I’ve been on AvCanada for about 7 years now, I hope you guys won’t mind a bit of a plug. For the past year and a half I have been working on a book on how to become a pilot in Canada. “So, You Want to be a Pilot, Eh?” was published last month and is now available at Aviation World and on Amazon.ca and Amazon.com. This book is part of the Writing on Stone Press Canadian Career Series which includes "So, You Want to be a Doctor, Eh?" and "So, You Want to be a Lawyer, Eh?"
This book is not intended to try and ‘sell’ the idea of becoming a pilot. Instead, I try to provide information that a person considering becoming a pilot, or already working on their flight training, should consider before they decide to make a career as a pilot. If they do decide to pursue aviation as a career, this book provides advice and tips to help them along the way.
The book first looks at general information that one should know and consider when deciding to become a pilot and before starting their training. It then outlines the different routes available to obtain one’s licences and the various pros and cons of each.
After outlining different suggestions to make training go smoother, the book then discusses the challenges and options available to the new pilot in finding their first job. Input from Chief Pilots at the entry and mid levels of the career ladder give pilots searching for a job a good idea of things they need to consider when applying for these types of jobs. The book then offers tips and suggestions on how to be successful at your first job.
The latter part of the book outlines general information about airlines in Canada and their minimum hiring requirements as well as Corporate and ‘other’ flying careers.
Finally, the last chapter looks at key questions that someone needs to ask themselves before deciding to become a pilot.
When I first got into aviation, I found that there was a lack of information on the different options available to a new pilot. As well, in talking with other pilots, there have been a number who have said “If I had only known ‘this’ I would have done things differently.”
In the book there are a number of “Hangar Talk” sections where current pilots offer insight into different aspects of training and their career. A number of AvCanada posters including Sulako and North Shore have contributed advice for these sections.
In the book I also discuss:
-Why you shouldn't fly for free
-Why you shouldn't pad your log book
-Learning when and how to say No
-Tips for networking
-sample WestJet and Air Canada interview questions (Note: this is not meant as a major airline interview prep book)
-a basic sample resume
-exam writing tips
-Having a back up plan
More information, including the back cover outline and a table of contents can be found at http://www.piloteh.com and I’ve set up a blog at http://www.piloteh.blogspot.com
Cheers,
James Ball
