Any pilots from Vancouver or Saskatoon?

[MasonLogan]

Hi guys, coming to Canada to do my training in February ( 0- CPL, ME, FIR) and I'm trying to decide between Saskatoon and Vancouver. I hear the weather is better for flying in Saskatoon but it's also extremely cold. I also hear that there's a good chance of getting an instructing gig in Vancouver with there being quite a few schools around the area. My goal is to fly 5-6 days a week if the weather permits. Any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated!

[PilotDAR]

You probably have more consistent nice weather flying days in Saskatoon than Vancouver. Don't let the cold worry you, as long as you dress for it. In the winter, a cold, bright winter day is much nicer for flying than a day close to freezing. Flying in -25C is no problem, as long as you are prepared for it, and the airplane is properly configured. The performance of the airplane will be very pleasing. Saskatoon will also offer lots of room to go cross country. It's all just space around there. The Vancouver area is very pretty, but the lower mainland is very busy airspace, and the mountains are no place to be fooling around training.

The Vancouver area is a welcoming hub of general aviation, and flying out to Vancouver Island is nice too, but it's busy, with less predictable weather. The last point to consider is living expense - it's going to be much less costly to live around Saskatoon than southern British Columbia while you're training.

[losercruiser]

Winnipeg or Saskatoon is better

I did all my training in Vancouver and the weather is not ideal plus the cost of living is way way higher.

[PostmasterGeneral]

Second what was said above. For training, absolutely Saskatoon over Vancouver in every metric. Sounds like you’re wanting to just power through it as quickly as you can, and in that respect, YXE wins hands down. Winter flying in the prairies is awesome. Severe clear and calm for weeks at a time usually, and if your plane has a good heater, you won’t even notice.