

By your posts it sounds like this is you first job and you arent from the yyc area so how could you possibly draw that conclusion?

Don't need to be from the area to come up with that conclusion. the surrounding schools seem okay but okotoks is just fundamentally different and provides an offer that can't be found elsewhere

44.9 hours should be plenty of time to get a PPL.

It used to be 30 hours.

Yet the national average is 70 hours...

[C.W.E.]

Yet the national average is 70 hours...

Why does it take that long?

[photofly]

Because an hour isn't nearly as long as it used to be?

[laminar]

Yet the national average is 70 hours...

Why does it take that long?

I had a dozen hours on my training record in “let’s see where you’re at” flights from all the instructor turnover and the new instructors needing to “see where I’m at” with my proficiencies despite the detailed log in my training record left behind by those previous instructors. It bothered my wallet at the time but in retrospect it resulted in me getting more prep for the exams. I imagine there are other schools doing similar, and adding a little extra cash grab in there too

[trey kule]

because an hour isn't nearly as long as it used to be?

How true! Photo, you are becoming jaded. Keep it up

[Beefitarian]

Maybe because people start flying before they have a radio license, then they build hours being number 6 for take off, getting used to controllers, flying in traffic etc.

Things are a bit different compared to the good old days, learning nordo off a big grass circle.