Which flight school

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skyze
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Which flight school

Post by skyze »

Hi, I'm currently a gr.11 student interested in seeking a future job as a pilot and I was wondering if anyone can give me advice towards which school I should attend to make the best of the time and prepare me for job. Ones in Canada I've been looking at is UCFV or BCIT. I also know because of the weaker aviation industry in Canada a better choice would be attending a school in the States like UND. Any advice is much appricated.
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bee tee
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Post by bee tee »

Here's an option:

1. Attend a local flight school to get your licences and ratings. Do some research in your area to see what school's have a good reputation, good planes, experienced instructors...etc.
2. Get a 4-year University degree, in something that interests you other than aviation. This way you have something to fall back on.

At the end of the day, every pilot takes the same exams, whether they attended UCFV or a local flight school.

You could attend school during the year and do some flying (when you have the time), and spend your summers flying your prop off.

If you finish your flying while you still have a year or two of school left you could do some instructing.

There's a multitude of ways you can go, I'm sure others will give you other options.
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wallypilot
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Post by wallypilot »

I agree with the previous post. No need to spend all that money on UCFV or BCIT, etc. Go to a real university if you want a university degree, then do your flying through a reputable flight school. A commercial license is the same regardless of whether you went through a diploma program or not. Plus, by doing a non aviation degree at a university, you can really decide if flying is what you want to do.

If you want some names of good, non-diploma granting flight schools out west, pm me.

-wp 8)
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Blue Side Down
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Post by Blue Side Down »

Utva wrote: 1. Attend a local flight school to get your licences and ratings. Do some research in your area to see what school's have a good reputation, good planes, experienced instructors...etc.
2. Get a 4-year University degree, in something that interests you other than aviation. This way you have something to fall back on.
I third that... it's what I did/ am doing. The local school route may be more expensive, but it's worth it in the long run because you can go at it four or five times a week without anybody standing in your way- and thus learn rapidly.

The Uni degree also is gold... good advice.

ERTW!
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cyyz
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Re: Which flight school

Post by cyyz »

skyze wrote: to make the best of the time and prepare me for job.
any of them, all the same*
a better choice would be attending a school in the States like UND.
Why? Do you have a green card?

--

Go to Europe and get a license there**
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beentheredonethat!
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Post by beentheredonethat! »

:( Uhm, not Pro Wings !!! :oops:
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Blue_Rider
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Post by Blue_Rider »

Don't get me wrong I'm all for getting a University degree, that if it's what you want to do. Both my parents went to university and my father is still really pushing me to go. I see no sense in attending a university for 4 years, forking over thousands of dollars just for the sake of having a clear route out of avaition.

I was thinking of doing the hole uni/flying spool, but decide not to for the reasons of: It would destroy me financially, It would set me back about 2 years, and the training I would recieve form a standard flight Opps just wouldn't be the same as from a Flight college.

Getting that degree( what ever you so choose) is obvioulsy going to have its challenges, not to mention flying on top of that, and having a social life.......well somethings gotta give.

I am currently enrolled at a Flight College, and I'm loving every minute of it. I have met plenty of great students, and inspiring teachers. It just keeps me that much more motivated when part of a group like this. It forces me to put in 100% and learn as much as I can. This is something I just don't think I would get at a University(which i forced myself to attend).
And yea if I lose my medical, so be it, i ll figure it out then. There are so many possiblilites out there.

I guess just try and figure out what works for you and what you really want. Think about what your giving up indirectly by taking any route.

(sorry about the grammer, its late)
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Right Seat Captain
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Post by Right Seat Captain »

I agree with Ultva, because that's exactly what I'm doing right now. The only difference is that I took a year off between highschool and University, so that I could do all my licences and ratings. I went into University for Mechanical Engineering with an instructor rating, and was lucky enough to get an instructing job where I trained.

I instruct on weekends during the school year, and full time in summer, when things get busy at the flight school. It saves the school from having to cut someone at the end of the summer when business tapers off. I'm just finishing my third year out of four, and I'm approaching 1000 hours. I'll finish next year with almost all the requirements for an ATPL, only missing a couple hundred hours, and I'll be a Class 1 instructor, and have a degree to fall back on, an maybe help me out down the road in aviation too. Instructing may not make you rich, but for a student it works out pretty well. Besides you can brag about it to all your friends at school! (just kidding)

I'm not trying to toot my own horn here, I'm just trying to demonstrate that if you go this route, you're setting yourself up really well. I can't take credit for the idea, I took many suggestions from other instructors, professional pilots and non-pilots alike and pieced this plan together. I try to encourage anybody coming into the aviation industry from a young age to go this route.
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meow
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Post by meow »

You're still young. So turn aroun 180 Degree away from Aviaiton.. Be a boob doctor and buy your own Airplane and start your training on that... You'll have fun and a good life style. (and you don't have to kiss someone's bottom to get a free flying job)
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let's go somewhere far.....
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